engine oil capacity

[Zed Head]

Well, that's a bummer.  Didn't expect you to pull the trigger so fast.  I went out and pulled all three of my dip sticks and took a picture.  A 76 and a 78 N42 block, and an 80-81 F54 (1981 2+2 ZX but with an 80 ratio 5 speed, junk yard car sale).  You can see the difference in the grid pattern where the oil level would sit, the shorter F54 stick is finer.  I also tugged on the rubber seal at the top and it's tight.  The ZX stick had some bend to it also.

Got a measuring tool?  Who knows, my ZX stick might be wrong.

[kully 560]

after I read your post I checked ebay and a Nissan dealer had the oil sticks for sale with 2 left so I bought 1, so nothing like new for the z . the length is from the top of the grid pattern to the top of the rubber is 7 -1/4" and my stick is straight with no bends to it also . but I still do not under stand why 3 difference reference are 3/4 of a quart different. I have been driving cars since the 70s and every car I have owned if it said 5 qts that's what it takes. my new ford truck says 7.7 qts and that fills just right so this bothers me. you know I have owned this car since 1979 and started the full resto in 1990 -1995 along with the new motor swap and even since then this oil thing has bothered me. but when I posted about the shell rotella t4 oil with the added zinc last week I changed the oil and I started thinking maybe I should ask if anybody knows why there is such a  difference in oil capacity . I think when I had the 260z motor I believe that took 5 qts. I think all the oil pans and blocks are the same except I maybe the f54 blocks might be Siamese cylinders if I remember correctly. 

[Zed Head]

The ZX pans are different from the Z pans.  The sump is more centered in one of them, to fit the different crossmember.  Can't remember which is which.

You can see in my picture that the ZX F54 block stick is 6 7/8".  I didn't mention it earlier but the other half of the system is the tube in the block.  You said that you measured to the top of the rubber.  Maybe you meant the sealing edge?  That sits on the tube?  that's where I measured to.  If your "ZX" stick measures 7 1/4" then it's not like my ZX stick.

I don't know if your part number is right but I do know that it's not the Z part number.

http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/engine-280z/cylinder-block/20

 

[kully 560]

the measurement from the top of the grid pattern  to the sealing edge it is 7" and I added a 1/4" for the thickness of the rubber to the top . I know when the 1983 zx turbo motor was installed I did not have a problem with the oil pan fitting the crossmember .   I later  located a 1977 280z motor and I change out the cylinder head and oil pan because I did not like having to plug up the oil cooling line in the oil pan for the turbo.   if I remember correctly both pans were a match .so I did some head work to the n47 and swap out the p90a head for the n47 also .

[Zed Head]

4 hours ago, kully 560 said:

 pick up a new 280zx oil dip stick part # 11140-p6502.

It's a fun puzzle.  You know, the 1979 to early 1980 280ZX used the N42 block and N47 head.  

Motorsport auto sells a tube and a dip stick but they imply that the sticks are interchangeable so who knows what you're getting.

http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/17-8046

http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic14g/17-8048

[Zed Head]

Forgot to say, measure your tube.

[kully 560]

from the block up to the top of the tube is exactly 3".  yes motorsport says interchangeable ?

Edited February 4, 2018 by kully 560

[Zed Head]

Here's another link, showing two sticks but one tube.  Not sure they got the years right on the stick, but still.  Two sticks, one tube.

https://zcarsource.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=dipstick

[kully 560]

looking at the tubes it appears that they are the same yes , but it seems the sticks are a little different from your measurements . now motorsport auto shows the stick is interchangeable from 1970 -1983? this does not make sense either ,and the 2 books I have show different capacities also. if I went to exactly the top of the grid pattern on the oil stick I would have 4 quarts or maybe a tad more in the motor  so maybe I should not lose sleep over 1/2 -3/4 of a quart?