Stupid Newbie Question... HELP!!!

[Slick61]

ok... showing my ignorance & unworthiness here, but hey... gotta learn somehow...

am changing the oil in the Backdraft today (Dart Windsor Aluminum 427). Front end up on blocks. According to dipstick before a short drive, the pan was full.

After draining the pan, I decided to empty it into containers (before refilling the crankcase) to see how much I got out. Only got 5 quarts... with a Canton 8 quart pan. I figured the system would hold 9 quarts with the oil cooler (which I did not drain), so was expecting at least 7 to 7-1/2 quarts with filter change. I see there's a bung near the front of the pan, but assumed that was for an oil temp probe.

Am I missing something here? Or is my dipstick totally wrong? Is the pan chambered by any chance?

Also, do y'all recommend pulling the coil plug & turning over til oil pressure comes up?

Sorry for being so retarded... just want to get it right the first time.

As for not draining the oil cooler... decided I'd just change oil & filter more often... unless y'all REALLY think it's necessary.

Straighten me out everybody!

[Ron61]

Ok, I never bother to blow the oil out of the cooler and its lines. My 8 quart pan held about 6 quarts when I c hanged it with the filter taking most of the 7th quart. Also there will be some oil that will be taken up into the block. Drive the car a short time until it is good and warm and then check it and see what your dipstick shows. Also if you have remote filters that will take a little as their lines will hold some. So don't panic until you take it for as short drive and watch the oil pressure to see that it is normal, then stop it and check it again. It will probably show low.

Ron

[wtm442]

There is quite a bit of oil in the remote filter/oil cooler lines. I was surprised that I only got about 5 qts of drain oil when I did my first oil change.

[392cobra]

Canton pans are rated including 1 filter.With an 8 qt.,that would be 7 in the pan and 1 for the filter.

Don't count on the dipstick reading correctly.

Put 7 qts. in the pan and check,and remark if needed,the dipstick before starting.
Recheck the level after it has been started and oil has drained back to the pan.Add more as needed to the new full mark.

[Rick Parker]

You have been given some very good advice. One thing that may apply.....some of the pans have a front & rear sump with separate drain plugs. This may not be the case but it's worth mentioning.

[Slick61]

Thanks everyone... got through it. Surprisingly, I put 7 quarts in & dipstick read full, so must've been a little low. BTW... it's a Canton front sump (T-shaped). I put the pan back under it & let it drain a little more, as another local Cobra owner said it takes a while for the baffles in the pan to drain. Changing the filter was definitely a challenge. First, had the wrong filter... needed the shorty to squeeze between the frame rail & the engine. Access is definitely tight. Was lucky to twist it off by hand... no way to get a standard strap-type filter wrench on... and forget about getting one of the cap-style filter removers over the end of it... too little clearance. Makes a good case for a remote filter setup.

[Ron61]

Slick,

Maybe you should look into getting a remote oil filter set up. It will give you more filtering and the lines will also give just a little more cooling. Plus you can mount it where you can get to it easily on most cars. I had mine mounted in front of the engine and could just reach up and get it off easily as there was plenty of room and I could also use a standard size filter.

Ron

[Slick61]

I don't know that I need any more cooling capacity, since I already run an oil cooler. The engine already runs fairly cool. While out this past weekend with temps in the 70s & low 80s, my fans didn't even kick on, unless sitting in traffic for extended periods. Would be more of a convenience than anything else. Just don't know if I want to clutter up the engine bay with more hoses & such.