Topic: Oil Pan Clearance

[miraclepieco]

When I built my 34 Ford pickup, I knew that the oil pan would be close to the ground.  Turns out it's closer than I wanted - only about 2 inches clearance, which often leaves me cringing as I approach large bumps and humps.

I don't want to raise the engine any more because, as I designed it, the mechanical fan is perfectly positioned on the radiator.  Any higher and the fan blades would be up on the radiator top tank and not on the core; unacceptable for both cooling and aesthetics. An electric fan is also unacceptable; this car is REAL old school, built like the hot rods of my youth (1950's and 60's), meaning no modern high tech street rodder stuff like computers, air bags, or electric fan. 

So I decided that my best option was to shorten my oil pan.  A little cutting and welding  and I'll gain about an inch of additional ground clearance, just enough to get the pan up inside the frame rails where it's protected. Here is how I'm doing it...

Day One:

First I pulled my old pan.  A quick measurement showed that I could make the pan 6 1/2 inches top-to-bottom and still clear the internal components, the lowest thing being the oil pump itself. Shortening the pan this much necessitates raising the oil pump pickup tube also. I heated and bent the pickup tube upward about an inch, making sure the pickup stayed horizontal to the engine. I added a brace on the pickup which stops flexing and vibration, and also keeps the pickup from coming out of the pump. And yeah, I tack welded the tube onto the pump body also, just for redundancy.

Then I scribed around the pan where I will cut it. You can see how much space I will gain. I plan to compensate for the diminished oil capacity by changing the shape of my new pan bottom to allow more volume. 

That's as far as I got today.  Tomorrow I'll build the new pan bottom. 

[Greybeards Customs]

It's amazing what we will live with in the spring and summer months to keep from parking the hot rods , but then in the winter the work begins getting all the bugs worked out . That will help make your truck what you wanted in the first place ... Drivable , they are no fun unless you can drive them .

[miraclepieco]

It's amazing what we will live with in the spring and summer months to keep from parking the hot rods , but then in the winter the work begins getting all the bugs worked out . That will help make your truck what you wanted in the first place ... Drivable , they are no fun unless you can drive them .

Yes, you are right Greg.  I have a whole laundry list of improvements slated for this winter. These cars just get better and better because, as you drive them you keep improving them.

BTW, I see that sedan you are working on all over the internet from when it was for sale.

[Greybeards Customs]

I know every winter I always try and upgrade something on my car , it seems that every year we go on a longer road trip and the further you are from home the more critical things can be . So I am with you 100% on the upgrades.

[miraclepieco]

I got  a little accomplished on my oil pan shortening project today. Here's some pics...

I cut off the bottom off the oil pan, then trimmed it gradually, repeatedly rechecking it on the engine until it was as short as possible and still allowed oil pump clearance.  Turns out that this is 6 1/2 inches - a full 2 inches shorter than the original pan depth!

I cut a piece of 1/8" steel to roughly fit the bottom of the pan. I made it longer than the original bottom, extending it forward to compensate for the loss of oil capacity. The shape is now very similar to an older Corvette oil pan (but about $250 cheaper!). 

I angled the new bottom upward at the front so if it does hit anything, it will be a glancing blow. Note that, unlike pro builders, I don't have expensive metal brakes and shears, so I cut halfway through the piece, bent it at the cut, then will weld the seam.  We garage builders have to do things unorthodox sometimes!

The purpose of the 1/8" bottom is to make it kind of an ersatz Slam Pan (I think those are made by Trans Dapt?).  1/8 is heavy enough to resist denting, but not so heavy that it will act like a "new patch on old jeans" on the 20-gauge pan.

I tacked on the new bottom and will trim it and finish weld it tomorrow. The empty spaces on the sides will be filled with patches, and the original front of the pan sump will be drilled to allow oil flow through it yet still act as a baffle to keep the oil around the pump pickup during hard braking.

I'm the first person I ever heard of shortening an oil pan. I can't figure out if I'm a genius or a moron (no replies required!).

[coony278]

 That will work , Did you expand forward so you will still have a 4 quart oil pan ?

[Greybeards Customs]

where are going going to tap the drain ?

[miraclepieco]

where are going going to tap the drain ?

Oops, I knew I forgot something!     Just kidding...but that does sound like something I would do   

I really wanted to put the drain in the rear, but there just wasn't room, so I installed it in the original location on the driver's side.  Although the bottom of the pan is now flat,  I can fully drain all the oil by simply jacking the right side of the car slightly higher.

Here are pics of the pan finished welded with the drain plug installed (it was a challenge to weld the edge of the 20-gauge pan to the 1/8" bottom section, balancing penetration and burn-through). I filled it with water to test for leaks, and I do have one little trickle I'll have to weld closed tomorrow.  The water test also revealed an air trap in the new forward section of pan, so I drilled an internal vent hole to let it escape.

Tomorrow, paint and installation. Then I'll test drive it, searching for the nastiest speed bumps I can find!

[miraclepieco]

That will work , Did you expand forward so you will still have a 4 quart oil pan ?

Yes, exactly right!

[Greybeards Customs]

Problem solved , nice looking work

[hotwheels]

Nice work......

[miraclepieco]

I painted and installed my home made "Slam Pan" today.  The bottom is about 1/4-inch higher than the bottom of my frame rails, so it's well protected. And if it does hit anything, the 1/8" steel should resist denting.

Turns out I bought the wrong oil, so I couldn't fill the crankcase and test drive it quite yet.  But here's pictures of the finished result:

[hotwheels]

Nice job man, looks awesome.......

[Greybeards Customs]

Looks strong enough to be on a brinks truck