Oil drained from the tank to the engine?

[jsteeb]

Hi guys!

I heard the engine run Friday!!! woohoo!!!

But...after I checked for leaks and shut it down, I moved to another project. About an hour or so later I checked the oil again, and I noticed about half of the oil (2qts) drained from the tank to (presumably) the engine.

Question 1....Why did it do that?
Question 2....Is that bad? I'm a little worried about blow by and having that much oil in the engine?

If it matters... Oil is routed from the bottom of the tank to the oil cooler...from the cooler to the filter...from the filter to the engine (pump)...then out of the engine (other side of the pump) back to the top of the tank.....

Any ideas?

[sracing]

The oil is going to drain through the pump back into the engine until it equalizes with the level in the oil tank. Happens on all of them. You want your oil tank mounted as low as possible. In any case it don't matter much. As soon as you start the engine the dry sump will drain the case within a few seconds. While running there will be very little oil in the case.

Jim
SR

[rickb99]

Yup, what Sracing said. All dry sump systems do that. Or, any system with a remote oil reservoir.

That is why you want to check the oil level in the tank right AFTER running the engine. If you do it after its sat for a while you will big time over fill it. Then blow a quart or more out on the track. You won't make friends that way

[jsteeb]

HA!!! Well...that makes sense.

I guess that's why Uncle Rob always told me to check the b4 and after running the engine, but never add any until after.... duh... I guess I never thought about it b4...

Thanks guys!