Where do you guys set your oil level?

[Sam K]

I've heard a few different opinions on where to set your oil level with a deep sump. I have a berg 3.5 quart sump and I have always set it a the upper line on the dipstick. It always seems to leak a litle from between the sump and the case. A couple of people have told me to set it at the lower line, but that seems to defeat the purpose of having a deep sump a little bit. What's a fella to do?

[Casey]

I run at the lower line now. All is well now.

[John Rayburn]

I've always run between the lines. Engines seem to find there own optimal level I've noticed.

[Jason Foster]

I run mine a little below the top line.

[Roman]

On a race engine I just below the lower line. It doesn't defeat the purpose of the deep sump, you still have a lot more oil than stock.
I have personally seen a HP increase on the dyno of 15 hp on a 250 hp normally aspirated engine when he went from 5 mm over the upper line to 5 mm under lower line.
If you have a high level the crank dips into the oil so it gets foamed and the oil flow/pressure actually gets lower on high RPM's.
I have heard people say that a lower oil level will make a cam go flat due to not eough oiling, but in that case why does a dry sump engine work?
The throw off from the crank is more than enough.

On a stock engine I have it somwhere between the lines, it is not so important if you don't rev much.

[Fastbrit]

I've always run between the lines.

Have you ever tried running across the tracks?

[Airspeed]

I have personally seen a HP increase on the dyno of 15 hp on a 250 hp normally aspirated engine when he went from 5 mm over the upper line to 5 mm under lower line.
 

Imagine what a dry-sumped engine can gain! 

[John Rayburn]

I've always run between the lines.

Have you ever tried running across the tracks?

                                                                Only if the train is going slower than 50.

[black_bullitt]

I asked John Maher the same question when I first fitted my berg sump, he said fill to the bottom line of the dipstick and I've had no problems with loss of oil pressure when booting it  or hard cornering.

[DWL_Puavo]

On our track race car we usually fill it up near to top line - not over it but not substantially lower. When it reaches the bottom line, we've had few cases that engine losses its oil pressure on track when first driving long corners and then straightening the car after a "small drifting". (it doesn't leak between engine block and sump, but it had to be installed with some loctite sealer, with only the paper gasket it leaked a bit - mexico case seems not to be milled as flat as gb sump)

We have CB 82 crankshaft, GB 2qt sump, schadek 30mm oil pump, fullflow, hacked up windage tray to clear cam lobes. Engine has 4 breather attachments on valve covers, oil filling tower and on gas pump block-off plate. We haven't discovered any power loss or gain according to oil level, but haven't dynoed the difference either.