how much oil

[yellowbeard]

how much oil goes in my GT? have searched the forums, hadn't found it. thanks Joe

[namba209]

According to my 72 Opel Gt owner's booklet it takes 3 qts of oil without a filter change and 3.25 qts with a filter change. Best bet is to use the dipstick to be sure you have enuff. HTH.

[newman27]

Originally Posted by namba209 According to my 72 Opel Gt owner's booklet it takes 3 qts of oil without a filter change and 3.25 qts with a filter change. Best bet is to use the dipstick to be sure you have enuff. HTH.

I've never gotten very good readings from the dipstick and have been obsessing about which way the dipstick is supposed to face to get the most accurate reading (open loop outward or toward the firewall). I finally found this in print for the first time while reading through the "Chilton's Opel 1971 to 1975 Repair and Tune Up Guide." It says the most accurate reading is obtained with the dipstick loop facing the firewall. It's a small thing but something that has bugged me for some time. Just an FYI...

On a related note, I also found a nice chart in the "1972 Opel GT Owners Manual" that recommends oil viscosity based on expected outside air temperature. I've been using the Mobil 1 15W-50 due to its high ZDDP content. However, I need to change my oil today and it will remain rather cool here in Atlanta for the next few months. According to that chart, I need to switch to a 10W-30 or 10W-40 viscosity. Thankfully I have a bottle of OGTS ZDDPlus on hand.

Matt

[michaedo]

Just changed my oil about an hour ago and put in
3.25 quarts. (Actually 3 liters), fired it up to fill the
filter and checked the dip stick. It shows right at
the "add one quart level"
Funny how a couple scratches on a metal stick
will throw one into a panic. (am I putting in enough?
am I putting in too much?) But the book says 3.25qt.
the oil pressure's up, all is good with the world.

[newman27]

Originally Posted by michaedo ...Funny how a couple scratches on a metal stick will throw one into a panic. (am I putting in enough? am I putting in too much?) But the book says 3.25qt. the oil pressure's up, all is good with the world.

I know - it can drive you crazy because too little or too much is a bad thing. I just changed my oil too and the front of the dipstick says I'm right at full. The back of the dipstick says I'm over a quart low. I think the key is to check and note the reading when you know you have exactly 3.25 quarts in there and then note future readings relative to that first reading (regardless of what the marks say) making sure to orient the dipstick the same way each time. It's a simple thing but critical!

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by newman27 I know - it can drive you crazy because too little or too much is a bad thing. I just changed my oil too and the front of the dipstick says I'm right at full. The back of the dipstick says I'm over a quart low. I think the key is to check and note the reading when you know you have exactly 3.25 quarts in there and then note future readings relative to that first reading (regardless of what the marks say) making sure to orient the dipstick the same way each time. It's a simple thing but critical!

Matt;
You have to know that the dipstick does not go into the oil STRAIGHT up and down, it actually angles in, hence the reading is different on both sides

[dallasmanta]

I have always used 4 qts of oil in the manta at oil change and it always shows up at the full mark using the standard oil filter. Ron

[opelwasp]

I have always used 4 qts. I figure 3.25 qts plus .5 qts in the oil filter = 3.75 qts. I figure .25 qts over can't hurt.

[Redskinsjbs]

Eh, Overfilling an engine can really do some bad things. Underfilling can also hurt, but it is normally better to be a little under rather than a little over

[First opel 1981]

Originally Posted by Redskinsjbs Eh, Overfilling an engine can really do some bad things. Underfilling can also hurt, but it is normally better to be a little under rather than a little over

Are you sure you meant to say that?
Not to argue but as long as there are no moving parts (the crankshaft) hitting the top of the oil in the reservior (aka the oil in the oilpan) then there is no damage to be done.
Having low oil (even a half quart) at high revs can kill an engine. The oil gets back in the reservoir via gravity. If the pump is efficient enough to push all the oil from the reservoir to the top of the engine then the sump could, in a lower oil situation, run out of reserved oil.

Bottom line is I have killed an engine for being half quart low but never killed one from a half quart high. My 69 Road Runer 440ci seized at 120mph when it was a half quart low.

[kwilford]

IMNSHO, a half quart either way simply won't make any significant difference.

So long as there is oil showing on the dipstick, the level should be high enough to fully immerse the oil pump pick-up and to also allow sufficient splashing by the counterweights, with the possible exception that high cornering forces might force the oil away from the pick up, and hence starve the pump. I don't think that simply going fast (even 120 mph ) will cause oil starvation in and of itself. 120 mph around a sharp corner, now THAT might cause a problem, but more likely of the sudden deceleration kind (like in crashing!).

Conversely, a slightly over-full crankcase also won't cause problems, unless the level is SO high and the engine rpm equally high that the crank weights hit the oil with such force as to aerate or foam it, which will certainly cause a loss of oil pressure and engine failure. But an extra 1/2 quart simply won't do that. A full quart? Perhaps, but not likely.

