I am building a 396 LT1 and I am going to use diamond splayed main caps for the 4 bolt main, a eagle crank, and melling oil pump. What oil pan should I go with and am I correct in thinking a 7qt pan will be required?

Also this will be driven almost dailey so I am having a hard time deciding on cam and springs. I am looking for 500+ RWHP NA and will be spraying a 250 DP shot for weekend fun at the track. I will be using P&P LT1 heads with 2.02 intake and 1.60 Ferrea valves. I was thinking either a cc306 or GM847 cam but I am now thinking those will be way to small.

TIA

 

I would use the Canton oil pan. They are great for lt1 strokers. As for the cam, the ones you chose are not bad, but the gm847 is your best bet with some 1.6 rockers since you said your only gonna spray once in awhile. Should be streetable with a good tune.

 

I think you are right in the 7qt pan assumption, however I would suggest looking into a different head option other than stock LT1 Castings, becuase they do not have the cross sectional area to support a large cube stroker motor. The new TFS heads are suppose to be very well designed for supporting a 383 or 396 because they have a increased cross sectional area when compared to stock LT1s. If your budget may allow a set of full port AFRs would be a nice addition as well. As far as a cam the CC306 and 847 would be to small for what you want and you would be better off by getting a custom grind Cam to match you heads.

I would suggest talking with Bret Baur of Baur Racing. He is extremely knowledgable and is also a very highly reputable engine builder to boot.
his screen name is (sstroker) Get in touch with him and he'll be able to answer all your questions,
good luck,
-john

 

Thanks for the response 95. I am going to be using Comp 1.6 Rockers but did not know if the 847 cam would be big enough to get me to my NA goal or should I look at another off the shelf cam from someone or get a custom grind.

What are your thoughts on the Milodon 7 qt oil pan, windage tray, and pickup tube?

 

Guru- My budget does not allow for any other heads since I am doing everything all at once (tubular kmember, upper & lower a-arms, moser 12 bolt, hal shocks, etc). I am getting the heads done for the price of the valves and springs. I have someone locally who wants to see how much he can get out of a set of LT1 heads so the valve job and port work is free

I may contact Bret. I was thinking of talking and going with something form Futural but was wanting to get some specs thrown at me before I contacted a shop.

One other question is the melling oil pump good. Or could I go with a complete Milodon set up pan, pump, etc...

Thanks for the help.

 

Your heads and cam that you are looking at won't get you anywhere near 500rwhp. You'll need to get more radical with the top end which doesn't really lend itself well to being a daily driver. Realistically, I'd decide on one of the two, 500rwhp or daily driver but having both and doing it naturally aspirated won't work too well IMHO.

 

I hear where your coming from. Im in the same boat with my build up and a have decided to make a few compromises along the way. This is becuase the only really important thing to me and my build up is the drive train and the suspension. If your getting the heads ported for free then thats a different story. Only be assured that your goals will not even be close to what you want with such a mild top end. Im for 450 Rw out of my 383 this winter plus 200 shot of spray but the majority of my budget is going onto the topend. THe only thing you could do that would make it easier for you is to look at a few differnt places to try and save money. Since your car is a gonna be a daily driver is the Kmember and upper/lower As necassary thats almost a grand right there that you could put into the motor and reach your goals. I plan on redoing my entire front suspension will all BMR stuff just, not this winter cuz I want to get the car to go fast, and then work on making it lighter and faster. Just a thought lol

As for the miloden pump as far as I know its widely used and well liked

Good Luck,
-john

 

turbo- I know what you mean. So lets forget 500 RWHP and change it to as much RWHP NA as possible. I know the car is going to be a beast. I do not care if it feels like it is trying to buck me out of the car. I however do not want to get 2 miles per gallon on the highway in 6th gear and if I have my AC on in the summer I do not want it to die at every stop light even after it is tuned.

 

Guru- I understand about saveing the money on the suspension now and doing better heads but doing the k-member, a-arms, and clutch now is going to save me a ton of labor charges instead of doing them later.

I did not think getting 500 RWHP NA out of a 396 would be that difficult. the guy that is doing my heads did a set on a 105,000 mile LT1 with stock bottom end, cc305 cam, and hooker LT headers and that car untuned did 398 RWHP. You are looking at getting 450 out of a 383. So with a big enough cam and some really good flowing LT1 heads with 2.02 valves you still think 500 is not possible?

 

The lt1 castings arent going to breathe on a 396 or even 383 well. Better off with a 355 if you are staying stock castings, will be faster.

Pans...My buddy ran the canton, im running the miloden. Both 7qts, one in 396, mine in 383. Both are nice. Take your pick.

You can make 500rwhp, but its not going to be a DD. If you want 500 rwhp, you need AFRs, and custom speced SR cam.

From the little info we have, i say so with stock pan 355. Something like a forged eagle crank and h beams with nitrous pistons on top should hold. The pistons will be the weak part of that setup, assuming you have some good rod bolts. I would stay with a short rod to give the piston as much bulk as possible. Still want a SR cam, custom specced. Should give you 420-430 rwhp NA with a set of lt1 heads and on the juice you will be good.

Final thought, you dont want to know what all the supporting components are going to cost.

 

one buddy had a car with a 396 and ported stock heads that flowed 255ish @ .500. it made 435rwhp and went 123 in the 1/4. another buddy had a 396 w/ 195 AFRs and made 440rwhp. it never got down the track. both cars had LT1 intakes. the AFR headed car made 660rwhp on 175 shot nos dry kit. both these cars were built over 5 years ago. i wouldnt hesitate to run ported stock LT1 heads, but maybe thats just me.

 

I had assumed that you were doing the suspension work yourself and since your not then I agree with about saving the money about the suspension work.

I said 450 Rw but i forgot to mention that, thats not with the stock LT1 castings but a set of aftermarket heads either TFS but maybe a Set of AFRs if I can afford them. Im figuring on doing a solid Roller as well since its only going to be a weekend warrior ad driven very little. Its for this reason that im starting to think about doing a 396 instead.

I have to question what your builder said though about 398 Rwhp with just a CC305 and LTs thats abit much I think.
-john

 

ive seen over 400rwhp out of a CC305 and a set of ported stock castings. talk to phil at advanced induction.

 

i stand corrected then lol

-john

 

head porting is definatly a black art. depending on the cubic inches, cam, and intake, and even if the target flow and target port cross section area of the head are achieved; when you get over 1.25hp/cu in port shape starts to play an increasingly important role. thats why their can be two identical motors as far as parts go with different head porters and one will make more power then the other.