Oil pan

[Buttanic]

I am building a 350 Chevy straight inboard engine with a BW Velvet Drive clutch from new and used parts.
I picked up a used Mercruiser cast aluminum inboard oil pan. It is a pre 1980 pan for a left hand dip stick block. I am looking for the capacity of the pan. It seems to be either 5 or 6 quarts without the filter. I have been unable to find any info about this pan. Does anyone know what is the correct capacity. Thanks

 

[Bondo]

Re: Oil pan

It seems to be either 5 or 6 quarts without the filter.

Ayuh,... Without a Part #,... You're just shootin' in the Dark....

If it clears everything,+ you Like it,...
Put it together,+ throw in 4qts... Then Check it,.. Full,.??,..
No,..?? Add another qt. til you Find the capasity...

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Oil pan

Put a level across the valve cover when you checking the oil level.

Make the motor as level as you can get it.

And don't over fill it, that causes problems, a little under the full mark.

 

[Buttanic]

Re: Oil pan

The pan didn't have a dip stick so I have to make one and mark the full mark. Being a straight inboard without a down angle clutch the engine sits at about a 12 degree angle. I am not sure if I should put the same amount of oil as when the engine sits level or a little less to prevent it from being too high at the back of the pan and getting into the crankshaft counterweights. Any thoughts.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Oil pan

Go to any junk yard they will give you all the dipsticks you want.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Oil pan

What Bubba says i would take as gospel.

So put in the proper amount and than on the dipstick scratch a line. And put in a little less next time you do a oil change.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Oil pan

The pan didn't have a dip stick so I have to make one and mark the full mark. Being a straight inboard without a down angle clutch the engine sits at about a 12 degree angle. I am not sure if I should put the same amount of oil as when the engine sits level or a little less to prevent it from being too high at the back of the pan and getting into the crankshaft counterweights. Any thoughts.

Ayuh,...

Are you going to run any Windage Trays,..??

It's Much more important to set the motor up to run, Where it's going to Live, rather than anything being Level, or where Chevy might have thought was Normal....

I'd take the Time to mess around with the motor on the stand,+ Play with the Angles.....

I'd rather run a SBC on a 4qt. reserve, than to run a 5, 1/2qt, reserve, only to be Beating those extra qt.s to a Foam...
At No time should the rotating assembley be Beating the sumped oil, Regularly....

Even if this is a 7qt. base,...
If it's Full, at the Angle You Need, with only 4qt.s in it,...
Then in Your Application,.... It's a 4qt. base,... Period...


Btw,......
An old thrown away Lower Shift Cable from a Mercruiser makes mighty fine base stock for fabbing up a new Custom Dipstick......

 

[Buttanic]

Re: Oil pan

The pan has two baffles that run across the the pan to control front to rear surge. I had planned on using a windage tray but the baffles hit the tray and prevent the pan from being used with the windage tray that mounts on the extended main cap bolts.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Oil pan

VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure you have the required clearance between the bottom of the pan and the oil pickup bell screen asy. It should sit no more than 5/16" off the bottom and not closer than 3/16" ---this is spec for my FORD I'm not sure on that Chevy, but reguardless there is a spec. you don't want any cavitation, and there's many different styles and length pickup tubes, it's probably fine but just do check it. You use modeling clay to check the depth.

 

[Buttanic]

Re: Oil pan

There is no type of tray built into the pan. The pickup clearance is good.
I set the pan at a 12 degree angle on the work bench and added water one quart at a time. 5 quarts seemed about right. Thanks eveyone.