440 Oil pan Identification

[Staffords]

I'm trying to ID the oil pan on my 440 to figure out what the capacity is. Engine is in a 68 Barracuda. Obviously a mix of parts, dipstick is questionable. The pan has the relief cutout for the steering center link as seen on the 187 and 699 numbered oil pans, however there is no number stamped into this pan anywhere. Makes me think it's one of these reproduction pans from Mancini:MRE - 6 Quart Oil Pan w/Drain Plug MRE A & B-Body Oil Pan Power Package I measured the sump area to the outside lip of the pan and its just about 5.5" deep.... can anyone confirm this is a 7qt (6qt+1qt for filter) capacity pan? Any other details/dimensions on the pan that I can look for that might help identify it? Thank you!

 

[Lefty71]

If you have a block, an OEM dipstick, and the pan off the car, all of this takes a minute or two to figure out by simply measuring the length below the pan rail below the block the "full" mark is.
Then just compare how much liquid it takes to get there in the pan, give or take a small amount for filter.
If the motor is all together, its a guessing game for all.

 

[66Valiant528]

Keep in mind extra oil capacity is added below the oem full line. A full pan should still stop at the oem full mark on the dipstick. Nobody wants the oil level up higher to get aerated by the spinning crank and rod assemblies. I want to 'guess' thats why the 6 qt hemi pans had the skid plate on the k member added to protect the deaper sump and pickup!

 

[Dana67Dart]

Obviously a mix of parts, dipstick is questionable

find a known good dipstick (members here, wrecking yard) and measure it for length under the seat that stops at the top of the tube to the tip and to the empty and full marks

find a good dipstick tube (members here, wrecking yard) and measure from the tube stop at the block to the open end

check that against your parts and make adjustments accordingly.

Then as noted above, fill 4 qts into the empty engine, give it some time to settle and check the dip stick (no need to start the engine the new oil filter will be empty unless you filled it before attaching it, measure that amount for future reference, but by not starting it does not add to the total at this point. If the oil is at the E mark or below add 1/2 QT at a time with settling time between till you get to Full. That will be your PAN capacity. Then start the engine get it up to temp. Shut it off and let it settle. If you didn't fill your filter or get it completely full the oil level should be below full even with expansion due to heating. If its over full use a hose to syphon out enough to get it to full. Most likely you will need to add so add as much as needed to get to full.


NOW add to the amount you put into the filter, if any, to the amount you put into the engine less any you took out. That is the total oil needed for 1 oil change.

Not all oil filters hold 1 qt so it might get over filled with the 5 qt +1 or 6 qt +1 thinking

 

[Staffords]

If you have a block, an OEM dipstick, and the pan off the car, all of this takes a minute or two to figure out by simply measuring the length below the pan rail below the block the "full" mark is.
Then just compare how much liquid it takes to get there in the pan, give or take a small amount for filter.
If the motor is all together, its a guessing game for all.

Motor is all together, in the car, making this a little more difficult without other parts/cars to compare against.

 

[Staffords]

find a known good dipstick (members here, wrecking yard) and measure it for length under the seat that stops at the top of the tube to the tip and to the empty and full marks

find a good dipstick tube (members here, wrecking yard) and measure from the tube stop at the block to the open end

check that against your parts and make adjustments accordingly.

Then as noted above, fill 4 qts into the empty engine, give it some time to settle and check the dip stick (no need to start the engine the new oil filter will be empty unless you filled it before attaching it, measure that amount for future reference, but by not starting it does not add to the total at this point. If the oil is at the E mark or below add 1/2 QT at a time with settling time between till you get to Full. That will be your PAN capacity. Then start the engine get it up to temp. Shut it off and let it settle. If you didn't fill your filter or get it completely full the oil level should be below full even with expansion due to heating. If its over full use a hose to syphon out enough to get it to full. Most likely you will need to add so add as much as needed to get to full.


NOW add to the amount you put into the filter, if any, to the amount you put into the engine less any you took out. That is the total oil needed for 1 oil change.

Not all oil filters hold 1 qt so it might get over filled with the 5 qt +1 or 6 qt +1 thinking

I don’t have a 440 dipstick/tube that is known to be correct, but i can tell you that my dipstick measures 21.75" from flange to tip.

I found this useful bit from 440Source: Oil Pans referencing that info and eyeballing photos of A-body M code cars (which should have the 893 pan), my oil pan is deeper than the 4qt and 5qt pans as it hangs a bit below the k member.

 

[Lefty71]

Motor is all together, in the car, making this a little more difficult without other parts/cars to compare against.

I had this very issue documented well, but i lost the stupid pix in a hard drive failure.

 

[Lefty71]

AHHH, I FOUND MY ANSWER FROM THE LAST TIME THIS CAME UP IN THE FBBO, SEE BELOW

So, no matter what pan you have, stock or aftermarket, filling the pan to 1.5" below the pan rail takes it to exactly full on the dipstick, as according to factory specification. Of course, mods to your engine could potentially change what you desire. IMO, your pan needs baffles, although must admit, I've drag raced a 5 quart pan unbaffled without apparent oiling issues, while watching the pressure on decel like a hawk. On a #187 pan, 4.5 quarts fill the sump to look just like your pic in post#1, the other pint would remain in the filter and throughout the engine elsewhere. HTH, Lefty71

 

[Lefty71]

So, now with that info, you would need super careful measurements of the diptick TUBE plus the additional to determine where the full mark should be on your questionable dipstick......fill accordingly, and theres your answer.

 

[oldkimmer]

Then if it’s outta whack remark ur dipstick. Kim

 

[MrCab]

Keep in mind extra oil capacity is added below the oem full line. A full pan should still stop at the oem full mark on the dipstick. Nobody wants the oil level up higher to get aerated by the spinning crank and rod assemblies. I want to 'guess' thats why the 6 qt hemi pans had the skid plate on the k member added to protect the deaper sump and pickup!

The early(1966 to 1969) street hemi motors and cars had the original 5 quart oil pans that hung down, stuck out, below the K member enough to scrape on driveways and speed bumps hence the factory adding the skid plates
The 1970/1971 Street Hemi and 440 6 pak oil pans hold 6 quarts plus one for the oil filters and they don't need the skid plates due to the bottom of those oil pans don't hang down below the stock K members

 

[hemifiedbird]

If your pan is off which I understand it is not, if you have another pan with same dimensions in depth and is not installed. Rule of thumb is you want your level to be just under the windage tray. So you can fill up your pan that is loose with water using Quart container until just under your windage tray. Then transfer that knowledge onto your installed pan and see where it is at on your dipstick. If you don’t have a factory dipstick you can then mark the stick to the level you have in your installed pan.

 

[MrCab]

If your pan is off which I understand it is not, if you have another pan with same dimensions in depth and is not installed. Rule of thumb is you want your level to be just under the windage tray. So you can fill up your pan that is loose with water using Quart container until just under your windage tray. Then transfer that knowledge onto your installed pan and see where it is at on your dipstick. If you don’t have a factory dipstick you can then mark the stick to the level you have in your installed pan.

When I install a new dipstick tube and dipstick I fill the oil pan up with the quarts of oil I want to run in that pan and then remark the dipstick, I do fill them initially one quart low and mark the dipstick for that and then add the last quart and mark the top level