7 or 8 qt oil pan?

[dpariso]

When I purchased the Cobra he told me it was an 8qt oil pan. However, when i filled it with 8 qts its about 1 quart over on my dipstick. Im wondering if its a 7 qt pan. Here's a pic of it. Does anyone have the same pan and could confirm 7 or 8qt?
133015

[TMartinLVNV]

Some basic info would really help out here. Engine type and brand name of the oil pan?

From the picture, it might be a black powdercoated Canton. Most are 7 qts but not all. Your dipstick is the best guide to what you really need.

[cfriedman67]

I have a 97 cobra engine and purchased a Champ pan. If that is what you have I believe it is 7 quarts. www.champpans.com

[rich grsc]

Well, if it's full when you add 7 qts, then it's a 7 qt pan. As said, you can just go by the dipstick.

[dpariso]

Engine Type:1997 Lincoln Mark VII DHOC
Pan Brand: I dont know. I cant find a stamp on it.

[TMartinLVNV]

https://www.summitracing.com/search/part-type/oil-pans/make/ford/engine-size/4-6l-281

Almost all of the aftermarket oil pans for the 4.6 are 6 or 7 qt.

[dpariso]

Thanks everyone!

[phileas_fogg]

My Champ pan is the same way. Although it's advertised as an 8-quart pan, this is the level with a little less than 6 1/2 quarts of oil:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47676822761_c92a4137f9_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2fD3bnx)IMG_5531 (https://flic.kr/p/2fD3bnx) by jhsitton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/91016165@N07/), on Flickr

However, according to http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/whats-a-windage-tray-do.64/, there's an additional two quarts that's in the upper engine & filter at operating temperature. So for the Champ pan if you want the oil level at temperature to be just below the windage tray, then 8 quarts is how much oil you need in total.


John

[dpariso]

John,
AWESOME PIC!
If you add 8 quarts, does your dipstick read about a quart over the fill line?

[rich grsc]

John,
AWESOME PIC!
If you add 8 quarts, does your dipstick read about a quart over the fill line?
Only when it's inserted in the engine.

[phileas_fogg]

John,
AWESOME PIC!
If you add 8 quarts, does your dipstick read about a quart over the fill line?

I'm going to say yes, but truth be told I have no way of knowing how much over the fill line it reads. Note that for this pan, the dipstick bung is on top of one of the side wings; you can see it at the bottom right of the picture. You have to plug the dipstick opening on the block, because the windage tray prevents the dipstick from being fully inserted in the stock location.

Also I should have mentioned: everything I've told you is for the Ford 302. I have no first-hand knowledge of the other engines.


John

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Here is the thing the shape of the pan can do weird stuff to the level. Key is the stick if its the original one that came with the car. The stick is measuring the level of the oil below the rotating parts of the engine. Regardless of what capacity the pan has or is supposed to have just add oil till the stick says full. Run the engine recheck for the now filled oil filter or cooler & top up till the stick says full.

Hopefully you will have kept track of how much went in so next time its an easier process.

[walt mckenna]

When I purchased the Cobra he told me it was an 8qt oil pan. However, when i filled it with 8 qts its about 1 quart over on my dipstick. Im wondering if its a 7 qt pan. Here's a pic of it. Does anyone have the same pan and could confirm 7 or 8qt?
133015

It looks like it could be a Champ CP4654 road race pan. The factory pans are a silver color, but the previous owner may have painted it. I would try to contact the previous owner and verify what you have. My pan is a CP4654 with a 4654SB pickup. I had to install an aftermarket dipstick in order to see the fluid level when the pan was filled with the recommended seven quarts. The fluid level is farther away from the crank, so the stock dipstick isn't long enough. I verified the capacity with the vendor before going with the longer dipstick. No issues in 6 years of HPDE track days.

[Joecobr]

Mine is a Canton 7 quart. I had to modify the oil pickup and the internal baffles in order to use the stock dipstick. As long the oil level is fine on the stock dip stick and the new volume is equal to or greater than the OEM pan, you are good to go. Be sure the gap between the pickup and the bottom of the pan is as per design.

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[CraigS]

This situation can really be a problem. It doesn't matter if it's 7 or 8 qts. What matters is how full the pan gets. John's picture would be a good guide. Full to just below the tray so that the crank doesn't whip up the oil into a froth. The problem is how to determine that w/ an unknown pan. I was lucky on my 351 when I installed a Canton pan because I still had the OEM dipstick that went in through the front cover. So I used it to fine tune my level, then made a mark on the dipstick that came w/ the pan. That mark was maybe 1/4 inch from correct according to the mark the stick came with. I hope Walt is correct on the pan's identity. That will make things a lot easier. Best wishes.

[NAZ]

Well, if it's full when you add 7 qts, then it's a 7 qt pan. As said, you can just go by the dipstick.

And that there is the answer you're looking for. Of course, that's after the filter and oil cooler are full and the oil level is at the dipstick full mark.