X Flow Fabricated Sump - Oil Level ?

[Guest 1064ian]

Our Westy has what I am told is a Caterham fabricated sump. The block is very old and there is no dip stick hole (or blanked off hole) at the rear of the engine (where the sump is deepest). The dipstick hole on the front cover is blanked off - but it would do no good dipping there anyway - its very shallow. There is a tapped boss with bolt in it, approx half way up the side of the sump bowl on same side as the drain plug. My questions are :-

1. Does anyone have a similar arrangement and if so how high up the side of the sump is the extra boss and is that what you use to determine the oil level ?

2. How many litres of oil should be in the sump - I could look up a standard crossflow manual but its probably a different capacity to this one !

[Paul D Turner]

Hi

Normally blocks with the dipstick holes blocked off have been used in a drysump application, not an issue as the plug will usually drift out and can be replaced with normal disptick parts. Unfortunately if the deepest bits at the the rear that's where you need the dipstick. I would gues that the tapped boss is for an oil temp sender. My old x-flow wet sump (modified 1300 one) held about 3.5 litres but it all depends how much its been shortened and if additional capacity has been added elsewhere.

Paul

[Guest 1064ian]

Hi Paul

I think the boss on the side of the sump is too high up for a temp sender. I will post a picture of the sump when I can get at the car - its outside under a cover at the moment (until I get the chance to build a car port) and its currently P---ing down in "Sunny" Edinburgh !

[Evo,s 7SE]

i have just done this the parts to convert the block are part of the block so unavailable the dipstick hole is on the rhs side of the block at the rear looking from the drivers seat i had to make an adapter to fit in the block then make a dipstick tube and you will need a original dipstick. mine holds about 4.5 litres inc filter and oil cooler

[Guest 1064ian]

Just thinking and perhaps someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I presume that the oil level when the engine is not running should be such that if the crank was turned the webs would not dip into the oil:

Or

Iis it that when the engine is running, that crank webs will not dip into the oil level  in the sump after the pump has reduced the level (a bit) by pumping some upto the valve train etc

Or

Should the crank webs dip into the oil every rotation (drag) to cause oil splash lubrication ?