Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

When I move my 350 from my IROC to the GTA, I want to replace that POS aluminum oil pan that has the drain plug positioned smack on the bottom of the pan with a stock style replacement. I'm running an old 2-piece block with the dipstick on the driver side.

I absolutely DO NOT want a chrome pan... I hear way too many people bitch about them leaking, plus I hate chrome. I see a lot of very inexpensive black painted and bare steel pans on ebay, which seem to be exactly what I want, but I'm guessing based on their price that they're made overseas. Anybody running this type of pan?

Here's an example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SB-CH...item5888bbafac

anybody have feedback?

The_Wraith

I don't see why it would be a problem. You could always try to find a used stocker, personally I have never seen one in good shape though. Everything new these days is all reproduction type quality like that one posted in your link.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

I bought a bare one from summit for cheap. I wish I would have powered coated it. Oh well next pan I buy I will

robertg

iTrader: (2)

i ran a cheapie oil pan years ago, never had a problem. i picked it up from the machine shop when i picked up my block. it was priced comparable to what summit was selling their cheapie steel pan for at the time.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the info guys. I'll plan on picking one up when I yank the motor.

regal301

i would grab one from napa,autozone,or parts america.
the ones they stock are usually dorman or spectra and look and fit exactly like the original.i have used them,and they are an exact fit even on the import cars.i dont trust some of that stuff from ebay.you dont want to do the oil pan twice...........

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

The dorman stuff is 2-3x the cost, and since the motor will be on a stand when I do it, I'm more inclined to try the cheaper one.

Also... most of the dorman stuff that I've used is overseas crap just like everybody elses. In the case of the pans, they probably all come out of the same 50 year old mechanical press that gets jumped on by 200 chinese kids.

The power window motors that I just put into my truck are Dorman. One was made in China, one in India (same part number). One of them works like a POS brand new.

1ADan

iTrader: (4)

Most people think Dorman makes all their own products; far from the truth (as you found out Jim with the mixed stock). They rebadge just like everyone else, you just pay for their name. There are really only a couple build houses that make parts these days, everyone just puts their own name and warranty to it.

The basic SBC oil pan design's been around forever, nobody out there doing stock replacements are looking to reinvent the wheel. You shouldn't have any problem with the pans you find online. just grab yourself a good gasket (I really love those revised Fel-Pro one piece ones) and you should have no issues.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

tkcaraudio

Go to local machine shop and look for a used pan check craigslist you can find good cheap used pans on there

I picked up my last stock pan for my 74 350 on craigslist in mint shape for $15 and didnt have to wait on shipping just drive 20 mins

87IROCZ350TPI

Jim85iROC, what did you end up doing? I just installed my 5.7L L98 with the cheap chrome summit pan and it isn't compatible with my Y-pipe. So now I need one as well.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

I didn't do anything yet. The motor is still in my IROC. I'm not going to yank it until the new motor is ready to go in, and at the rate that's going, who knows when it'll happen.

pound

iTrader: (7)

I had issues with the cheap summit pan hitting the Y pipe on my hooker 2055's. I ended up getting a new original pan from gmpartsdirect. It cost about 4 times as much as the cheap one, but I didn't have to coerce it with a BFH.

Confuzed1

iTrader: (4)

I wouldn't be surprised if the budget unpainted pans you get at Summit and Jeg's are the same as that Ebay one you posted. I bought my unpainted one from Summit (I think) - and it worked just fine.

If it holds liquid and fits up well with the gaskets on, I don't think you'll have an issue. As far as the chrome stuff goes, most people have leaks in them because they use the wrong sealer on them. You shouldn't use silicone on chrome because it makes the gasket pinch out, you should use the Indian Head shellac type of sealers on those and let them dry till real tacky before you install the gaskets - cork ones preferrably.

87IROCZ350TPI

Yeah, I've got the Edelbrock 6872's on mine so I think I may do that as well. For now, I cleaned the heavenly hell out of my old one and will be using it for the break-in period. That will allow me to continue without having to wait for a new pan, and give me some time to shop around more.
Jim85IROC, I'll post here if I find something else that's reasonably priced and fits properly.

86 toy

iTrader: (1)

if your looking for a good oil pan i would spend the extra bones and get a milodon my friend bought a cheap oil pan for his big block on ebay and it was junk the bolt holes didn't line up properly and it leaked from day one. he replaced it with a milodon and wow what a difference in quality. here is a link to summit for a small block stock replacement style pan. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MIL-30700/

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

I'm bringing this back up from the dead because, well, I finally have a status update, as well as more questions.

I wound up buying a cheap unpainted pan at a swap meet some time last year. Most likely, it's identical to the $30 summit unpainted pan. I painted it and installed it on the 350 while it's in-between cars. Dyno Don was nice enough to comment on my build thread when he saw my oil pan. He mentioned that it would interfere with the y-pipe. Sure enough, he's right:


So, I'm out $30 for the pan, $25 for the gasket, and whatever amount of time it took me to make the pan look so damned good. I'm also back to square one, with no idea what frigging pan I need.

The motor is an old 2 piece block with a driver side dipstick. I now again need a pan that is cheap, and will work with my y-pipe. It would be nice if it used the older thin-style oil pan gasket as opposed to the newer thick one, so I could at least reuse my snazzy new $25 Fel Pro gasket.

Street Lethal

iTrader: (16)

Why not just cut and weld in an extension tube into the crossover so that it can reach...?

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

My welding skills are terrible. I don't trust that I can do it well enough to ensure a leak-free seal. If I have to pay for the work, I might as well pony up the cash for a better quality aftermarket pan that doesn't have the clearance problems to begin with. If I modify the tube instead of the oil pan, chances are it will interfere with the k-member. If I recall, it's a fairly snug fit between the crossover pipe and the k-member, though not as tight as to the pan.

Or, put my finned aluminum one back on and hope I continue to be lucky enough not to bottom out and rip the drain plug off the bottom of it.

Mpperry001

iTrader: (1)

I also had the same problem with my cheap ebay oilpan hitting the y pipe. I took the hammer to both and it works now. Not the best idea but i didnt have the money to replace at the time.

85_ZED28

Subscribed. I have the same issue with the pan on my new engine hitting the hooker 2055 y-pipe. 2 piece rms, driver's side dipstick. It actually just barely touches on the corner of the sump... so it's hammer time!

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

You may want to check out my post in the exhaust forum too. Since this thread originally dealt with experiences with the pan I now know doesn't work, I started a new thread there asking specifically for a recommendation for a pan that WILL work with this block & header configuration.

If it doesn't, back goes my finned aluminum pan.

ZZ3 Z28

Sorry, I don't use cheap ebay anything. There was a thread around here a while back where some one bought a cheap-ish tranny pan that was supposed to have louvers to help dissipate heat but the thing was actually a piece of crap, from what I can remember.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

There's a big difference between buying something as complex as a transmission compared to something as simple as a stamped steel oil pan.

I'd never buy a rebuilt motor at Wal Mart, but they do just fine when it comes to buying toilet paper. Same philosophy applies to car parts.