As for the different levels shown by the dip stick, the angle will cause a slight difference in readings from one side to the other, but more likely the difference is caused by differences in oil temperatures, or crankcase levels changing due to not allowing all the oil to settle in the crankcase after shutting the engine down.

JM2CW

[ZmokE]

Originally Posted by namba209 . Best bet is to use the dipstick to be sure you have enuff. HTH.

About the reading of the dipstick.
What if another (Opel) dipstick is used?
And what if a different oilpan is placed?
I think you have to be sure that original stuff is used when looking at the max- or min-indication at the stick.

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by kwilford Conversely, a slightly over-full crankcase also won't cause problems, unless the level is SO high and the engine rpm equally high that the crank weights hit the oil with such force as to aerate or foam it, which will certainly cause a loss of oil pressure and engine failure. But an extra 1/2 quart simply won't do that. A full quart? Perhaps, but not likely. JM2CW

A friend of mine years ago use to race a Manta on a paved circle track. When I started helping, he told me to add an extra quart to compensate for the g forces in the corners. I questioned him but was informed he'd been doing it for quite some time. The first engine I put together worked fine this way. The second engine had oil pressure problems going down the straightaway. He questioned me as to what it might be and went to his mandatory drivers meeting. While he was gone I unscrewed the big remote filter and found an appropriate place to dispose of approx. a quart of oil and reinstalled the filter. His next practice laps he asked me what I had done, the problem was gone! Why didn't we see this problem with the first engine? The counterbalances were cut way down on it.

When I HAD a running Opel, I always ran 4 quarts and it read as FULL on the dipstick and I never had any problems, until that can of Restore went in.

Harold

[Redskinsjbs]

Originally Posted by kwilford IMNSHO, a half quart either way simply won't make any significant difference. So long as there is oil showing on the dipstick, the level should be high enough to fully immerse the oil pump pick-up and to also allow sufficient splashing by the counterweights, with the possible exception that high cornering forces might force the oil away from the pick up, and hence starve the pump. I don't think that simply going fast (even 120 mph ) will cause oil starvation in and of itself. 120 mph around a sharp corner, now THAT might cause a problem, but more likely of the sudden deceleration kind (like in crashing!). Conversely, a slightly over-full crankcase also won't cause problems, unless the level is SO high and the engine rpm equally high that the crank weights hit the oil with such force as to aerate or foam it, which will certainly cause a loss of oil pressure and engine failure. But an extra 1/2 quart simply won't do that. A full quart? Perhaps, but not likely. As for the different levels shown by the dip stick, the angle will cause a slight difference in readings from one side to the other, but more likely the difference is caused by differences in oil temperatures, or crankcase levels changing due to not allowing all the oil to settle in the crankcase after shutting the engine down. JM2CW

I bow to the master! Really I had just been taught to never overfill an engine, rather to slightly underfill it and then add small amounts of oil until it was truly full.

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by Redskinsjbs I bow to the master! Really I had just been taught to never overfill an engine, rather to slightly underfill it and then add small amounts of oil until it was truly full.

Maybe you're thinking of the old hotrodder trick, running a quart low in an attempt to reduce windage loss.

Harold

[tonytransam]

My qestion is how far should the dipstick go down? the rubber bung slides up and down and so i don't know where on the stick it should be. So not sure how much oil i shoud have.

Thanks in advance.

[tomking]

there should be a metal stop on the dipstick in addtion to the rubber seal.

[tonytransam]

Sorry do you have a pic, not sure whether this is the correct dipstick, just did an oil change and there was way to little oil in there yet i could get a reading off the dipstick because it slides almost all the way in, i have a few cars and i know for sure this isn't right.

Thanks again
Anthony

[BMWonly]

I agree. As far as I know they used 2 different lengths during the production of the GT. So with the wrong dipstick your reading could be way off !!!

[newman27]

Originally Posted by tonytransam Sorry do you have a pic, not sure whether this is the correct dipstick, just did an oil change and there was way to little oil in there yet i could get a reading off the dipstick because it slides almost all the way in, i have a few cars and i know for sure this isn't right. Thanks again Anthony

Here is a photo of a dipstick from a 1972 Opel GT. On the dipstick itself are the numbers 8 981 125 (which I assume to be the part number).

HTH

Matt

[tonytransam]

Mine does not have the Second bend to stop the rubber moving and a different part number.

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by tonytransam Mine does not have the Second bend to stop the rubber moving and a different part number.

Tony;
Just in case I might have one, where does your dipstick go, in through a hole in the block, or through a tube in the oil pan?

[tonytransam]

Runs into a tube, the part number on it is 9 275 400.

Thanks
Anthony