Boats For Sale:
Dipstick dilemma |
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hein 
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Joined: September-16-2012 Location: South Africa Status: Offline Points: 46 |
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 Topic: Dipstick dilemmaPosted: May-12-2013 at 12:14pm |
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I hope someone out there can give me some advice.I dont have the correct dipstick for the Ford 390 I am installing.I have two choices,one will be using a dipstick from another engine,the other is to have a 390 dipstic imported.(Im in S.Africa)
I do however have the same problem with both options,being that my sump was modified for the boat application.Also,I assume that the oil level should not be the same as conventional automotive engines as the boat engine is at an angle? So my question would be,how to figure out where the min and max levels on the dipstic should be?I dont know if this picture will help? 
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GlassSeeker
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Joined: November-26-2008 Location: Elk Grove, CA. Status: Offline Points: 2421 |
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Posted: May-12-2013 at 12:41pm |
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find out the stock oil pan capacity on the 390, see if you have a stock oil pan....if so, pour in the right amount of oil, run the engine, turn it off, then stick it and that is where your mark should be.
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8122pbrainard
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Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Posted: May-12-2013 at 12:59pm |
This is how I would do it as well but go one quart short of full first. This will give you the low point. Then add the last quart giving you the high point. I believe the Interceptor manual in our reference section includes the FE 390 specs. |
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hein
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Joined: September-16-2012 Location: South Africa Status: Offline Points: 46 |
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Posted: May-12-2013 at 1:21pm |
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Thanks for the input guys.Problem is,its not a standard pan,its been modified quite alot(i suspect to ensure enough oil volume)Im just wondering if that means that the quantity specs might be inaccurate?
 
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A bad day skiing is better than a good day at work.
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gR@HaM
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Joined: May-01-2012 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 1265 |
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Posted: May-12-2013 at 5:33pm |
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Now that's an interesting looking oil pan!!!
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'82 Ski Tique
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GlassSeeker
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Posted: May-12-2013 at 6:33pm |
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that pan does not look like it will fit in a skiboat
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Riley
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Posted: May-12-2013 at 11:18pm |
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A stock Interceptor FE oil pan holds 8 quarts with a remote oil filter, but you do not have a stock oil pan. Try asking the guys on this site of to find the correct levels.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/74182/ |
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GlassSeeker
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Posted: May-13-2013 at 3:46pm |
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Is the pan still off the engine? Hope so, just start putting quarts of water in the pan and count how many to get it to a point that looks about right and add 1 more qt for the filter and that should give you an idea of how much it should hold.
put the dipstick in the engine with the pan off...see how far(measure)the stick goes into the pan(extends below block) and this should tell you about where the add a quart line on the stick should be. |
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backfoot100
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Posted: May-13-2013 at 6:11pm |
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It looks as though the pan has only been modified on the lower half. The top half looks to be pretty much stock. All you've done is add oil capacity BELOW the original stock level of the ADD and FULL marks. You haven't changed the point at which the ADD and FULL marks are in relation to the length of the dipstick or the dipstick tube or the depth of the crank. As long as you have a stock dipstick and dipstick tube, put the pan on and add oil until you get to the appropriate marks. A bigger concern for me would be to make sure that you have the proper length oil pump pickup tube as it relates to the modified depth of the pan. That's a potentially much bigger problem IMHO. Or am I completely missing something here? |
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hein
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Joined: September-16-2012 Location: South Africa Status: Offline Points: 46 |
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Posted: May-14-2013 at 3:18pm |
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Thanks for all the feedback. It seems its a problem that can be solved after all. I do think a stock dipstick is a must. Will take it from there. I did check the pick up and tube,it all seems ok,also especially as its at the back of the engine,at the bottom part of the angle. Im working on it again on Saturday,i will report back.
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GlassSeeker wrote: