Need a better designed oil pan

[SBSerpent]

Ugh!!! Another scrape with pavement and yet another slow leak on the bottom of my oil pan. The 9 qt oil pan on my 351W (stroked to 392) with a forward pick up has maybe about 2.5" of clearance and has no surrounding chassis to protect it. I don't want to spend $500 for a replacement just to have to continue to deal with this problem. What are my alternatives? I do recall reading somewhere on this forum that someone does manufacture custom oil pans. Am I hallucinating or is that true?

[t walgamuth]

The dan olson racing pan on my car puts a large part of the pan off to the right side of the engine allowing a large capacity with a block hugging top to bottom dimension. Do you really need 9 quarts?

[bobcowan]

Unless you're racing, a standard 5-6 qt pan is plenty big enough. Just because it's in a Cobra chassis, doesn't mean you need a fancy racing pan.

Canton pans can be problematic. People have trouble getting them to seal. And sometimes they leak at the welds.

Kevko makes a good pan. If you're not racing, this stock appearing pan will work fine.
https://kevkoracing.com/collections/...ing-front-sump

If you are racing, then I would consider this one.
https://kevkoracing.com/collections/...nt=34322728846

[Rosco]

just sent you a PM

[SBSerpent]

Ok, so pardon my ignorance on this topic, but what I'm hearing is that since I do not and never intend on racing this car, I can get by with just a standard oil pan and ditch the high capacity, low clearance pan???

Music to my ears! A life without cringing every time I approach a speed bump!

Couple of other questions. My current pan has a threaded hole for the temp sensor on the DS of the pan and a fitting to accommodate the dipstick at the top of the pan on the PS. I didn't see any of these features on the Kevko pan. Hmmm. Recommendations?


Also, will I need to change the pick up with a standard pan?

[spdbrake]

The oil pan (leading edge centered between the front tires) typically clears a bit better than the Bellhousing flange which is aft of the tire and usually hits after the front tires have cleared.
Some folks have the Bellhousing lower flange trimmed.
On my car the Canton pan and the (untrimmed) Bellhousing flange are at the same height.
I do have my front springs adjusted so the fender is Two finger 1st knuckle above the tire. This gives me a full 3.5" clearance. But I do not cross speed bumps. Those are off my list at all cost.

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by SBSerpent

Ugh!!! Another scrape with pavement and yet another slow leak on the bottom of my oil pan. The 9 qt oil pan on my 351W (stroked to 392) with a forward pick up has maybe about 2.5" of clearance and has no surrounding chassis to protect it. I don't want to spend $500 for a replacement just to have to continue to deal with this problem. What are my alternatives? I do recall reading somewhere on this forum that someone does manufacture custom oil pans. Am I hallucinating or is that true?

Take a look at this thread: Armando's or Aviaid Oil Pan?

I had a new pan custom made by Armando's Racing Oil Pans. The bottom of the pan is parallel to and 1/4" above the bottom of my frame rails. It has two drain plugs and a bung for a temperature sensor. Since installing it I've replaced the mounting bolts with studs and flange nuts, and added reinforcing rails. Leak-free for 5 years.

Armando's: The #415 "460 Ford Cobra Factory V" pan has a sump that's 7" deep, 11" wide, 20" long with a capacity of 10 quarts. Full flexibility as to fittings (e.g. dipstick & puke tank connections). http://www.aroilpans.com/Roadrace.html

Photos of my oil pan at https://goo.gl/photos/LV32eSaJ4uwCyRWY9

[hauss]

Go big, more oil helps keep things cool . Oil helps not only for lubrication it helps cool too.

[CHANMADD]

Here ...This is what you need..with the appropriate Oil Pickup

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Small-Block...ss!92069!US!-1

[bobcowan]

Originally Posted by SBSerpent

Ok, so pardon my ignorance on this topic, but what I'm hearing is that since I do not and never intend on racing this car, I can get by with just a standard oil pan and ditch the high capacity, low clearance pan???

> Absolutely. You should also be using a standard pressure,
> standard volume pump.

Music to my ears! A life without cringing every time I approach a speed bump!

Couple of other questions. My current pan has a threaded hole for the temp sensor on the DS of the pan and a fitting to accommodate the dipstick at the top of the pan on the PS. I didn't see any of these features on the Kevko pan. Hmmm. Recommendations?

> Most 351's have the dipstick in the front cover, on the right side
> Check yours to see if the hole has been plugged.

Also, will I need to change the pick up with a standard pan?

> Yes. Always buy the pick up to match the pan.

Sometime after this picture, I drilled and tapped this hole for a NPT fitting. Then I used a Lokar flexible dipstick. It looked better, and never leaked.

[NRP/MN]

So tomorrow I have a customer bringing in his Unique with a Keith Craft build. Last week he drove through a construction zone and tore up the Canton pan. I am an Aviad guy and always have been. New Aviad going on- gained at least an inch of ground clearance. I absolutely don't understand engine builders using anything but an Aviad, Blums or Armondo pan. If they are building an engine for a Cobra this should be a standard item for a build Al these cars sit low to the ground, there is no steering linkage to clear and these are baffled and have trap doors to insure good lubrication. In the long run they are just slightly more expensive. Just my two cents worth (from experience)

[SBSerpent]

In looking closer at the Kevko OE pan, I noticed that the height dimension (8") is the same height that I currently have on my 9 qt. pan, which is the problem. However, the width on the Kevko is substantially less (narrower pan), which could be beneficial. If I am to make any progress as far as getting more clearance, then I need to do better than an 8" height.

