Max,
I'm quite comfortable that you are right about this, especially the
observation that the oil level will drop fast enough. Heretofore I have
always drained, then refilled oil to the mark on the stick. This was
first time I poured in pre-measured amount, based on "capacities" in the
manual. Someone noted that "capacities" are just that, not allowing for
oil retained in the engine at changing time, and I didn't think of that.
Interestingly, the manual for another of the engines in my garage cites
"refill capacities", which is probably a better way to state it.
These engines don't hold nearly as much oil as TD engines. Late TDs,
with a finned aluminium pan, hold about six US quarts. All the MGBs, with
and w/o oil coolers, hold less. One wonders if oils were improved so
much in that time that smaller quantities were OK, or what other factors
might have lead to the smaller sumps. I note that my 2002 Toyota Tacoma
four-cylinder engine wants six quarts.
This engine consumes a lot of oil at this stage of its life;
compression test shows ring troubles, but at this point I'm driving it
about 2500 miles/year and can buy many jugs of oil for the cost of
rebuilding the engine. Were a winning lotto ticket to be found in the
garage, I would invest in a rebuild and a supercharger.
Dreaming on....
Bob
On Wed, 02 Jun 2004 08:51:52 -0700 Max Heim <mvheim@studiolimage.com>
writes:
> I think you are over-intellectualizing this a bit. The oil level
> doesn't have to be accurate to the ounce -- I'm sure there is a healthy
> margin of safety in the original calibration. If you've added the
correct
> quantity after an oil change, then you should be fine. If the oil level
is
> checked with the engine warm, within a few minutes of shut-off, and is
> between the MIN and MAX marks, that also should be OK.
>
> Bob, it sounds like you might not have let the engine entirely warm
> up, since you didn't actually drive anywhere. But a fraction above the
> line isn't going to hurt anything. Don't worry -- it will be down soon
> enough.
> <g>
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