Well I just finished putting the 385 with S-trim in my 94Z and fired it up and guess what, #1 or #2 rod is hitting the bottom of the oil pan. I have a Callies crank & Eagle H-beam rods. I have tried to get the oil pan off by jacking up the motor but it won't come up quite high enough to get the pan off. Which ever rod is hitting it isn't by much because it's not denting the pan. Now to my question. Has any body used the blue felpro pan gasket and is it thicker than the stock one? Since it is not hitting by much I was thinking of trying the Felpro gasket. Has anyone pushed out the front bottom of the oil pan while it's still on the car? If that gasket is thicker I may not have to push out the oil pan at all. Just trying to figure out my options because I really don't want to yank the motor out again.

 

The felpro I used on my 383 was blue, but I don't know if it's thicker. You could try doubling it up.

 

this happened to me this spring putting my 383 together.
but i found mine hitting when it was on the stand.
first thing i would do is just loosen the bolts and move the pan a bit to whatever side.thats what i did and have not had a problem
good luck

 

id you didn't clearance the pan, the 1 and 2 rods are hitting the bottom, and the #7 i****ting the rail. you can pull the pan off.. either drop the k memberm or pull the trans. the crank must be rotated in just the right spot to pull the pan.

 

Did you turn the rotating assembly with the engine on the stand? I had to clearance my stock oil pan with a BFH from the inside out to get the clearance I needed.

 

Funny thing is I had my engine builder do the short block and he clearanced the pan with no gasket. I can see into the pan now because I've lowered it enough to se but the MF'er still won't come out. The #1 & #2 rods are just touching the bottom. I'm sure thats all that is hitting because you would only hear the noise per 1 revolution of the crank. I think I'm going to try and push out the 2 spots that are rubbing while the pan is hanging there.

 

Just wanted to Thank everyone for there help, Especially Jordan Musser. After lowering the K-Member I was able to drop the pan and sure enough #1 & #2 rods were hitting and also #7 was just touching the rail. I hope to have this running again by the weekend and be able to put some break in time on the motor before I see what kind of numbers this set up will put down.