I tried to see how low the dipstick goes into the oil pan. With the pan off, it looks like the oil level at the full mark is above the pan/block gasket level? Does the oil level usually ride above the pan gasket level? or should the oil level be below the gasket?
Dip stick and oil level
- Thread starter clark_bailey
- Start date
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
I think it's above the gasket line, I'll check a motor I have here, but I can't do it for a few days. 
Yes Clark, the proper oil level should be about 1/8" to 1/4" above the gasket level. I've checked that on several motors that I've had to pull the pan from, and all were about the same.
More great engineering, a leak waiting to happen at the slightest hit to the pan. Not that you try to hit anything. Really...............
Are you suggesting that oil wouldn't leak out if the level was slightly below the gasket level?
Either way, oil will leak out when the seal is compromised.
Either way, oil will leak out when the seal is compromised.
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
You haven't looked at your oil pan to close have you.
Slightest hit to that pan and you won't have to worry about the pan gasket leaking, you'll probably be replacing the whole pan as it's aluminum and it doesn't warp or bend like a steel pan.
Last edited:
LOL. Very true.You haven't looked at your oil pan to close have you.
Slightest hit to that pan and you won't have to worry about the pan gasket leaking, you'll probably be replacing the whole pan as it's aluminum and it doesn't warp or bend like a steel pan.
I have an aluminum oil pan on a Yanmar engine. When I was buying it from one of my suppliers, he let it down on the trailer rather hard. I didn't know until I got home that the oil drain spud was straight out the bottom and that he busted it clean off when he set it down hard. I spent the better part of a day trying to aluminum braze it back together. It worked very well, but it was a royal PITA.
Last edited by a moderator:
Haven't seen a lot of Japanese cars? Some of them use a "sump" that doubles as main caps supports. Hit an object and, well, nevermind. More poor engineering?
I reckon if the oil level was below the pan gasket level, one wouldn't need to worry about putting a gasket between the two surfaces, since, uh, oil doesn't like splash off of the crankshaft and stuff.