Audiofn

I am wondering how do you know if the dipstick is correct? I think that I may be airating my oil because ther is to much in there. After a hard run it drops off the preasure just a bit. Not a lot but a bit. If I drop back to idle it will build preasure slowly. I was wondering how I could figure out were the oil lever should be when sitting in the pan like say over the evening so that I could measure up the dipstick. Should the oil be leven with the pan, higher, lower??? Over the years that boat has had a lot of improper stuff done to it and I think that this could be one of them

The engine is a 330hp 454 stock. I think the pan is either large or the dipstick is wrong because I put in about 8qts if I remember last time I filled her up.

Jon

klmken

Jon,
I'll try to get some pan and dipstick measurements for you tomorrow. I have about the same motor and it took 9 quarts on first fill after the rebuild. It now takes 6 and 1 for the filter when I cange oil and I think my pressure is good across the board.......
Ken

Audiofn

Thanks look forward to your info

Jon

buck183

Jon,

Don't know if this helps or not, but my manual shows a stock 330hp 454 to hold 7 qts of oil. If someone has changed something I'm sure this won't apply.

I have always wondered if this meant 7qts with filter, or 7qts plus the oil in the filter? HMMMM

Buck
#183

Ted G

The oil level should be below the crank throws so take that into account. It should not be as high as the oil pan rails-more like a bit below the lowest part of the timing cover(where the oil pan dips down).

cdscarab

Audiofn, my reference book shows 2 different pans, 6 qrt & 8qrt. the sump on the 6qrt extends half way to the front seal, while the 8qrt extends 3/4 of the way to the front seal. am not sure what is on my 330, but 6qrt is on my 420s. will ck further tomorrow

Audiofn

Thanks guys that gives me at leaste something to go by and would explain a bit why when it is running I get no leaks but as soon as I shut it down I get about two or three drips out of the rear main (I think). I will look into this more tomarrow.

Jon

Cord

Do you know how the small engine have you fill the oil until it runs out a small drain hole? Well that's how the dipstick hole works. You just fill it until you get a slight dribble of oil out the tube.

formula31

Good thread. I have a very similar issue. One of my engines has a cast oil pan with a port side dipstick. After the rebuild it took 5 quarts to get to the full mark on the dipstick and I said "well thats not enough" so I added the usual 7. I eventually took a couple quarts out and my pressures hold better now. Its the cast pan with the cooling fins I think they use on the 7.4 MIA engines but Im not sure. Ive never seen a Bravo application with the side dipstick. And how do I measure where it is in realtion to the pan bottom or crank with it in the boat and together?

ThirdBird

About the dipstick/pan capacity, unless someone has replaced the dipstick or pan, then just go with what it says on the stick. My standard 330/454 had a really nice cast aluminum pan. Don't know why, but it was nice and it held about 8 quarts. Dipstick marks matched that capacity (full = 8 qts).

As for the lowering of oil pressure slightly after a run, thats perfectly normal. As the oil heats up, viscosity goes down. When you slow down for while the oil cooler does its job a little more effectively and viscosity goes back up. Viscosity up - pressure up, viscosity down - pressure down.