I have a 400 ci SBC in my 59 El Camino, the previous owner put a massive high volume oil pan on it that hangs lower than the frame rails, I've already ripped it once. I wanna drop the car but I can't until I replace this behemoth. I don't wanna make any mistakes and I wanna know what options I have for an oil pan and pick up? Any help would be appreciated.
Is there a reason why there's one of those pans on there? Is it a hi-perf engine? If not just get a stock pan and switch it but you'll have to swap out the oil pump pickup too. Pretty much every one of those deep pans have a deep pickup to go with it. A deep pickup won't work with a shallower pan.
Pretty much any SBC oil pan with the dip stick on the side to match your block will work. Replace the pump and pick up while you have the pan off. Some engine builders used high volume pumps and found that all of the oil would be pumped up into the engine before it could run back down to the pick up, especially at high RPMs. All you need is a standard pump, and by the way the 400 uses a different oil pump drive shaft that clears the rear main cap. The good Melling pump comes with a correct hardened shaft.
I know, I just wanna make sure I get the right matching parts. I've driven the truck, it doesn't seem like it's particularly fast to me, so I doubt it's a hi-po engine.
There is a way to have your cake and eat it too. I am assuming your current pan just has a large sump. There are a few benefits of having extra capacity oil and they are all good. Now to have the extra capacity and still have your ground clearance you need to look at what's called a " kick out " pan. These have a larger capacity and yet some are the same depth or distance to the road as stock. The sump is kicked out to the sides usually both sides. Circle track pans are generally kicked out on 1 side so that the oil is captured in the kick out while cornering so the pump and engine doesn't run dry. You want to look at a street strip type kick out pan. A extra quart or two of life blood for the engine, and a real good pan can add some extra horsepower that doesn't eat up 1 single molucule of extra gas. Oil pans are a science, and Ive spent countless years testing them, no one can dispute at all that power is in a oil pan! Check out Moroso and Milodon for the pans, All the best.
It looks like this is a kick out one, but it sits so low and I'm into customs, I like my cars low. I don't mind loss of a few HP. Thanks for the info though.
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