well, i see these deep oil pans that say they are good for 7 quarts... why would you want to have 7 instead of 5?

 

This thread is going to get moved.... What do you mean by deep oil pans? Some larger cubic inch engines require more oil of course.

 

Run high volume pump without sucking pan dry

 

so this isnt advanced tech enough?

haha

damn

well so you'd want a 7 quart instead of a 5 if you had a big oil pump?

 

I run a stock volume blueprinted pump and a Canton pan. While some say otherwise, I see no need for a HV pump on most setups, it just takes extra power to drive and there IS a risk of uncovering the pickup with a stock pan/HV pump combo. With a HV pump there will be more oil in the top of the motor. Combine that with high-g manuvers and maybe an oil level that is a little low and you can have a disaster. If you feel compelled to run a HV pump, I advise aginst a stock pan. It's less an issue of pan capacity as it is of oil control. If you run a HV pump and a stock pan, at least be sure that your oil level is on the high side (which also costs hp).

Rich

 

There are several reasons.
SBC have been imfamous for pumping oil into the top end, particularly, with the Gen I engines. During hard, high rpm drag runs much of the oil ended up in the valve covers and lifter gallery, sometimes causing lost of pressure.
In sports racing the G forces would cause the oil to move away from the oil pickup. Again causing lost of pressure.
A slightly deeper pan with a couple of extra quarts of oil would often help this. Also most deep pans are baffled which helps keep the oil around the pickup.
Besides it obvious lubrication function it is also used to cool the engine, along with the antifreeze. This is the main reason that indurance racers have hugh engine oil reserviors and coolers. Deep pans usually have more surface area or stick down into the airstream, which helps cool the oil.
And of course in an emergency, like a broken oil line, the extra oil give you a few more seconds or minutes to get the car safely stopped without damaging the engine.
Pobably some others I haven't thought of.

 

Yeah and if you look at those motors the "builders" envolved don't spend much time on oil control AND getting the oil back into the pan. It's not hard to do, but you have to give a **** and it takes more time = money and cheap customers don't like that. I've seen some stuff with $1500 cranks, $800 custom pistons and high end parts in it and NO work on getting the oil drainback into the pan.... blows my mind.

In any racing the oil gets moved because of the forces... the problem is that if you have too much the crank can pick up oil out of the pan and basically have it all flining around in the crankcase and uncover the pump that way also....

Bret

 

Some people will run a 7 quart pan but only keep 5 quarts in it just to keep the oil level lower and away from the crank. You only need enough oil in the pan to keep the pickup tube covered during all operations of the engine. If you can do proper oil control, a drag car could operate with 3 quarts of oil in the pan.

I've sucked my pan dry with only 5 quarts. At 6000+ rpm, all the oil is up in the engine.

Hint - don't use the lifter valley screen kits. The holes through the screens are too small to allow oil drainback fast enough. If you feel you need the screens, make some out of larger mesh material. You're trying to catch pieces like chunks of valve spring, keepers etc, not fine particles of failed bearings due to lack of oil.

I now keep 7 quarts of oil in the pan (OK, 6 quarts of oil and 1 quart of Lucas oil stabalizer) and I now also have 3 additional quarts in an oil accumulator.

The timing chain is only lubricated from oil picked up thats splashed around in the pan. If the level gets too low, the chain doesn't get any oil. Dart recommends drilling a 1/16" hole in one of the oil gallery plugs behind the timing chain to keep it lubricated.

There. That bit of info makes it advanced tech

 

Good post.

Don't know about the Lucas stuff, I don't really like anything that makes oil sticker....

Bret

 

My oil gets lots of condensation and alcohol contamination. The Lucas oil is just another way to protect the bearings when the oil starts to fail. Dry, failed, bearings cost more than the additive.

 

does Locas stop oil consumption?

 

Yeah the alcohol makes it a pain in the ***.

I'm also a fan of 6qts compared to 7.

Bret

 

would either a 6 or 7 quart pan be useful on a stock enviornment?

 

What are some of the things that can be done to get the oil back into the pan?

Chris

 

Coat the lifter valley with Teflon. If you`re really ambitious, you can do the
head castings as well.

It might be a little tough cleaning the oil from the engine before applying the
Teflon. My engine was done after hot tanking (not the heads however).

Maybe a few rags and some acetone would get the motor dry/clean enough
to try? You`d have to be super careful not to let any fluids, or lint into the
oil pan.

Would anybody say applying acetone to a lint free cloth would be a good alternative?