[t walgamuth]

Is the pickup down near the bottom of the pan? Perhaps you can just remove an inch or so so that the frame is even with the bottom or a little below. To me 2.5 inches of clearance would restrict the usability of the car way too much. I'd want four probably, minimum.

[nathanmargolis]

I share your pain with a 9 quart oil pan. Imagine the larger capacity does aid in keeping the motor run cooler along with the design.

Have owned my Backdraft for two years. The first month of ownership, knocked a pin hole leak from running over a chunk of cement aggregate in the street. Made it home, but had to pull pain and have welded.

About 4-5 months after that, took the Cobra to work for the first time, and ran over a rubber parking lot bump to slow down traffic in an angle to avoid damage but rolled across it just right to knock a big hole in the pan and had to be flat bedded home. Pulled pan again.

The welder was a fabricator and really good with his welding. He put a small skid pad on the front lip like you would see on dirt bikes or Jeeps. Not sure if it did the trick as I do not think nothing has hit the pan in over 18 plus months.

In my tool box, I do have some of that "bubble gum" gas tank/oil pan fix just in case this occurs again.

The low oil pans are just one of the joys of owning a Cobra. Risk vs. Reward- more reward for me.

Think about the skid pad. It works on motorcycles and Jeeps and maybe on Cobras too.

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by SBSerpent

In looking closer at the Kevko OE pan, I noticed that the height dimension (8") is the same height that I currently have on my 9 qt. pan, which is the problem. However, the width on the Kevko is substantially less (narrower pan), which could be beneficial. If I am to make any progress as far as getting more clearance, then I need to do better than an 8" height.

Armando's #406 pan is a front sump that's 15" L x 7.5" D x 11.5" W. If that's not shallow enough, you can go with a 3/4 sump that's shallower, but with kick-outs to maintain capacity. Full custom pan built to fit your engine as installed in your car. When I had mine built I took careful measurements to the pan rails and had the pan built to accommodate the angle the engine installation angle. As previously noted, pan bottom is 1/4" above and parallel to bottom of frame rails. Armando's prices include matching pickup and usually a crank scraper tray as well.

This pan is for an FE, but you could have something like that for your 351:

[SBSerpent]

nathanmargolis,

Your stories repeat mine to the T! I've owned my BDR Cobra for 6 weeks and in that amount of time, I've managed to scrape the pan twice, resulting in small pin hole leaks in both instances. What gets me is that I am SUPER careful and vigilant about speed bumps and undulations in the road at intersections. Essentially, I realize I'm living on borrowed time with this 9 qt pan.

Thanks to the many helpful responses to my post, I've been able to narrow down to what I believe would be a good replacement pan from Aviaid. I called them up and spoke to John and after describing my issue, he pointed me to the Daytona Coupe pan for a 351W (p/n 155-55363). Its lower capacity (6 qt,) but the depth of the pan is only 6.5" (vs. the 8" depth that I'm having to deal with now). That's an improvement of 1.5" on clearance! Plus, their shop is only about an hour and 15 minutes from where I live. I plan on making a road trip out there soon to check out their product.

BUT, in the meantime, I was thinking in parallel with you about the skid plate and have implemented a fix for the time being. I picked up some sheet metal (about 0.05" thick) and cut it to the dimensions of the low portion of the pan, with an additional 1/4" added per side (12.5" x 10.5"). I notched the corners of the plate and then bent each edge upward to curl around the edge of the pan and upward. I then RTV'd several washers (about 0.05" thick) to the surface of the skid plate that was going up against the pan. Allowed them to dry 24 hours. Then I applied the high temperature RTV to the bottom of the skid plate and pressed it up against the oil pan (the washers act as spacers and provide a small gap between skid plate and oil pan. This gap works as a buffer to absorb impact without immediately damaging the pan). I then used a scissor jack, a 10" x 12" x 3/4" board and 1" foam to put slight pressure on the skid plate to hold it up against the pan. Gonna leave it for 24 hours and then fill the crankcase with new oil.

At least this buys me some driving time with the Cobra until I do the permanent fix with the Aviaid pan. But the skid plate design should work pretty good. I have added another 0.10" of thickness to the bottom of the pan but at least I have a 'first wave of defense' now for those non Cobra friendly roadside hazards.

[Sydney]

I have the exact Aviad Daytona Coupe pan you mentioned on my 351w. After many years of scraping up my Canton pan, I decided I had to do something a few years ago.

I couldn't be happier with the Aviad pan. I now have over 4" of ground clearance instead of 3". The Aviad pan is a work of art. If I remember right, it did take about 4 months to get after I ordered it, but it was a winter project and it wasn't an issue.

Good luck.

[t walgamuth]

But the pan is still lower than the frame?

[SBSerpent]

Originally Posted by Sydney

I have the exact Aviad Daytona Coupe pan you mentioned on my 351w. After many years of scraping up my Canton pan, I decided I had to do something a few years ago.

I couldn't be happier with the Aviad pan. I now have over 4" of ground clearance instead of 3". The Aviad pan is a work of art. If I remember right, it did take about 4 months to get after I ordered it, but it was a winter project and it wasn't an issue.

Good luck.

Sydney,
I just sent you a PM

[hawretre]

Don't hate me for having a Gen3 Coyote. I have to look at that butt ugly engine cover.