Deliberately keeping oil level low???

fushnicken

fushnicken

New Member
Apr 2, 2005
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NJ
#1
According to what I have read it appears that some of you might actually be doing this intentionally. Is this just wacko jacko talk or are some of you actually doing this for real?

I've been reading about drag loss on the crank both in forums and in a previous issues of MM&FF. At some point I was thinking about upgrading my stock oil pan to a 7 qt Canton, Miloden or other deep sump option with windage tray, bells and whistles, etc. Going to the track tomorrow night. Planning to change the oil in the afternoon before I go. I am considering running it a little low as an experiment to see if there are any noticeable results.

Before I started playing around with what is obviously a scary, risky and potentially dangerous experiment, I wanted to get some opinions on this matter.

If any of you are actually doing this, how low are you going? 1/2 qt, full qt. I wouldn't think that you would want to go much lower than a quart. Obviously, at some point we enter the "she's gonna blow" category.
 
#2
fushnicken said:
According to what I have read it appears that some of you might actually be doing this intentionally. Is this just wacko jacko talk or are some of you actually doing this for real?

I've been reading about drag loss on the crank both in forums and in a previous issues of MM&FF. At some point I was thinking about upgrading my stock oil pan to a 7 qt Canton, Miloden or other deep sump option with windage tray, bells and whistles, etc. Going to the track tomorrow night. Planning to change the oil in the afternoon before I go. I am considering running it a little low as an experiment to see if there are any noticeable results.

Before I started playing around with what is obviously a scary, risky and potentially dangerous experiment, I wanted to get some opinions on this matter.

If any of you are actually doing this, how low are you going? 1/2 qt, full qt. I wouldn't think that you would want to go much lower than a quart. Obviously, at some point we enter the "she's gonna blow" category.
Click to expand...

Where the f u c k have you been reading that?!!? I've never heard of that before. That's like asking for engine suicide I would think. I don't think by running low oil you're gonna reduce drag on the crank, if anthing, it's gonna heat up due to more friction and then you're f u c k e d.
 
#3
I have heard this once before. The only people I know that do this have a 7qt oil pan, and they usually run about 6qts.

DO NOT DO THIS WITH THE STOCK SETUP. It is not a good idea. If you gained a fraction of a percent of power, it would not be worth a chance at damaging the engine.

1qt low wont kill your car, but it is not recommended for long periods of time. Thats why Cobras have a low oil indicator. I don't remember if the GTs do or not. I would think so. One quart low, and she will light up usually......

Hope this info helps. I would check back with were you found that info, and see if the guys are runnin the deep pans......

CmanT1914 - your avatar says it all on this question.....

No offense. I know you were just looking for acurate info up top.......
 
#4
Mine has been ran low a few times (as much as a quart when it was stolen and it came back fine) Would I do it on purpose?? HELL NO Why would you unless you feel like slipping in a new shortblock sometime soon!??

I tend to keep mine a tad on the highside of the stick maybe .25-.5 at most of a quart over recommend since I have a small leak and tend to autox.
 
#5
thats not for a street car its a trick some drag racers do but i wouldnt advise it especially if not trailering your car to the track and rebuilting the motor every X amount of passes.
 
#6
LoudToy958 said:
1qt low wont kill your car, but it is not recommended for long periods of time. Thats why Cobras have a low oil indicator. I don't remember if the GTs do or not. I would think so. One quart low, and she will light up usually......
Click to expand...

The GT's do too. Mine comes on everytime it's time to change the oil, I had a tiny leak somewhere. Although NOW I have a huge leak. I ran a nitrous line off of the block into a tee-fitting to hook up both my oil pressure sending units. Well, I got one of my 3AN-1/8" fitting got cross-threaded, and instead of stopping right there and ordering another one (the smart thing to do), I thought it might be okay and installed it anyway. :bang: Can you say f u c k i n g retard?! I blew out that fitting, and now it's all crooked on the line, and it leaks real bad. REAL bad. Luckily, I just got some new lines and fittings in today from summit, and am gonna fix it tomorrow.

