Been thinking of running my Cal Custom finned alumn oil pan ! Any of y'all run em ? What's the good and Bad ?
Agreed! I'd rather dent a pan and maybe keep the oil in, than shatter one and lose all the oil. Same with auto trannys
I remember Outlaw cracking his at P-n-P several years ago by hitting something in the street. Had to JB weld it to get home.
I have one on my roadster with a reusable silicone gasket. I like the way the gasket has steel spacers in the bolt holes so you can't overtighten it. The aluminum pans have a nice thick flange so the flange won't warp at the bolt holes like the steel will. I like mine, leaking shouldn't be a concern.
They are strong enough that I have lifted the motor in the chassis by placing a block under the pan and jacking it up. No leaks with the Fel Pro rubber with steel core gaskets http://www.summitracing.com/search/Brand/Fel-Pro/Product-Line/Fel-Pro-Performance-Oil-Pan-Gaskets/Gasket-Material/Rubber-with-steel-core/?Ns=Rank%7cAsc&autoview=SKU
Like anything else your going to find those who love them and those who hate them. Like as been said if you hit something solid (manhole cover, big rock, anyting tall enough to contact it thats heavy/solid it will crack/break and you'll loose the oil in very short order. Baring that you should have no problems. I took mine off the '32 2dr because it was so low (less than 3" road clearance) I knew it would only be time until I smacked something and broke it. Frank
i have one one the model A with a 327, looks nice the little bit you can see of it. fits great and I,m sure the fins add a lot of cooling to the oil
had one on my 3w...high centered it pulling into a gas station at Indy and smacked it HARD...no problem. that's my story and I'm sticking to it...
If you hit it hard enough to bust it, you would have about same problem with steel pan. Maybe it won't crack but you will probably knock it into the crank. Leaks no problem as long as you use the one piece, ie felpro, silicone gaskets. Had problems seeping a drop or two with the std gaskets. I have them on 3 trucks. No problems.........
Danny, if I remember correctly, the way they are designed, you will hit the drain plug before you hit anything else. "Damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead", I say.
Well I'm sitting in the parking lot in Canton , Texas about 60 miles from home with the busted oil pan ! Pictures tomorrow ..
If you put one on remember it is around 1inch + lower around the drain plug than a stock steel pan. .
True but the factory builds their cars with more ground clearance than most of us do. Plus they usually have a crossmember or something ahead of and lower than the pan
Did both your quotes happen the same day or did you ask the question too late? Either way I'd stick with a steel oil pan, chrome if you'd like. If your engine oil heat is a problem try an oil cooler?
look at post dates... he asked while he was building the sedan. Came back and said it failed while on the road
And than at around 2 this morning safe and sound . Even got a call from Doc that he has me a steel oil pan .
What I never liked about the cast pans that the aftermarket sold/sell is the lack of a baffle system such as what the standard Chevy V8 pans have. At least a baffle to keep the oil from running from the pickup on hard deceleration would be better than no baffle system which is how all aftermarket & marine GM pans I ever saw were made.
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