www.iFourWinns.com

Hi all,

I've always struggled to find the exact oil level my 1997 VP 5.7BPLKR takes.
When it's on the trailer with 4.8L in, it shows it being over-full.
When the boat's in the water, it shows it needing oil (near minimum).
Am I right in assuming that I should have this oil level when the (stern heavy) boat is in the water?
Anyone know the amount required to take it from empty on the dipstick to full on the dipstick?

Cheers.

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

There is a oddity to these dipsticks ESP the ones that attach to the bottom of the pan instead of going into the block. What happens is that the oil must go from the pan up the tube for it to read right. When you have just run the engine it takes some time for the oil to climb up the tube to the proper level. The air in the tube gets hot and expands and pushes the oil level down (so it looks low). When you pull out the dipstick it allows the pressure to equalize and then it reads right. When the engine cools off, the opposite happens, the air contracts and pulls oil up out of the pan and it reads high. Pull out the stick and let it sit and check it and it should read right.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

My dipstick doesn't seal over the tube all that well & would struggle to hold 1psi.
I'm thinking that this wouldn't contribute all that much to bogus oil levels?

_________________
2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

It takes about 1 qt to go from add to full. I'd adjust it so the level is correct in the water because that's when it really matters. And while you might think the dipstick can't hold pressure to do what I described above, trust me I have observed this odd phenomenon over all the years I have had this boat. If you check it on the trailer (engine cold) then yes it will read high. If you put it in the water, run it and then check it, it will then read low. Either way, if you pull the stick out and let the level in that tube stabilize, then you get a more accurate reading.
When I go out the mooring, when the level is really correct, if I pull out the stick it will say 1/2 to 1 qt over. Let it stabilize, then its full. When I've run it, pull out the stick, it will read 3/4 to 1 qt low. Let it stabilize, then it reads nearly full. It sometimes takes 10 min before it will read the same as the correct level when it was cold. Has always done this.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thanks once again, Lou.

_________________
2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

You're welcome!!
Take a look at your set up, does your dipstick go into the block, or does it attach on the bottom to the drain in the pan? If its the latter, then the oil must travel up that tube to the correct level for you to get an accurate reading. And air pressure from either cooling or heating, can affect that.

saved you the trouble...here's the OMC joint venture version....Volvo parts catalog is too arcane to navigate, so I keep using the OMC one for the joint venture years for Volvo (94-98)...
and it looks like you have the same set up as I do, the dipstick tube goes into a fitting that screws into the pan....


http://www.crowleymarine.com/johnson-ev ... /56864.cfm
Parts 43 and 69....

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Yes mate, that's the one...
We are talking a 20w oil, not grease?!
Surely 1 minute would be more than sufficient for the tide level in the tube to be accurate?!

_________________
2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

I would have to agree with you deafwish.
However it would take at least 10 minutes after running the engine for all the oil to work it's way back down from the internal parts, passageways, and down from under the rocker covers.

_________________

"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

^^^ Indeed.
Just noticed that at the top of my dipstick tube (inside the brass threaded fitting), about 30mm from the top, is a small hole in the dipstick tube.
I'm assuming this is to allow for pressure differentials to be eliminated between crankcase & atmosphere?
Lou - Have a real close look on your tube to see if you have the same!

p.s. This would explain why it's always been a debacle vacuuming oil out through the top of the dipstick tube!!!!

_________________
2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

I'll have to take a look at that, very interesting. However, I bet I don't have it because I use a hose adaptor that screws on those threads to pump out the oil and it works well and quickly. If you have a hole there you have to use the small tube down the dipstick to pump out the oil, the garden hose adaptor won't work.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

If the garden hose adapter sealed against those brass threads, then it would.
The small hole is technically inside the threaded area, but on the tube.
Hard to explain - I'll try get a photo...

_________________
2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

OK lets see what yours looks like, I may get out to mine this weekend if the weather improves....
Although on mine, the place where the stick fits over the tube is inside and separate from the thread area, so it would not allow the air pressure to equalize. The hole would have to be in the actual dipstick tube for that to work.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Pictures as promised:

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

Thanks for the pix, I have not been able to get down to the boat as the weather has been bad here all weekend, but I don't think I have anything like that. Given where the hole is, you should be able to use the garden hose adapter with no issues.
The fact that the hole is there, proves my theory above lol......

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Great question! I have always wondered why the oil levels were always so different at different times. The other part I hate is that measuring dipstick, good lord just put full and add on it instead of those xxxx on it.