LoudToy958 said:
CmanT1914 - your avatar says it all on this question.....
Click to expand...

:nice: lol, thanks

EDIT: Oh yea, and fushnicken, I didn't mean to sound like a jerk, so I apologize if I did. :flag: That just seemed like a crazy question, but then again, I'M the one who put a cross-threaded oil fitting on my line. :eek:
 
#8
CManT1914 said:
Where the f u c k have you been reading that?!!? I've never heard of that before. That's like asking for engine suicide I would think. I don't think by running low oil you're gonna reduce drag on the crank, if anthing, it's gonna heat up due to more friction and then you're f u c k e d.
Click to expand...


CManT, before I read the article I would have probably responded just like you with a "you're gonna blow you engine to kingdom come" response. I am not a professional mechanic, but I know what happens to an engine without oil. I did a little homework before asking something that seems like a no brainer to most.

MM&FF, Article "Oil Myths Exposed", June 2005, Page 119
"One trick used by drag racers (especially when the stock pan is used) is to reduce the oil level in the pan. Lowering the oil level keeps the oil off the crank, therby reducing drag and releasing horespower."

Obviously, I am not talking about daily driving the car like this 45 miles each way back and forth to work everyday. This would be an at the track only type of thing. I agree with you that lowering the oil enough will increase your risk of destroying the engine. There is really no argument that at some point you will heat things up. However, it is apparently possible to run your oil level slightly lower and get a few ponies back in return.

This technique is like the power pulley principle, because you are reducing drag on the crank.

I equate your response to those who say "running power pulleys frees up horsepower, but you risk overheating the engine" - I have had power pulleys on three of my stangs with no overheating problems.

I'm sure that I could run my car a 1/2 quart low and probably never notice a difference, just as long I change it every 3k.

By the way - I am not telling or recommending that anybody to do this, I'm just asking if anybody is already doing it today.

The article recommends against this technique for Modulars, because you can kill the cam(s).
 
#9
i dont think anyone really meant anything bad we just dont want anyone to blower there motors reading this and not looking into it first. Personally i dont think the small gains from it would be worth the poss added valve train damage but thats just me.
 
#11
:D CManT - Sorry if I came across mad, I'm not.

Just adding in what I read about it.

Agree that it seems dangerous, but I was just wondering if anyone on the forums was actually doing this. Certainly seems plausible.

Think I will wait for the new oil pan with 7qts before trying this experiment, but then again blowing my stock block would accelerate my future engine plans. :rlaugh: Just Kidding.
 
#12
If you get a 7qt oil pan, or any deep sump is it imperitive to get a high volume oil pump? I definately want to get the bonus in pony-power through oil-pan and windage tray so if I need a pump then so be it. And does canton/milodon/moroso sell an 'oil pan kit' that comes with pan, tray, and new pump??? That'd be an awesome $300 mod. (i think that # sound right)

Anthony
 
#13
i think its like this.. if you do this "mod" on a normal motor ur using in a car u drive on the street, even if its only at the track u drain the oil low is in the same ball park as "being" with a woman and not making sure she is ready to go. your only going to see her so many more times before she gets tired of your selfish nature.
 
#14
It is a semi-common practice for dedicated racers, but not something to do haphazardly. The gain from this is SO minimal, it is not what I would do. Are you already running a 0 weight synthetic oil? I would do that before running the level low. Sure you can do it, but I just would not.

It is a very real thing that guys do (though it is generally track only cars for keeping it simple to remember).

I would rather find ET improvers elsewhere. :)
 
#16
This is an old 5.0 at the track trick. You can lose an honest .1-.2 off of your ET by running a quart low. Try it if you don't believe me. As far as I know, doing this at the track and not all the time on the street is not damaging.

This should only be done on pushrod V8s, the mod motors can have VERY bad results if they are run at the track WOT low on oil as more oil is required in the pan to ensure proper top end lubrication.
 
#20
mackey said:
Being 1 quart low will not ruin your engine. Does anyone know when the actual low oil light turns on?
Click to expand...
I doubt any two sensors come on at the same oil level. :D There are enough horror stories about how far people were down with no light coming on.
 
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