L20B Oil Capacity

[JMAC88]

Hi, I have 1970 Datsun 1600, with a L20B swapped in. The L20B uses the original L16 oil pan, I believe.

My problem is, the deep part of the sump is under the middle of the engine, closer toward the back, excluding the clearance for the steering linkage. However, the dipstick is at the front, in the shallow part of the pan.

 

When I do a complete drain and refill, including oil filter, and adding 4.0L of oil, the oil level on the dipstick is about 50mm above the high mark on the stick. I am worried that this is not a correct reading.

 

How much oil is normally required for an L20B oil change with the L16 sump, and is it possible to move the dipstick to the deeper part of the sump, or should i just fill with a certain amount of oil and mark the stick there?

Thanks.

[datzenmike]

Fill with whatever amount you used with the 1600 engine, about 3.8-4 liters. It's now correctly filled no matter what the dipstick reads. Mark the new level as the full line.

 

The engine it slightly tilted up at the front so if moved to the middle it would read even more full by a small amount. So is this the L20B dipstick??? unlikely it's the L16 stick. If you have the L16 dipstick what does it read???

[JMAC88]

I’m fairly sure it’s the L20B Stick, it has V9101 stamped on it. I don’t have the L16 stick unfortunately. 
 

Would you know the correct amount for the L16? I’ve got varying answers from 3.5-5L. 
 

thanks

[datzenmike]

A US quart is 1.057 liters so for all intents and purposes.. the same as a liter.  4 US quarts is 4.228 or 4 1/4 liters.

Looks like 4.3 liters and 4.5 liters with a new filter.

 

 

[Crashtd420]

On 9/19/2023 at 11:21 PM, JMAC88 said:

Hi, I have 1970 Datsun 1600, with a L20B swapped in. The L20B uses the original L16 oil pan, I believe.

 

 is it possible to move the dipstick to the deeper part of the sump, or should i just fill with a certain amount of oil and mark the stick there?

Thanks.

I always thought the engines were all basically the same but how they fit in a truck vs car was different....

So I assume you have a 521, being a 70 1600 and it sounds like a car (front sump) engine was swapped in using the L16 oil pan and hopefully the pickup tube inside... 

Your trying to get a reading from a front sump dipstick in a rear sump setup.... 

 

Either remark you current dipstick with the info datzenmike supplied or if your really ambitious there should be a location on the block that could be drilled out and the L16 dipstick can be used, i dont know if the L20b dipstick is the same length.... I know someone here just did it.... what i dont know is if every block has the multiple locations....or if it's a right hand left hand drive difference or front and rear sump....

 

I know you said you dont have the L16 dipstick but a rear sump L16 has a dipstick length 0f 12 1/2 inch from the end to the rubber stopper, compare that to the L20 dipstick...

And the location is down by the end of the starter.... 

 

 

Down below to the left of my oil sender....

If that boss is there you can do it... 

 

Where is you dipstick currently located? 

On my block I could not find another area to move the dipstick tube... but I found this wierd tube crimped off just below my oil filter behind the alternator mount....

 

[JMAC88]

Thanks for the help everyone, it was about 800mL too low on oil. Added some and the oil pressure went straight up to 30psi at idle. Will keep the dipstick where it is and have marked it with 4.7L in the sump. 

[Ranman72]

4.5 to 5 quarts with a new filter 

 

[datzenmike]

On 9/25/2023 at 4:51 PM, JMAC88 said:

Thanks for the help everyone, it was about 800mL too low on oil. Added some and the oil pressure went straight up to 30psi at idle. Will keep the dipstick where it is and have marked it with 4.7L in the sump. 

 

The pressure jumping would indicate that the pick up tube may not have been near the bottom of the oil pan. (sump) I suppose fresh new oil may do this. A barely submerged pick up is in danger of sucking air when the oil is down a quart. Oil pans were different for every application and the pick up and the dip stick must reflect this too. Four liters or four and a half with filter is about max for an L4 or just about any engine. The top of the oil should be as far away from the spinning crankshaft as possible, not easily done though. The act of driving will slop and splash oil onto the spinning crankshaft wasting power, aerating the oil and increasing the load on the oil control rings.

 

Was the depth of the oil pickup measured and compared to the deepest part of the sump? Is it in the deepest part? If it is then 3.8-4 liters is plenty and almost 5 is too close to the crankshaft.