While finishing final assembly on my 1954 261 over the weekend, I was debating whether to use the 1954 “rod” style dipstick or a more “modern”, sheet-style dipstick from a 1961 261. While holding them next to each other, I noticed that the 1961 stick was about 1/2” longer than the 1954 stick, both in overall length below the stop, and from the stop to the full mark. The distance from the full to the add oil mark is also about 1/2”. The 1961 tube also extends above the block about 3/4” more than does the 1954 tube (7-1/16” vs 6-1/4”). Thus, if one were to get the sticks and tubes switched, one could be too full or too short by about one quart.
Is this what happened to Luke Lucas (53 chevy) in the situation that he described in his post of June 1, 2006?
As I have a non-standard oil pan (it has been “bulged” to clear a GMC oil pump), I need to trust the dipstick to tell me when the oil level is correct. After making several measurements, I decided to use the 1954 stick and tube, and maintain the level about halfway between full and add.
Below is a summary of the measurements:
Measurement 1954 1961
Tube extension from block 6-1/4 7-1/16
Dipstick, under stop to tip 15-1/16 15-9/16
Full mark to tip 1-3/4 1-3/4
Full mark to Add Oil mark 1/2 1/2
