VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 216 oll leak

My 1952 216 leaks oil, if the oil is above the add oil mark on the dipstick . At the all oil mark, there is just a drop after a long run. If I keep a close watch on the oil level and not allow it to go below the add oil level on the dipstick, am I doing any harm to my engine?

Maybe you have the wrong dipstick! When changing oil, 5 quarts should bring it to the top.

No harm unless you are going below the add oil mark.

I'm not understanding why being a little above the add mark would cause it to leak more.

I agree with Tiny. I am trying to determine why the oil leak rate would change when it is slightly over full. When you are driving the car the oil is flying around everywhere in the pan.

One simple experiment would be to slightly overfill the oil. Drive 50 miles and check the oil level after everything has drained back to the pan. Then drive another 50 miles and check the level. Did it drop by a similar amount on the second trip?

Does the oil leave eventually drop to the “ADD” mark?

One of us mis-read it Rusty. I think he's referring to keeping it at the "fill" mark since it leaks just above that, not the "full" mark. There's no reason I'm aware of that it would leak more with the oil level in the normal range.

the dipstick is original for sure!
If the front end is raised IT WILL LEAK , but at level, ALL IS NORMAL at the fill mark.
If I add oil to bring it up to the full mark it leaks down over time and returns to the fill mark.

My best guess right now is that the check ball in the rear main drain is stuck open.

It does ot have a check ball in the rear main.
When checking oil level and to get an acurate reading check the car on the same surface and wth the oil at the same temperature. Best is in the morning BEFORE you start the engine.

Hi Gene,

Thanks for catching my error. I forgot that the 216 was using a rear seal in the time period.

Gene that is always the way i check it COLD and in same spot

Where exactly is if leaking out? My 38 with the 1940 motor will lose a lot of oil out of the crankcase vent if the oil level is above add. This is of course going down the road.

These are my thoughts on the thread:

a. Dads52'a first sentence did not contain a question. He merely pointed out that his engine leaked oil. He obviously is aware that all the 216s do but his leaks more if the a is above the etch (add) mark. I don;t think he's looking for an answer to why this mystery occurs.

b. Second sentence was a question as to what damage or harm is he doing to the engine if the erl level is religiously kept at the add mark. Gene posted that he wouldn't think so as long as it was not over one quart low. I agree. The only consideration here is whether the 20 percent reduction in the usable volume in the engine will reach a higher, stable temperature than would it would with erl above the add mark all the way up to full. That would depend on the actual amount (volume) of erl at any given time and when the engine has reach peak temperature. (Hey! Anyone attending here?)

c. So the answer to Dads52 question regarding harm to the engine is: Probably not. Just what Gene said in the first place.

d. As to the mystery of erl leaking less at or below the add mark now that there right there is a hellava good question. But, alas, one not posed in this thread.

I know you all hope I will now just shut up. Well, its about 5:30 here as I right this here, right here, post and I couldn't sleep owing to the non-posed question of why Dads52 leaks more erl above the add mark. I decided that if Dads52 wasn't worried about it then neither am I. It may be the non-level ground the car is on. Kinda like WV: You know. There ain't no stinkin level place in the whole state.

Best,

Charlie :computer

BTW: Using "erl" instead of "oil" was just me trying to be cute. Nothing more.

BTW2: I'm going back to bed and I hope I can go back to sleep. Am too! Mercy!