Dunnell Sump, whats the correct oil level?

[Paul Turner]

Guess the subject says it all, I have two different measurements the first one is a distance down the dipstick and this is below the bottom mark, the second is simply between the top and bottom marks. Where should the oil show on the dipstick?

 

Paul

[Paul D Jones]

Ring him up ask how nuch oil there should be in the sump drain the oil out and refill with the correct amount of oil then recalibrate the dip stick there is more than one length and route of dip stick that can be used mine comes up inbetween cylinders 2 and 3 other can be between 1 and 2.

 

Paul.

[GasMan]

4 1/2 litres is what he told me to put in mine

 

Matthew

 

 

[AMMO]

I have a Zetec. Chopped and baffled the sump myself. Similar but not identical to the Dunnell one.

 

Measured in 4.5 litres and made a note of where the level was after starting up and letting the oil settle. In my case a couple of mil above the full mark.

 

AMMO

[Martin S.]

eeeek! Mine only takes 3.25L to get it up to the dip stick mark. I've been running it for two years like this! Just sent an email to dunnel to ask what it should be.

[Paul Turner]

Hi all

 

Was starting to panic having read the earlier e-mails but Martins has calmed me down, when originally fitted mine took about 4 litres to take it to the mid dipstick mark (including filter) and all was well. When I put in extra oil I expected that if I overfilled it the extra would come out of the breather and settle at the right level (past wet sump x-flow experience). No oil was blown out even with the oil level up to the Mr Ford full mark but an oil leak from the front of the engine became evident, bugger I thought, so much for the oil tight Zetec. I changed the oil and refilled to the mid level on the dipstick using a bit less than 4 litres and since then all appears well. Martin, I will be very interested what Mr Dunnell says as when I asked the capacity all he said was to follow the instructions on the info sheet.

 

I was told that the Raceline sumps hold a full 5 litres and since they are wider than the Dunnell sump must have a greater capacity.

 

Anyone else noted the oil temperature, I have a mechanical sender in the sump and so far even on a motorway cruise it has not registered more than 60 degrees, I expected a higher temp than this (the dry sump x-flow ran at 80 ish in the return pipe) since I am not running a cooler at the moment, no panic yet (and bugger all I can do) but what should I expect during the summer? My old Golf GTI used to show 108 degrees when towing on the uphill sections of the M62 and after 113,000 miles was still in fine fettle.

 

Thanks again.

 

Paul

 

PS my dipstick is between no's 2 & 3.

[Martin S.]

Paul,

 

My dipstick has a V notch in it and about 15mm further up a scribed mark that looks like someone has scraped on. When I first got the car it was way over both the marks so I phoned Dunnel and they said drop it down to the proper mark on the stick otherwise it could do some damage. I now tend to fill it to the lower mark and add a bit cause I'm still not convinced!

 

I don't have an oil temp guage but did the le-mans trip in 2000. It was very hot on the way back and had no problems. I also did a couple of hours on and off at 3 Sisters and the tappets rattled a bit at the end of that but soon quietened down on the drive home.

 

Martin.

[Martin S.]

James Whiting says:

 

Approx. 3.5 ltr The trick is to keep just enough oil to avoid surge which may be nearer 4 ltr depending on tyres/track days/driver !!

 

I'll post what Dunnel say if/when I get a reply.

[AMMO]

When I cut and shut my sump I measured in 4.5 litres of water into it to see how high up it would come. This was obviously with the sump off the engine. The level was just short of the windage tray so I decided to use the whole 4.5 litres that the stock motor runs. When the engine is running some of that oil will be in the top end anyway.

 

Whether or not the pickup becomes uncovered under cornering is also dependant on the amount of oil you have in there. Another benefit is that in a wet sump engine the more oil you have in the engine it's less likely for the oil to overheat.

 

 

AMMO