Hi Guys I need some help. This is my first Ford V8 ever and I am a bit lost at the moment. I have a 62 Thunderbird with a 390 and today we decided to change the filter and oil. I drained the pan and did the filter while my daughter refilled the engine while I made us a coffee. When I returned she said she needed more oil, This was my WTF moment as she had managed to put 10 litres ( 10 US quarts) in and it was still about 1/8" below the full mark. Clearly the motor is fitted with the wrong dipstick. When I measure the one I have it is 20 1/2" from the top of the cap (where it stops on the tube) to the bottom of the dipstick. it has the part number C80E-6750-B which from what I can see belongs on a 428. I think it should measure 27 1/2" on where I am measuring it. Can somebody help please. cheers Peter
I guess the other question is how long should the dip stick tube be as that will effect things if that is incorrect also.
You would need a matched dipstick and tube. Probably any 390 or 352 set up would do it. You just may have a 428 stick. Which you can calibrate to get you going. Drain all the oil.. bummer.. add 4 quarts and let it sit to settle. Mark the stick with an electric pencil. Add the last quart and do the same thing, providing your 'Bird takes 5 quarts. Check the manual for that. Bob
***uming you have not started the engine since the oil change, I think you should drain the oil, then add 4 qts. start engine to fill filter, shut down, let settle and mark stick to show 1 qt. low, add 1 qt. and mark to show full. This will get you going until you can determine what's up with the dipstick.
My old motors manual sez 5 qt 6 with filter I'd put in 5 qt and cut the tube to make the dip stick read right.
I had the same problem with a flathead. I finally got a matched pair that came out of the same motor and used them. They probably make a Chinese chrome dip stick kit for your engine for very little money. The stick has to match the tube for an accurate reading.
the C8OE dipstick is for a cobra jet in a mustang so its shorter, put it on ebay and some resto-nut will buy it
Thanks for the help. I will order a new stick and tube from Mac's antique auto. But in the mean time I will have to make something up until it arrive's as the 428 stick is way to short. I picked this car up 3 weeks ago and drove it a 1000 miles home with 4 quarts to much oil in it That explains why the oil looked a bit frothy on the stick when I checked it half way home. Again thanks for the help, The Hamb is a great place.
Just drain it and put 6 qts in it and mark the dip stick, Thats what a stock 390 needs. If you are running a bulit FE then you should run 7 qts with a stock pan to allow for the slow drain back in the heads. You don't need another dip stick.
My 62 t-bird owners manual says 5 quarts without a filter change 6 quarts with a filter I bought the Macs tube and dipstick and thought it was poor quality, didn't bother using it.
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