Weird oil issue, any ideas? Look!

[astronut1885]

Well, I did an oil change on the car today, and only 2.25 qts of oil came out. It was the usual used oil color and all that. Here's the thing: I know I have no leaks because I replaced all the gaskets when I did the motor last month, and no puddles form under the car. I know my head gaskets are fine, as are my rings, because my compression test came back as 175 psi. I also doubt I burned it all, because my exhaust is clear and doesn't smell like burnt oil. Here's my only theory: A while back I broke my stock oil dipstick tube, and ended up buying a chrome FRPP one in the classifieds. The guy said it was for a 302, but I think it was for a 351. If it was for a 351, wouldn't it be longer? I had a major problem after the motor was done and lost like half my oil, and refilled by watching the dipstick. If the stick was too long, then it would read full alot earlier. Right now, with 4.5 qts of Mobil semi-syn and .5 qts Lucas Oil Stabilizer in the car, it reads a good inch or so above the full range. I'm thinking I have the wrong dipstick. Any ideas?

 

[NKau]

Just make a mark on the dipstick where the oil level tops out with 5 quarts in the car. Be sure to run the car so before doing this so that you are sure that the oil filter is full after the oil change.

 

[astronut1885]

actually, the filter was empty when I pulled the stick, didn't think of that. Also, I looked at FRPP's site, and the dipstick I have is specifically for our cars, it's the only one like it, so I know it's not the wrong one. I just know that my car didn't burn/loose 2.75 qts of oil in only 2 and a half months and 3200 miles.

 

[NKau]

What does your PCV look like?

 

[astronut1885]

brand new, I put it in with the H/C/I last month, and it's connected to the vacuum tree (on a T divider with the hose to my AFPR, because I didn't have enough vac ports). The thing that confuses me is that right now, with 5 qts oil in the pan, the dipstick reads somewhere around 1" above the hashmarked area that is the normal fill level. I think the stick is just inaccurate.

 

[Michael Yount]

The stick may be the right one, but if the tube is the wrong length, it'll throw off the reading on the stick. As was said, ignore the markings. Drain it all, refill with 5 qts. and a new filter, warm it up, let it all drain back down, pull the stick, and use a file to make a new 'full' mark.

 

[ECU5.0]

is it a brand new motor? lots of new motors with new pistons, rings, and bearings will use a little oil at first. especially if it has sythetic in it. a lot of the newer cars have different rings so they wont use synthetic like older style rings will. oh yeah and were gonna throw out the possibility that you drained both drain plugs...right...just kiddin man

 

[astronut1885]

well, I ran it, and the level was still way high on the stick, so I marked a new spot. Glad I didn't blow the motor running it on such low oil for a month. Good thing I noticed the stick being inaccurate this time, before I went and ran low again in the future.

 

[LX302]

I'm going to ask an obvious question that didn't come up in your question or any of the other posts, but I have to ask.
Did you remove BOTH drain plugs on the oil pan?
You probably did, but we need to discount it.

 

[astronut1885]

Yeah, all the oil came out. I'm pretty sure M.Yount hit it on the head when he said the tube was the wrong length.