Well, THAT scared me pretty good...

[Fran Blacker]

I had a service station attendant tell me once there was no oil on my dipstick. I pulled it out again and showed him it was on the full mark. He was used to seeing oil colored "black." I kept my old bracket racer's oil so clean it was almost invisible on the dipstick.

Could have been short sticking you. Don't know if they'd bother today though.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Ok, so this "699" pan is supposedly the same as a "187" pan I guess?
Apparently it's the choice of stock pans to get when swapping a big block into an a-body, since it has
the recess for steering clearance in it.
I'm seeing conflicting information on websites on the capacity of them, though.
Anybody know for sure what this thing is supposed to hold?

4 quart with 1 in the filter. In stock form.

 

[Cranky]

Whenever I change oil, a new filter always goes on too and added 5 quarts. Next, start it up (always put as much oil as I could into the filter too which isn't much since it sits sideways on a BB) and let it run for a minute then shut it off and then check the level after a few minutes to wait on drain back. Not very often was it much below the fill mark but I would top it off anyways. Rather be a 1/2 quart over than 1 quart low.

 

[Ranger16]

Still, I expect some oil consumption. Heck, a lot of the modern hemi's will eat a quart between changes.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. The early Cadillac Northstars where known for "using" oil. The fact is that they had a rather aggressive hone pattern (especially if the honing stone was new), but they would never wear the rings. Here is a picture of one with 171K on it and the factory crosshatch pattern is STILL visible. That can't be bad.

 

[Cranky]

That's not necessarily a bad thing. The early Cadillac Northstars where known for "using" oil. The fact is that they had a rather aggressive hone pattern (especially if the honing stone was new), but they would never wear the rings. Here is a picture of one with 171K on it and the factory crosshatch pattern is STILL visible. That can't be bad.View attachment 637351

Don't know what it is with 318's being driven easy or what ever but I've seen several with similar high mileage on them and the cross hatch was still visible. One was in a mid 80's pickup....

 

[moparedtn]

Don't know what it is with 318's being driven easy or what ever but I've seen several with similar high mileage on them and the cross hatch was still visible. One was in a mid 80's pickup....

 

[1967coronet]

Ed, as far as capacity and the pan, I would drop the old oil and filter 1st.
Then do your oil change putting just 4 qts in also using the a new long filter. Napa ones I use are 1515 gold filter, I think wix use the same 1515 #. with just the 4qts in and the new long filter use that new found { old oem mopar dip stick} & {I am trusting your stick tube is mopar also} anyway fire it up with the 4qts then shutdown , after a few minutes check that level you should be at the add 1qt mark on the stick then you know for sure you have a 4qt pan plus 1 for the filter.
If you have a 5 qt pan you will be 2qts low.

 

[1967coronet]

also ed if needed I can go out to the shop and measure my dip stick , its original mopar 440 stick.
I have a 4qt pan and with the long filter its 5 qts to fill it to the full mark.
Short filter and its 1/4 to 1/3 of a qt over the full mark.

 

[YY1]

That's one thing i LOVE about my Mopars-

they will tell you when the oil is low or needs changed.

if the lifters tap, check the oil, if it's not low, change it.

 

[moparedtn]

Dumped all the spare oil I had in her today and we took her out for a nice ride to dinner.
Raggedy old dipstick showed good. Wife stood behind the car and watched as I cranked it cold then warmed it up a little.
She says "that car never smokes".
She would know, I've trained her to watch for it...

Car is fine. Quite enjoyed the ride and the company.

 

[wyrmrider]

Lucky guy

 

[dvw]

Lets see. it lost oil pressure. Then you ran it hard. Lost pressure again. Then a dipstick was used that may or may not be correct? Did you cut the oil filter apart and check for bearing material? You "think" it isn't hurt? Hope it's OK. But if it were me, I'd dig a little deeper.
Doug

 

[khryslerkid]

How much oil did you drain out? How much oil did you put back in?

 

[moparedtn]

How much oil did you drain out? How much oil did you put back in?

Neither yet, waiting on my choice of oil to come in since nobody has it around here.
Since the oil that was in the engine already was very clean, I just dug up enough to fill it to the FULL mark on my old dipstick and poured it in there.
Heck, it doesn't have but a couple hundred miles on the oil that's in it now.
Fired her up and listened and watched for a while. All was well.
Screw it, time to go for my birthday dinner then.

 

[khryslerkid]

Happy Birthday to ya and I hope you get what you wanted!

 

[moparedtn]

Happy Birthday to ya and I hope you get what you wanted!

Thanks, my friend. Got the tractor chores done and off my list, so it's all good.

 

[moparedtn]

Ok, so I got the Valvoline VR-1 20W/50 and the Wix filter (disguised as a NAPA one) and proceeded to change the oil.
I initially put 5 quarts in and checked the dipstick without even starting the engine.
It said I was still low by about half a quart....

So.... I put another half a quart in there and call it good, still not trusting the dipstick.

Yesterday, we take the car for a nice drive to a regional show. Hotter than hell, nice people, car looked spiffy sitting up on her perch
overlooking much of the show field:

The oil pressure, according to my not-state-of-the-art "Bosch generic" gauge, bounced around 80psi pretty much
the whole time despite the heat. The car ran it's usual 180-190F temps.

Got home and popped the hood and saw evidence of some slight oil leaks around the newly-installed valve covers.
All the mounting nuts took more tightening easily. Hoping the FelPro hard-as-carp VR gaskets soften up some and
do a better job of sealing now that they've been heat cycled a few times.
I check the dipstick again and …. it STILL wants more oil!
Ok, that's it. I'm calling bullshit on this dipstick.

