Plasticman

I was looking at my 62 oil pan and thinking I should remove it, blast it, and paint it (it is really looking kinda poorly). I think it is the original pan, but don't know for sure (it is flat on the bottom, measures about 11 inches long on the bottom section, and has the oil drain plug at the rear). Can anyone one of you kind people confirm this is an original 62 pan, and what engine versions was it used on?

2nd question: In my spare parts, I came across another oil pan with a flat windage tray (and some pretty impressive internal baffles in the bottom of the pan). This pan measure about 13 inches long on the bottom, which is also pretty flat, oil drain at the rear. I assume this came from either one of my earlier Vettes or? Anyone know what engines/years used this pan? Think this must be a 6 quart pan (5 in the sump).

My 74 Z-28 engine has a different style windage tray that is curved on the sides (but mounts the same way via 5 main bearing studs and the oil pump mounting bolt) but the pan has a much shorter bottom section, which is slightly angled forward (not flat on the bottom like the above pans), and the oil drain is on the side. (still have that complete LT-1 as a spare in my basement).

3rd question: Anybody ever see any figures on how much HP a windage tray is worth? I am not sure they are worth any HP, but useful in keeping the oil off the crank and in the sump during hard cornering and braking. Comments?

Thanks,


[Modified by Plasticman, 8:32 AM 9/30/2002]

clem zahrobsky

the shorter pan is for a corvette with power steering :chevy

Bluestripe67

Your second question sounds like it's relative to a FI pan from '63-'65. It matches what I have on my motor.

Plasticman

Clem,

Don't know if my existing pan was used with PS (certainly not in 62!). I included a picture below (the original pan is the dirty one), and does not have the swinging gate baffle inside. Can anyone confirm this is an original 62 pan?
And for what engines?

Bluestripe67,

Think your right about the new pan being a FI pan. It came with a flat windage tray (sitting in front of it), and didn't know GM had windage trays back in those days! The new pan has the swing gate baffle and the lower section of the pan is 2 inches longer, but other than that, the baffles are the same for both pans.







Thanks,
Plasticman



[Modified by Plasticman, 11:04 PM 10/1/2002]

4_inch_Bore

"the shorter pan is for a corvette with power steering"

Uh oh. I am putting a correct 327/300 back in my 66, and putting power steering back on it (Bubba tossed it when he put a 350 in).
Does this mean I have to go looking for a shorter pan? Do any after-market pans work with PS? Thanks.

clem zahrobsky

i think all corvettes had the swinging trap door pan but i never fooled with anything other than SHP engines and they all had the trap door pan. maybe the base engine corvette had a std pan setup. i know that any corvette with P/S came with a 5 quart oil system with filter where the non P/S corvettes used a 6 quart system with filter. :chevy :chevy

TheOman

The trap door pan id from an FI or other solid lifter SB. It wont work with PS in a midyear. Matter of fact you gotta remove the damper from non PS cars when you use this pan. My 66 has the FI pan and everything fits hunkie doorie once you dump the damper.

The L-79 Pan is different in shape than the FI pan. The sump of the FI pan extends furter toward the front of the engine. I never measured side by side to see if they are the same dept from the pan rail down.

SWCDuke

If memory serves, the '65 L-79 used the big "trap door" pan and P/S was not available, but in '66 the L-79 had the small pan and P/S was availalble.

I can tell you from my own experience hot lapping racetracks that the big pan works very well in keeping the pickup immersed in oil. Back in the fifties and sixties, SCCA racers often ran them a quart overfull and rarely had oil feed problems.

Duke

TheOman

You could be right although I always thought the trap door pans were always used on;y on solid lifter engines. I don't really have much data on the L-79 before the 67 models. I went thru this once before and I think ( I say again I think) the parts book proved me out.

My L-79 was a 67 and it had the short (small) sump pan. My current car is a 66 and it came with what I think is that same short pan.

