What is the capacity of a stock 305 oil sump? Is there really much benefit of a larger oil sump? I know that one theory suggests that only the oil touching the walls of the sump are cooled, and that the rest is just as hot as with a stock sump.......Any ideas?

 

Gruve,

Capacity is slightly over one gallon. The galleries and filter hold almost another quart, so five quarts is a standard refill on an auto engine. Some trucks have a larger sump. I've seen SBC engines with a stock eight quart capacity, and have a nine quart sump on my truck (aftermarket pan).

The oil exposed to the walls is what will radiate the heat, so a deeper pan with more oil in the sump will have more oil against the pan walls to reject heat. Also, the oil will not completely cycle through the engine as many times as a smaller capacity system, so the oil will be heated less to begin with. If you are concerned with hot oil, install a cooler instead of a deeper sump - it's more effective at cooling the oil. There will be no problems with ground clearance, and if you do it correctly, you can remotely mount the oil filter to allow the use of a much larger, more efficient filter. Cleaner, cooler oil can help your engine last a lot longer.

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Later,
Vader
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"Make Me Bad..."
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Vader,

That's what I understood to be true. That the only cooling benefit of a larger sump, is in fact the larger surface area. In the last fast car I built, (believe it or a not a Bug), I used a full flow oil cooler, and never had any trouble, even in southern Arizona.

Thanks again for your help Lord Vader.


Don't make the evil emperor wait

Seriously, thanks for your help, I know myself and many other beginners really appreciate it.