Low Profile Oil Pan

[IdahoZ]

I have read a good deal of threads discussing the need/desire of a lower profile oil pan (around 6-1/2") to gain some more ground clearance. I have not yet installed my 400 sbc in the car yet, but reading posts and looking at photos of other installs, it appears that most are routing their exhaust next to the oil pan and under the starter/oil filter making an exhaust install while using an RR or oval track pan with side kick outs a real challenge. I am planning on running a T-56 and a Weir bell housing which is about 1" higher (more ground clearance) than a stock 7-1/2" deep oil pan. I figure if I had a 6-1/2" deep pan and tucked the exhaust up tight, I could gain the maximum ground clearance possible with my setup. I also plan on not using the JTR spacers between the frame rails and cross member so I can gain an additional 1/2". So the question is where can I find a 5 quart wet sump pan that has a 6-1/2" deep sump that will not interfere with the exhaust? I was thinking - why not modify a stock pan, reducing the sump depth to 6-1/2" and expanding the sump like the RR pans, but instead of out the sides expand the sump to the front? With the engine in the setback position, there is plenty of room to expand the sump before the cross member would be an issue. Has anyone tried this? I am not an engineer but I think this could work. I have seen racing pans that are one continuous sump sloping form 6" to 8". I think this could also be done without having to modify the existing baffles too much and would probably be able to use the stock dip stick. I don't know if the stock oil pump pickup would work, but there are plenty of pick up choices out there that would probably work.

 

What do you guys think? Would this be something that is worth pursuing or is an additional 1" of ground clearance not worth the trouble?

[pparaska]

The 60-70s vettes had a 7" deep (vs the standard 7.5" deep) pan. They are NLA as far as I know, but you can still buy the special oil pump pickup needed. Here's one of the pans on ebay:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CORVETTE-SMALL-BLOCK-CHEVY-SIX-QUART-OIL-PAN-TRAP-DOOR_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ38657QQitemZ8056172694QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

 

I have used this and it does give a bit more clearance, and adds a quart capacity, and has a door and baffle in it.

 

Maybe start with that and cut 1/2" out of the height? I'm not sure it'd be worth the trouble though. I think the Corvette pan is as shallow as is practical and needed.

[dr_hunt]

IMO the oil pan is not an area you want to dabble in as far as modifications go. The big manufacturers have spent alot of time coming up with the designs that they have cause they work. Internal windage can be a problem. The chevy 6 quart pan for the vettes work well. I have two B&B pans and one Canton pan. I also have a Wyo tech 7 quart pan that I'm reserving to give to someone I don't like. The wyotech pan aerates the oil so bad that it looses pressure as rpm's go up, even when the car isn't moving, and it still has the stock baffling in place. Holding 80psi oil pressure at 1000 rpm idle is down to 50 by 3000 and down to 20 at 7000. Idle it down goes back to 80. If the car is driving and you brake hard the oil pressure went to 0. Switched to a B&B drag pan with 7 quart capacity, full length baffling, windage tray and problem went away. In fact thats what I ran at SEZ.

[IdahoZ]

That Corvette pan is just what I was envisioning. Will that pan fit on my 1977 400 sbc?