Plasticman

Guys,

According to my Chevy Power Catalog (6th Edition - 1988): The "new" pan was used as original equipment in 63-65 and 69-71 on "high performance" Corvettes. Also says that windage tray is available for use with it, but I don't think the mid years used a windage tray. Think the tray came out with the 69-71 versions. I probably got the pan for my 70 Vette (350/350), but never could use it, since it had PS. Senior moment as I still can't remember where I got this pan from (it just magically appeared in the garage attic).

Still does not answer my original question: Is the other (see dirty pan above)pan the original 62 pan? And what engines used it (in 62, if any)?
PS was not a factor in 62 (no 62 came with PS, as I am sure your know). PS first became available in 63 for those mid year wimps (yes, just joking).

At any rate, new pan installed (with windage tray). Man, do those rod bolts/nuts come close to that tray! About 1/16" clearance.

Plasticman

clem zahrobsky

it is a corvette pan because of the lenght of the sump. this pan will not clear the crossmember in other chevy cars. what year who knows. this pan may also work in a HD truck frame,just a guess. :chevy

desertpilgrim

PS became available in 1965 with the L79 circa Mar/Apr 65, and these motors would be with the shorter deep portion - in this case, the one he's hoping is for the '62. I believe the '62 pans are a three step bottom pan - as I understand it, a service replacement is still available from Chevy, but will not pass Bowtie or Survivor judging because of construction changes.

SWCDuke

The midyears DID use a windage tray - the flat one shown in your photo. The later 350 windage tray was curved - what the Power Manual refers to as "semi-circular".

Can't answer your question about whether or not what you have is correct for '62 based on personal experience, but my circa '77 GMPD Corvette Parts Catalog shows the same (five quart capacity) pan for '62-'65 SHP/FI engines and also the same "baffle", which we call a windage tray.

Duke

Desertvette

Hear say ,from another forum whose member claimed to have checked the various windage trays on a dyno ,is that the flat tray was worthless and produced zero hp increase. The Z28 ,or curved tray, produced about about 5-7 hp above 4000 rpm. The best tray was suppose to be the Miloden screen stripper tray that produced 5-7 hp and also returned a greater quantity of oil to the oil pan and thus provided the best oil control. I happen to run a Z tray myself since their still available from GM last time I chkd and have always heard them praised but I respect the opinion of the guys advocating the Miloden Pan and would consider it if only the best would do. There quite a bit more pricey than the Z tray. Hope this helps
Bob

Plasticman

Clem,

Thanks and agreed.

Duke,

Understood and thanks for info.

Bob,

Yes, that is what my info says (Z-28 tray was best to use from GM). I never did think the trays were worth that much from a HP standpoint, but would keep some of the oil away from the crank/rods during acceleration and turns.
I figured it can't hurt, since I had it, I used it (had to remove the old pan anyway to refinish it - but changed my plan once I found the "other" pan with the tray).

Plasticman

clem zahrobsky

the windage trays that GM sell are "windage trays" to prevent the wind generated by the crank (120 mph at 6000 rpm) and the down stroke of the pistons from blowing the oil out of the pan. just put oil in a pan on you work bench and blow into it with you air hose!! stripper trays are the best that strip the oil from the rotating part of the engine. i have seen a test that GM did with a plexiglass windowed pan to see what happens at 6000 rpm without any thing in the pan, the oil looked like a big brown rope wrapped around the crank assy. i witness a dyno test of a std depth oil pan verses a 15" deep pan on the same engine,would you believe 40+ hp gain on a 600 hp engine with the deep pan which of course can not be used in the car but shows what uncontrolled oil does to HP :chevy


[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 8:26 PM 10/3/2002]

TheOman

My 67 L-79 did not have a tray as it came outta the crate. I think the only 327 engines that used the tray were the factory 365 HP and FI cars ( which used the trap door pan) in the mid years. That is to say that with the demise of solid lifter SB's in 65 the trays were history till 1970 with the introduction of the LT-1