In the wee hours this morning, I get the brainstorm that - HEY! - maybe the dipstick tube isn't fully seated in
the block?? Maybe THAT'S why the dipstick keeps reading "short"??

Nope, reckon it is fully seated and looks to be original.

Even more research commences - you know me, I research **** to death....
and I found nothing to tell me what the hell this pan is SUPPOSED to hold, short of some kindhearted
folks here and there stating the usual "all RB's take 4 quarts plus 1 for the filter".

Pan says "699" on it plain as day. I read that it's the same as the vaunted 187 pan, but what does THAT mean?
I now know the 699 was used on '72-'73 c-bodies only, but that doesn't help much either.
The way I got oil seemingly leaking out of all sorts of places down under there scares me, too...

I got a WTB thread up right now asking if anyone has a spare stock dipstick they could part with; I am no longer
remotely interested in buying a reproduced one from anyone, given all the bad reviews I've seen online.

Can anyone definitively show me what the damn capacity of this pan is SUPPOSED to be?
Does this thing LOOK like an "added capacity" pan to anyone?
Hell, if anything, it probably holds a little LESS than it did stock, given all the dents and such on it.

Further, was it not a good idea to run 20W50 in this thing? Is what I'm seeing too MUCH pressure?
Does having too much oil in the pan actually INCREASE pressure?

My instincts are telling me to drain the damn thing, then put back ONLY 5 quarts regardless of what the damn stick
says.
Advice? Answers?

 

[Fran Blacker]

I'd find out pan capacity. If it's large enough ? Put in the proper amount of oil in put d-stick in see where its on the stick. Measure where oil on the stick is to full. Cut the d-stick tube by that amount, assuming its reading low oil.

 

[beanhead]

Ed my gramps had a '72 monaco 440 that I did oil changes on for him, it was a 5-qt pan if that helps, I don't know the pan numbers though. With the filter then it took close to 6 to get it to the happy mark. If you think your over-filling it it should show a little foam immediately after running it. Just a thought here, might be a pain but get a measurent from the top of the tube to just past the pan rail, with a small tape measure, string taped to the tube, or whatever you have to do to get an accurate length....then compare the dipstick to it to see how far the stick is reaching.

 

[69B7RR]

Ok, so I got the Valvoline VR-1 20W/50 and the Wix filter (disguised as a NAPA one) and proceeded to change the oil.
I initially put 5 quarts in and checked the dipstick without even starting the engine.
It said I was still low by about half a quart....
View attachment 647188
So.... I put another half a quart in there and call it good, still not trusting the dipstick.

Yesterday, we take the car for a nice drive to a regional show. Hotter than hell, nice people, car looked spiffy sitting up on her perch
overlooking much of the show field:
View attachment 647191
The oil pressure, according to my not-state-of-the-art "Bosch generic" gauge, bounced around 80psi pretty much
the whole time despite the heat. The car ran it's usual 180-190F temps.

Got home and popped the hood and saw evidence of some slight oil leaks around the newly-installed valve covers.
All the mounting nuts took more tightening easily. Hoping the FelPro hard-as-carp VR gaskets soften up some and
do a better job of sealing now that they've been heat cycled a few times.
I check the dipstick again and …. it STILL wants more oil!
Ok, that's it. I'm calling bullshit on this dipstick.

In the wee hours this morning, I get the brainstorm that - HEY! - maybe the dipstick tube isn't fully seated in
the block?? Maybe THAT'S why the dipstick keeps reading "short"??
View attachment 647192
Nope, reckon it is fully seated and looks to be original.

Even more research commences - you know me, I research **** to death....
and I found nothing to tell me what the hell this pan is SUPPOSED to hold, short of some kindhearted
folks here and there stating the usual "all RB's take 4 quarts plus 1 for the filter".

View attachment 647197
View attachment 647198
View attachment 647199

Pan says "699" on it plain as day. I read that it's the same as the vaunted 187 pan, but what does THAT mean?
I now know the 699 was used on '72-'73 c-bodies only, but that doesn't help much either.
The way I got oil seemingly leaking out of all sorts of places down under there scares me, too...

I got a WTB thread up right now asking if anyone has a spare stock dipstick they could part with; I am no longer
remotely interested in buying a reproduced one from anyone, given all the bad reviews I've seen online.

Can anyone definitively show me what the damn capacity of this pan is SUPPOSED to be?
Does this thing LOOK like an "added capacity" pan to anyone?
Hell, if anything, it probably holds a little LESS than it did stock, given all the dents and such on it.

Further, was it not a good idea to run 20W50 in this thing? Is what I'm seeing too MUCH pressure?
Does having too much oil in the pan actually INCREASE pressure?

My instincts are telling me to drain the damn thing, then put back ONLY 5 quarts regardless of what the damn stick
says.
Advice? Answers?

Thought I had the 187, but don’t. If it helps, I have both 402 & 695 pans. The 402 holds the mentioned 4+1 qts. Not sure on the 695, as I never used it. They are not similar in appearance to your 699, in that there is no recessed area for drag link clearance as depicted in your photo. However, with that being said, the 402 is original for my 69 383 (believed also for 440, 426 & later 400). The 695 was supposedly a NOS for 383/440 obtained in 1973. If needed, I will send u photos & sump measurements...and also those of the original dipstick & tube.....Jim