I replaced my grungy old dipstick with a new shiny chrome one. Didn't move or change the old holder. The old dipstick showed the oil right at the bottom end of "SAFE" last week. I've put 200 miles on the car since changing to the new dipstick, just checked the oil, and the new one is showing WAY overfull. I know the oilpan is unique to the II -- are the dipsticks different lengths? Anyone care to measure their -- uh -- stick, and post the length on here? I bet mine's longer. . ..
The dipsticks ARE a different length on the II. My brother just went through this same thing. He replace his TUBE with a chrome C4 replacement and used the stock II stick. He kept having major leak issues. The trans was WAY overfilled. The II stick is shorter than a standard C4 stick. Your issue is the other way around, but now you know what the difference is.
Actually, I don't know what the difference is, and that's the problem. I need the length of the II V8 oil dipstick and the measurements on the marks. TIA.
Update...the safe mark is 16" down from where the stick seats into the top of the tube. The add mark is an additional 3/4" past that. That leaves another 1 1/4 to the end. If the taller stick isn't hitting anything, I'd think that you could just drain the oil and refill with five quarts, (then start engine)....then making new full and add marks with these measurments. Perhaps trimming the new stick too, so that it is 18" in length (minus handle). I've assumed here that your new stick is longer than your old one, and seats in the tube correctly?
4 1/2 quarts with a II pan and short (FL1-A??) filter. Changing oil and marking the stick at the actual level is somthing I've done for years. Maybe not so much anymore but back in the day even new cars could have sticks a 1/2 quart or more off. Hell, our Toyotas are a cup or two off. I make my primary marks by loading one quart short, run the mill to fill the filter and check for leaks, then marking hte stick. Then I put in the final quart and make the high mark. I suggest making your primary marks with a set of Dykes. Put the stick in the tool crossways and barely put an indent but make it large enough to find it next time. Verify the markings at the next oil change. If correct perminantly mark. Just remember marks across the face weaken the stick the worst way (direction), and too severe of marks could result in the stick fracturing. HTH
I swapped dipsticks with a chrome one from eBay and 5 quarts puts it right at the full mark after running to fill the filter.
Joey, just wanted to tell you that I misread your original post, and thought you were talking about the trans dipstick. I have no idea about the II setup vs non-II 302.
Yes, the II V-8's did use a shorter filter than the FL-1A...but, (at least for '76) service and owners manuals still recommended 4 quarts + 1 extra with filter change. However, I do have one chart that says (for '75 cars) 3 1/2 +1, which would coincide with what you said. I remember switching to the longer FL-1A filter after the first couple of oil changes however, because the short filter was always harder to find unless you got them from the dealer at an inflated price, and figuring the extra filtration area had to be better anyway. It does fit (having the same mounting base), but, just not as quite as easy to install and remove. It seems to me the number for the (short filters) was a PF-17, but I'm not really certain after all these years. I don't recall either, exactly when, why, or if they stopped using them... but for some reason thought they too switched back to the longer ones after 1977....but, perhaps not. Your method for draining and refilling prior to marking the stick makes perfect sense, assuming you had no measurements to work with and were unaware of the 3/4 " I mentioned between the add and full marks. And while Dykes would make a mark, I'd hesitate using them not only for the very valid reasons you stated, but because etching it lightly in another manner would probably be less likely to distort the stick, leave a burr, and give a better overall line. Sal...the case with your brothers car only goes to prove moreso, that any time we try to use something from another Ford on a II, it makes sense to assume we might be mixing apples with oranges!
You could use a #60 drill bit and drill a hole for the permanent mark. I prefer the dipsticks with holes because if you oil is clean it is a lot easier to see that the hole is oil filled than searchng for the oil mark, also the residual oil in the tube shouldn't fill the hole if there is any.
Yep, Far as I know all II V8 pans are D5ZE, and during the '75 model year I'm sure Ford realized they would have a bunch of half quarts sitting around. For the younger readers: These are oil can days. No such thing as putting the lid back on the bottle. I can also see the general public not liking having to toss a half quart if doing their own oil changes, or putting only 4.5 quarts when everything they changed oil in before took 5 quarts ..... and in '75 if they dumped 5 quarts in the pan it would show being overfilled. ... Easier to change the stick and give the public what they expect, even if it means making the smaller sump oil level that much closer to the crank which is something I've never liked about the II pan. Fact, one of the things about the II pan that has always irritated me is how cast off / slung oil has to run so close tot he crank all the way back to the sump. Overall I feel the switch to listing 5 quarts was more a move to give the public what they expect and less a move of solid engineering principals. IMHO. Same here. And it's been years since I've bought a Ford/ Motorcraft filter. IIRC there were three lengths of filters sharing the Ford base. Assuming you have a factory II stick from any year, are aware of the above speculation and observations , blah blah ... Only thing I can say with certanty is there really isn't an absolute answer. All vallid points. Truth is, anything done to the stick will weaken it, except possably etching with acid. And around it goes. I mark the edges because light nips are easy to remove, and don't cause stress risers across the plane of vibration. But this is all jabber, it's more important to mark the stick at the proper level than the method it's marked.
