An Oil Change. How hard can it be!

[MickG]

Thanks Rohan, no need to apologise that?s the sort of answers I'm looking for.
I appreciate that good oil pressure doe's not necessarily mean good lubrication. I probably need a little time to adjust to the slight reduction in pressure and not worry too much.
I'll stick with the GTX for now and see if my nerve holds!
Thanks again,

Regards Mick G

[Galwaylotus]

I used to run with the oil up to the Full mark but I experienced low oil pressure on roundabouts at much less than the cornering capability of the car. When I drained the oil and filled 3.75 litres and after running it to fill the filter I found the level was as shown on the attached. Now I don't have oil starvation when cornering so that's the level I use. The issues involved for correct oil level are to keep the level below the crankshaft so it isn't being whipped into an inefficient froth but high enough to avoid starvation in lateral G-loading. I don't know if the tube was installed at the correct height or if the dipstick is the correct one but this is what works for me!

[stugilmour]

Thanks Galloway Lotus. I followed your exact procedure, and came exactly to the full mark of the replacement dip stick I made up last year. Can't test out things right now as waiting on a starter rebuild.

Interesting deal is I am way higher up on my stock dip stick than Galloway Lotus. I did my best to check the dip stick tube dimension, and it appears to be somewhat less than the 4.1" specification, so I expect that is my issue. I then remembered that my dip stick tube was probably modified during my rebuild as I have the Burton cassette water pump front cover installed. I can't recall if the Burton part comes with a dip stick tube, and I had left installation to the engine re-builder. Other issue is I have our own version of Col's baffle / windage tray setup installed, which might change things a tad.

Soo, I am going to try things with the 3.75 liters plus 0.25 liters for the filter, use my replacement dip stick and see how things go.

Is there a easy way to check if you have oil frothing from the crank?

[Galwaylotus]

Uh, that's Galway. Galloway is in the UK. Galway (or Gaillimh in Irish) is in Ireland!

[stugilmour]

Woops! Sorry 'bout that. Anyway, very helpful.

Cheers!

[StressCraxx]

Uh, that's Galway. Galloway is in the UK. Galway (or Gaillimh in Irish) is in Ireland!

I am just down the road from you in Ennis tonight!

[tcsoar]

I then remembered that my dip stick tube was probably modified during my rebuild as I have the Burton cassette water pump front cover installed. I can't recall if the Burton part comes with a dip stick tube, and I had left installation to the engine re-builder.

I have just installed the Burton kit you have and it does come with a new dipstick tube but you have to install it yourself. I did mine and measured it up against the old plate and tube but when I put the correct amount of oil back in it came up short of the full mark.

Chris.

[englishmaninwales]

I then remembered that my dip stick tube was probably modified during my rebuild as I have the Burton cassette water pump front cover installed. I can't recall if the Burton part comes with a dip stick tube, and I had left installation to the engine re-builder.

I have just installed the Burton kit you have and it does come with a new dipstick tube but you have to install it yourself. I did mine and measured it up against the old plate and tube but when I put the correct amount of oil back in it came up short of the full mark.

Chris.

Resurrecting this old thread, because I'm trying to sort the oil quantity for a dry fill. The dipstick tube in the Burton front cover goes in at a shallower angle than the original, hence the problem Chris had above.

I decided to set the dipstick tube at approximately the correct position in the Burton FC, intending to mark the dipstick with the correct oil quantity for a dry fill, including the filter. The manual says 4 litres, but a search on here puts it anywhere between 3.75 an 4 litres. What's the definitive answer?
Thanks
Malcolm

[john.p.clegg]

One answer is,if you have the sump removed,place the tube/dipstick so full lines up with just below the "rotating dangly bits"

John

[simonriley11]

I have recently also had some issues with oil levels. Having done a full engine rebuild on my 1966 Mk1 engine I filled the filter (spin on) and topped up the oil so after use and when cold it was on the full mark on the dipstick, this took about 3.5 litres using the graduations on the plastic 5 litre oil container (not accurate I know). All was fine until I did an emergency stop brake test and noticed that the oil pressure dropped so I added another 0.5 litre and then it was fine.
I changed the oil and filter (engine hot and drained overnight) at 1000 miles and using a measure added exactly 4.2 litres total into the filter and sump and now the level is on the second 'L' of FULL on the dipstick. I haven't measured the dipstick heights etc. so can't comment on that but now I don't get any oil pressure drop during spirited cornering or heavy braking. My thinking is that if I don't get any signs of excessive oil in the engine then this will be my new 'FULL' level.

[ricarbo]

I also have had problems getting to grips with this. As has been mentioned in another thread, Lotus at one point specified two different heights for the dipstick tube, being early and late engines, which I think means 4 bolt or 6 bolt crankshaft, so that's another quandary. These two dimensions are not in all versions of the workshop manual and I don't know the reasoning, but I think the oil pickup points varied. Like Richard, I have recently had the sump off and took measurements, including filling the removed sump up to the dipstick full level. I found it would not take as much as any of the Lotus figures by a considerable amount. I'll find my notes and post what I found. Others have pointed out the need to not have the crankshaft hit the oil and I agree with this but would say that if the level is only just below the crank when the car is static that is too close, because when the car is moving the oil level will inevitably be much higher at some parts of the sump. For example it will all try to be at the front under braking, etc. I fitted my car with an oil pressure switch, wired to an audible alarm and was amazed at how often it would sound, e.g. any briskly taken roundabout. Frightening.
regards
Richard

[ricarbo]

Here is what I measured, with the sump on a level surface (I appreciate the sump may not be level when the engine is installed):

Quantity to fill to bottom of dipstick 1700cc a height from bottom of sump of 40mm.
Quantity to fill to fill mark of dipstick 2650cc a height from bottom of sump of 62mm.
Quantity to fill to full mark of dipstick 3600cc a height from bottom of sump of 82mm.

The vertical height of the dipstick tube from the sump face to the centre of the inclined tube is 4 and five sixteenths inches or 110mm, slightly higher than the Lotus figure of four and a half inches.

These measurements taken on my 1973 Sprint which i believe to have original front cover, sump and dipstick

4 litres filled the sump to a depth of 89mm, just 7mm from the big end bolt.
regards
Richard