FE Windage tray

[cobrarkc]

Is there any reason to use a windage tray on an FE motor since the skirts of the Y-block configuration push the oil pan down a couple inches past the crank compared to the other style blocks. The crank doesn't really come near the oil to whip it up and cause airation and with a good pan with baffles it should be an issue. Anyway thats my observation I would like to hear from someone with real world experence.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by cobrarkc

Is there any reason to use a windage tray on an FE motor ... with a good pan with baffles...

With a quality after-market pan, probably not. With a stock pan, yes. Remember also that aside from the windage issue, a tray drops your pan down a bit. A positive for the oil pickup <sometimes>, and a negative in that your pan is lower. This was discussed last year on the FordFE forum, here's one of the threads: http://www.network54.com/Forum/74182/thread/1164648678/

[cobrarkc]

patrickt, Thanks for the link. Doesn't anyone else have an opinion on this?

[olddog]

Now that you lowered your expectation from experianced people to simply an opinion, I'll respond.

Windage trays are not simply to prevent churning air into the oil. The air that the crank shaft is spinning in a circle causes resistance. It takes energy to move the air. This is a waste of energy, as it does nothing useful. Dyno tests have proven as much as 30 hp being gained or lost by simple adding or removing a windage tray. I will point out that the same amount of fuel is burned either way, so it costs hp and fuel.

The larger the crankshaft the more air it can spin, so an FE would benifit more than a SB.

The more rpms you turn the more air is spun, and the more hp wasted. So for normal street driving it isn't as important.

[lineslinger]

Another reason I run a windage tray, as well as what Old dog said is its ablility to help keep the oil concentrated around the pump. An oil pan with baffles as well as a windage tray is smart insurance in keeping your engine lubricated properly

[SCOBRAC]

Naw, it will only net you 20 hp and keep your engine alive longer. Not worth the $50. Right?

[mickmate]

Starting at $36 short money lotsa bennies already stated
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...ray&category0=

[RICK LAKE]

cobrarkc Rich which windage tray are you talking about? There are a couple of different styles. There is the Canton one with the 1/2 wire screen as part of the tray. There is the stock one with a solid pan look with drains in front and back of the tray. Some have 3-4 louvers on the one side to help the oil back to the pan. You may also want to run a crankshaft oil scraper which also helps remove oil from the spinning assembly. These trays are good for 10-15 HP under normal driving. In race form at 7,000 rpm you may get a 20 HP savings with tray and scraper. I run a canton system in my cobra with the T-pan. The windage tray needs to be checked for hitting of the crank. I had to modify mine, rod bolts where hitting the tray. The pickup was trimed too for clearance. NO other problem works fine. If you are looking for another 10-20 HP add a vacuum system to the motor. The motor must be well sealed. Limit the pressure to 8-10 psi. Rick Lake

[Woodz428]

I am a strong believer in the benefits of a windage tray and will only build an engine without it at the request of the owner, usually in an early Shelby without one prior to the 68 1/2 CJ. I think any big inch engine (little ones too) that turns some r's can benefit from a windage tray.

[cobrarkc]

Originally Posted by RICK LAKE

cobrarkc Rich which windage tray are you talking about? There are a couple of different styles. There is the Canton one with the 1/2 wire screen as part of the tray. There is the stock one with a solid pan look with drains in front and back of the tray. Some have 3-4 louvers on the one side to help the oil back to the pan. You may also want to run a crankshaft oil scraper which also helps remove oil from the spinning assembly. These trays are good for 10-15 HP under normal driving. In race form at 7,000 rpm you may get a 20 HP savings with tray and scraper. I run a canton system in my cobra with the T-pan. The windage tray needs to be checked for hitting of the crank. I had to modify mine, rod bolts where hitting the tray. The pickup was trimed too for clearance. NO other problem works fine. If you are looking for another 10-20 HP add a vacuum system to the motor. The motor must be well sealed. Limit the pressure to 8-10 psi. Rick Lake

Rick,
I was just asking what the advantage of a windage tray on an FE engine are because the sideskirts of the block push the oilpan farther away from the crank than most other engines which would take the issue of whipping or cavetating the oil away. I can see using a crank scraper to remove the oil, I was just wondering if the windage tray does anything for the FE style blocks.

Rich

[olddog]

I don't think the block skirts have anything to do with it. The set ups I have seen and used bolt onto the main bearings (studs or bolt extentions). So the windage tray is up close to the crank. The depth of the oil pan is really not relavent.

[RICK LAKE]

cobrarkc Rich just trying to give you the best info on your question. There are many possiblities and different ways a windage are used to control oil in the oil pan. The FE has long side skirts like a Hemi motor and I ran a windage tray in my friends race car for years. It keeps the oil from hitting the crank or the air turbulents of the crank spinning from sucking up the oil to the crank. There is alot of air blowing around in that pan, Stock pan, deep sump pan, T style cobra pan, and dry sump pan can all get help from a windage tray. Stock FE solid plate ones a add 1/4" holes in the center of the pan, 6-8 of them to help the oil return to the pan. Old racer trick. Call me, we can talk about it, I'm in NJ. 732-254-3536 Ps Have you done the buffet at the Manor in West Orange? Rick L I am home in the evenings after 8:00

[mickmate]

I think block skirts and pan depth all contribute to the same thing. If you don't have skirts it can be made up for with a deeper pan. Only trouble with moving the oil further away from the crank is the decreased road clearance or resultant engine height which is back to why we use windage trays in the first place.