I kind of inherited a puzzle car, a 67 Firebird convertible. I was part of the engine rebuilding process a few years ago on this car and it has not been driven since. I am trying to get it drivable.

Anyway, the engine is a 455 bored out to make it a 469. My dad put some chrome oil pan on it that I don't know how the size compares to stock.

I am trying to figure out how many quarts of oil should be in this engine, so I can mark my dipstick.

Any help?

Thanks

There is no way anyone can even guess with the info given. Find a stock pan and compare what you have and guess from there. Maybe you can find a receipt or part number and reference the capacity from there...

I think my dad paid cash for the pan and probably no receipt, several years ago when he bought the pan.

I don't think it was any bigger than stock when we were installing it.

So, assuming it is the same size as stock, what would this engine take? It would be about the same as a 454 right?

Thanks again.

As mentioned it isn't the bore but the pan dimensions that determine capacity. If engine is out of car and on a stand. pour in four quarts of oil and measure how far to top of pan. Then take same measuring stick and measure down from pan rail to see were four quarts of oil gets up to. Level should be about 3/8" below crankshaft counter weights or about 1/4" below oil pan baffle if installed on main bearing saddles.


Larger Dave

I have been searching around and the only chrome pans that I can find for a 455 all say stock capacity.

So, I guess I am in luck, if I can find out what the stock capacity was.

Four quarts in the pan and one in the filter and oil galleries for most GM engines.

As mentioned it isn't the bore but the pan dimensions that determine capacity. If engine is out of car and on a stand. pour in four quarts of oil and measure how far to top of pan. Then take same measuring stick and measure down from pan rail to see were four quarts of oil gets up. Level should be about 3/8" below crankshaft counter weights or about 1/4" below oil pan baffle if installed on main bearing saddles.


Larger Dave


Thanks Dave, but it is not on a stand, it is in the car and almost ready to be started up.

Most normal V8's of that era were 5 quarts; 4 quarts in the pan and one in the filter.

Basically you want the oil level the same height from the crank as stock, so if you have a stock dipstick or tube install it and it'll work fine. This of course assumes the tube goes into the block or the same location and distance in the chrome pan (don't know on the Pontiacs how the dipstick attaches).

Jody

Four quarts in the pan and one in the filter and oil galleries for most GM engines.


Ok, I'll go with that. I wasn't sure if a big block had added capacity or not. Luckily, as it is a pontiac, there seems to be a pretty limited supply of chrome oil pans, so it is pretty safe to assume that it is stock capacity.

Thanks again.

I believe that the Pontiac's were 5+1. At least that's what my '68 stock 400 took.

Thanks.

I ended up ordering a stock dipstick. So, regardless of the capacity of the pan, the dipstick should tell me when I am at the correct level. Then, I will just note what the capacity is / was for future reference.

Now, filling the trans for the 1st time is going to be a different story..............

One more thing about the dipstick, those motors use a lower dipstick tube too. Without that as a guide, the stick can hit the crank.

Aw shoot, how do I know what I need / have? I seem to remember some part of the dipstick being in the pan during installation. Is that the lower portion you are referring to?

Yeah, you should be able to see it with a flashlight through the hole from the outside. It has to be there.

I can just imagine it dropping if I try to change the dipstick out. I'd just be sick if that happened.

Any tips on this?

It bolts to the block, so it won't move when you install the stick.

Yes, fill it with "X" quarts + one for the filter, run it to get oil all through her! Let it settle and mark the dipstick!!

My old hopped up 409 "W" motor that I installed in my '67 Camaro years ago took, if I remember right, 6 quarts, but it was a "big-truck" motor pan..

Sucker fit in my car like it was stock!!!!!

pdq67

just to get the info out there, most all pontiac v8s take a total of 6 quarts, 5 in pan and 1 for filter, and this includes your 455