Oil capacity vs. quanity

The Regal has the TA deep 8qt steel pan. Using an ext pump with a baffled/ gated pick up in the bottom of the pan pulling through a #16AN line. It was leaking through the rear pan seal pretty bad with 7-8 qts of oil in it. Yesterday I dropped the pan enough to get to the rear rubber seal. Cleaned everything up. Added a good coating of copper ATV reassembled, let dry 6 hours. When I refilled the pan I only put 6 qts in as a test. After a run up n down the road she's dry. Is it gonna hurt anything only running the 6 qts or should I add 1 -2 more and see what happens? Think I know the answer but wanted to post for the collective wisdoms input.

 

Looking at that pic, it appears there is a quart "below" the pickup which means actual capacity available is 5. A quart to fill the -16 line and pump and say 1/2 quart in the filter leaves 3.5 for the engine at WOT which isnt enough. May even cavitate the pickup if it cant return to the pan quick enough.

Just the way I see it. Could be wrong but wouldnt chance it.

 

Heres a pic of the pick up. System one filter does hold 1/2 qt.

 

The more oil the cooler it will be, ID try to utilize as much capacity as you can

 

Jim,
That oil pickup is "offset" to accommodate the large radius on the oil pan. The feet of the pickup are 5/16" off of the bottom, so there's minimal oil below the pickup. With that system and that TA pan I would run 7 qts minimum.....and be sure to watch the oil pressure through the traps when hard on the brakes.....that's when you'll see the results of uncovering the pickup with too little oil. Also with that oil pump there's always the chance of the oil not getting back to the pan quickly enough, depending on oil viscosity, oil path back to the pan, etc., so you may have to adjust the oil level based on that. Put a video recorder on the oil pressure gauge and study it under all conditions...........that will be your best tool.

 

I had 8qt's in it and was thinking that might have been part of the leaking issue. I'll add another qt to make 7 and see if it starts seeping past that seal.Not thinking it will.

 

Add a vacump pump system and i bet it wont leak.

 

I have an electric one that had been mounted in the trunk. That thing was to freaking loud and didnt seem to make any improvements in power.

 

Header evac will work wonders, some -10's in valve covers going to canister is sufficient alot of times too

 

One of these would work better. Never have any engine oil leaks anymore. If there is a leak, its not from a gasket/seal on the engine.

 

If you dont have an evac system you will have leaks guaranteed.

 

I'm quite sure I'll be running a GZ Motorsports vacuum pump VP104. I talked to them and they're the only one that uses a crank shaft design vs. a centrifugal vane. In short, the rotors never touch the outer body, so wear is kept to a very minimum. He said they have many running on the street and are not recommended to be rebuilt until 15,000 miles. That'll take me a long time with my intended type of street driving. I really like the Moroso one also, but I don't think it'll last as long with street duty as the GZ.

 

Anyone know of a good electric??

 

I wondered if there was a pump that was added as another stage on the back of the oil pump. Kill to birds with one belt. I like the Moroso but dont know how Id run it. Already have the header evac system. It sucks hard enough to stick to my thumb at idle.

 

With those pumps wat happens to all the oil that gets sucked up. Is there some kind of return line or canister ?

 

Its a wet sump Anson. Pulls directly from and returns to the pan.

 

Peterson makes them.......Widevac pump. One stage oil pump, one stage vacuum pump. That's all in ran in the past.

 

Dang Slim! You could eat off that engine, has it ever been run?

 

Absolutely, done about 2000 miles on the street and racing it also. See my avatar

 

You can use any gm factory emissions airpump. They pull 7 psi.