Okay this is the deal. I picked up my block and parts yesterday. I hate it balanced and machine...the whole works aside from being assembled. We were putting it together today and all was fine until we went to put on the oil pan. For one the windage (baffle) tray did not fit. Apparently the bolts were too short. But the main problem is that when I put the oil pan on and turned the crank...something was hitting. I think where the oil sensor goes in.

My question is....did anyone run into this problem? Do you guys run after market oil pans?? Would that solve the problem? I got a whole bunch of things running through my mind. If I get a deeper sump, will it work with my Eibach lowering kit?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

i made a coustom windage tray (most people bend them to fit) and your pan where it starts to go in will hit on the crank.

if you look at the block where the pan bolts on, it starts to go closer to the crank at the back that is where the pan needs to be dimpled out (at least on mine)

 

Im not running a windage tray on mine. I bet one of the rod bolts is hitting the side lip of the pan. Took me a while to figure that out on mine. Youll have to drimmel that spot some to clear it.....I forget which side it was but you shoud see some marks where it is hitting.

 

It was near the back where just above the oil pan drail plug. its exactly above the sensor if the engine was right side up. You guys just dimpled it out??? Do you still have the sensor in there? AKA Fred.....when you say bend it, were you talking about the windage tray or the pan?

Thanks guys you dont know how much I appreciate it. I'm about ready to lose it here.

 

You shouldnt have any interference at the point where the sensor goes......the lip of the pan where it bolts to the block on that side it likely where its hitting. I didnt dimple it there because I thought it might leak.....that why I used the drimmel and pushed the pan over as far as I could when I bolted it down.

 

Hey Fred.....how did you custom make a windage tray???? Did you have to get a custom oil pump and pick-up??

 

There are several solutions to this problem. Probably the best, yet most expensive, method would be to purchase a windage tray and oil pan designed to work with the larger stroke crank. However, the cheap method is to "modify" the windage tray and oil pan with the hammer of your choice. The only place my oil pan was hitting was at the front of the pan, so I don't really have any suggestions that would add to what has already been posted. I opted for the cheap method due to being limited by my college budget. If you decide to go this route, be careful not to bend the oil pan in such a way that it would cause problems sealing the pan to the block. Good luck with it.

 

The only one I have seen is the Milodon one. As far as pans go, Ive heard nothing but bad things about some of the aftermarket ones.

Anyone else.....This thing is sitting there and its been 3 months. I need my car back.

 

your stock pan will be fine. you just need to bang the side's of that thing out. Mine used to hit on the very top of the pan even after I banged it out. But now it's not bad anymore.

For the windage tray, it's more of a hassle than it's worth to try to get that thing to fit. Just take it out. it's not going to hurt anything at all.

 

Depending on what stroke you run will make a difference weather or not you have to purchase a aftermarket oil pan.

I have a 398ci with 3.875" stroke crank throwing 5.850" rod. This stroke did in fact hit the OEM oil pan sides not to mention many areas of the block required grinding. I had to purchase a oil pan that was profiled for large stroke combinations. I purchased a Canton pan and the pan comes with a windage trey built into it. Steffs also makes a good pan but If I had to do it over again I would have purchased a oil pan from Jeff Johnston Billet Fab.

From the sounds of what you explain makes me remember when I built a 383ci I tried to use the OEM windage trey and could not because the crank throws where making contact with the OEM windage trey. The oil level sensor must come out in order to take off or install the pan correctly.

I for one wouldn't hammer or dimple your OEM pan for the sake of causing a leak in the pan after the engine is back in the car. Just remember what you had to go threw just to get the motor out. It would suck if you had to pull the engine all over again just to replace a oil pan that leaks when all could have been avoided just by replacing the OEM pan with a good aftermarket.

 

Where is Jeff Johnson Billet Fab? Got a contact number?

Anyone else got some suggestions???

 

Here's the info that I found on the business. This is the first I've heard of this company, so I've never actually dealt with them.


Jeff Johnston's Billet Fabrication
649 Easy Street, Suite F
Simi Valley, CA 93065 USA
phone: 805-584-0428
fax: 805-522-3477

 

This is his web page:

www.billetfab.com

 

I gotta do something by tomorrow to make sure if I order it gets here by friday.

 

I had problems with the stock pan fitting my new 383 too. After at 2 1/2 hours of trying to bang the pan out so it would fit, we finally gave up. I spoke to Lonnie Pavtis and he recommend and got me a Canton Oil pan and it fit with no problems (clearing the rods and crank). All we had to do is bend the lip of the Canton Pan to clear the knock sensor and cut a little piece of the dipstick holder so it would not hit against the main caps.

If you decide to go with a Canton Pan give Lonnie a call, you will be glad you did. he is a great guy to do business with.

Here is his website: www.westol.com/lpavtis
And his email addy: lpavtis@westol.com



Claude