Splish-Splash

[RandyT]

Like the B&S Intek on my rider mower.

When I first got it I put in what I thought was the right amount of oil, ran it for about 20 seconds, and then turned it off and checked the level. Turns out I had put in way too much oil -- and the splasher was submerged and didn't splash. Just the few seconds without oil was enough for the counterweight to bind and the engine to seize up. I was very sad for a little while until I figure out it was just the counterweight, which is about a ten dollar part. Since then it's gone five seasons without a hitch.

I think the oil filter on the side was put there by the marketing department.

Some of the inteks dump the oil back into the sump after filtering. Others actually lube the lower crank bearing with the filtered oil.

 

[npalen]

Consider the engines that are running 'dry-sump' systems. Remote reservoirs, scavenger pumps to collect the oil for recirculation...

Splash-lube is for engines with no oil pump. Most commonly seen on small engines now-days. Also seen on Chev in-line 6 cyl 'dipper' engines mid 1930's prior to the pressure-lubed Blue Flame engine.

Splash can refer to the water-wheel 'slingers' that create a mist of oil when spinning fast. Dippers have the projection from the big-end to dip into the sump contents.

Splashing the big-end into the sump of oil doesn't occur. That is why overfilling is bad. The oil foams and the engine gets less lubrication. Severe overfilling causes 'churning' of the oil like a cake mixer and less splash so no lube again.

Once upon a time all engines were splash/drip lubed.

Seems like the 1953 chevy engines were the last of the splash lube before going to the oil pump on the '54's.

 

[Patches]

I remember the old Chevy "216" c.i. engine had both; a low pressure oil pump and rod splash lubrication. Many of these engine were fitted with partial flow oil filters as an accessory, fed through a line from an oil galley plug in the side of the block.

 

[Deere Dude]

When I was very young, I too heard the the old wives tales about overfilling an engine with too much oil and supposedly blowing seals but I've never seen it, or know anyone who ever has, even mechanics. I know without a properly vented engine crankcase blow-by gas pressures can build up and blow oil past seals but not actually blow out seals. I guess it's possible if the blow-by was bad enough and for some reason the engine wasn't vented, and if the seals were super tight something might pop.

Anyway, I've always thought of that statement as an old wives tale since no one could really explain to me why an overfilled engine would blow seals.

I do understand that the foaming of engine oil causes pressure loss and therefore bearing surfaces can be compromised so I do understand you could ruin the bearings.

As someone said earlier, the additives in todays oils are so much better at controlling things and I would think the dipsticks/oil pans are calibrated to give a wide safety margin.

DEWFPO

I recently had fuel in my diesel truck which took the normal 9-10 quarts in the pan to 22-23 quarts. It must have added some fuel in a gradual process over 5000 miles until I normally change oil. I never noticed any problems in the operation of the engine and when I took it in to have the fuel pump and injectors replaced the mechanics said that happens quite often and they never showed any concern about any seals etc.

 

[fitterski]

I recently had fuel in my diesel truck which took the normal 9-10 quarts in the pan to 22-23 quarts. It must have added some fuel in a gradual process over 5000 miles until I normally change oil. I never noticed any problems in the operation of the engine and when I took it in to have the fuel pump and injectors replaced the mechanics said that happens quite often and they never showed any concern about any seals etc.

I once ran my flathead ford out of oil for over 40 miles, it just started to smell without too many other symtoms. "I" shut it down, it didn't die!

I think we need to keep the distinction between 7000rpm race engines and 1600rpm diesel sluggers. They're two different worlds with connecting rod splash speeds that aren't even in the same charts.