Oil level importance
#1
03-27-2007, 12:51 PM
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 5,613
Oil level importance
Hi,
Recently, Hobbit posted a URL to a sketch he'd updated to reflect what happens when the ICE oil tank is over filled:
This is an end-on view from the passenger side of the vehicle and the red area is where the crank throws and counter weights might impact the oil and increase internal drag. Here are Hobbit's comments:
You might notice that the center of the crankshaft is offset from the direction of the connecting rod. This reduces friction on the power stroke, which increases ICE efficiency.
Thanks Hobbit,
Bob Wilson
Recently, Hobbit posted a URL to a sketch he'd updated to reflect what happens when the ICE oil tank is over filled:
This is an end-on view from the passenger side of the vehicle and the red area is where the crank throws and counter weights might impact the oil and increase internal drag. Here are Hobbit's comments:
Originally Posted by Hobbit
It's a rework of one of Hermance's old slides. I cut out the engine, tilted it, regenerated a lot of the surrounding background, and added the "oil" with slightly more punched-up dip stick marks. I think it's pretty accurate as far as the angle the engine sits in the level car and where the stick marks are -- and you can see that a pretty severe overfill doesn't quite come up to the counterweights, but as things slosh then more could definitely be slung around. There's some sort of buffer plate right under the crank radius that baffles the bulk of the oil away from where the crank and counterweights are flying around, probably to keep windage contained and avoid more surface foaming.
.
So long answer short, it's a combo from Hermance and me, and you are free, nay, encouraged to use it with the attribution . . .
.
So long answer short, it's a combo from Hermance and me, and you are free, nay, encouraged to use it with the attribution . . .
Thanks Hobbit,
Bob Wilson
Last edited by bwilson4web; 03-27-2007 at 12:53 PM.
#2
03-27-2007, 02:28 PM
Re: Oil level importance
Sounds nice but, the oil is rarely sitting at that level. Movement of the vehicle causes it to change. Sure you don't want to put to much oil in there but a tad over the fill line won't hurt anything.
#3
03-28-2007, 06:07 AM
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 5,613
Re: Oil level importance
Bob Wilson
#4
03-28-2007, 01:12 PM
Pretty Darn Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Finger Lakes Region NY
Posts: 264
Re: Oil level importance
Wouldn't that oil level drop quite a bit with the engine running? With the engine off, you are checking the "drained down" oil level. With the engine running, wouldn't a decent amount of oil be other places, in oil passages, up around the valves, etc.?
Harry
Harry
#5
03-28-2007, 02:20 PM
Re: Oil level importance
Well I have been working on my own vehicles for over 31 years, does that qualify? I have filled the oil right up to the top mark and sometimes it has gone over a tad. Not once have I ever had an engine problem due to the oil and I never used synthetics, until now.
Earthling is correct, with the engine running the oil will rest lower in the pan, as much of the oil is up top. Many track racers will overfill the oil as not to get oil starvation due to gravity throwing the oil about.
Earthling is correct, with the engine running the oil will rest lower in the pan, as much of the oil is up top. Many track racers will overfill the oil as not to get oil starvation due to gravity throwing the oil about.
Last edited by Resist; 03-28-2007 at 02:23 PM.
#6
04-15-2007, 12:32 PM
Pretty Darn Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Eastern Washington State
Posts: 443
Re: Oil level importance
In just over 2 years of watching this issue of oil fill level go on in various forums, the argument regarding oil in the galleries and up high in the block while running has been brought up, but as I recall, easily glossed over or ignored.
Isn't the point of having a quantity of oil in the sump such that when running, which is when the oil is needed, that the engine doesn't suffer from oil starvation, and that the quantity of oil that is not in circulation can cool down a little at the bottom of the sump prior to being brought back up into the upper part of the engine? Only a few manufacturers run dry sump systems and Toyota is not one of them, at least for now. Considering that a fair portion of the oil in the sump is going to be in the head and galleries when running it doesn't make sense to assume that the at rest position of oil in the pan is what is going on when the crank is turning.
I am not suggesting that by filling to a point between the fill and full points of the dipstick will lead to oil starvation or other issues, I certain that Toyota has built the engine to run properly and safely at those levels, but the fretting over .10 qt. of oil on each fill up just seems like a waste of time and energy.
I'd love Toyota to solve this problem by making a slight adjustment to the pan so that the .10 qt. of oil can be reflected properly on the dip stick, or that the stick is modified to reflect a more realistic refill level.
Isn't the point of having a quantity of oil in the sump such that when running, which is when the oil is needed, that the engine doesn't suffer from oil starvation, and that the quantity of oil that is not in circulation can cool down a little at the bottom of the sump prior to being brought back up into the upper part of the engine? Only a few manufacturers run dry sump systems and Toyota is not one of them, at least for now. Considering that a fair portion of the oil in the sump is going to be in the head and galleries when running it doesn't make sense to assume that the at rest position of oil in the pan is what is going on when the crank is turning.
I am not suggesting that by filling to a point between the fill and full points of the dipstick will lead to oil starvation or other issues, I certain that Toyota has built the engine to run properly and safely at those levels, but the fretting over .10 qt. of oil on each fill up just seems like a waste of time and energy.
I'd love Toyota to solve this problem by making a slight adjustment to the pan so that the .10 qt. of oil can be reflected properly on the dip stick, or that the stick is modified to reflect a more realistic refill level.
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