I'm having a very hard time finding parts for a stock rebuild with a few modifications. Motor is numbers matching. Every time I purchase a part or order one, I specify L82. Had my local parts store order a rebuild kit. It didn't have oil pick up and the local store couldn't get one so I ordered one. Pump(#M-55) and pick up(#55-S3) are Melling. The overall length is 1.5" too long assembled. They won't fit in the stock sump pan. Wanted a new pan because the old one looked like it had run into a hundred big rocks. Couldn't find a new oil pan without the built in windage tray. Ended up ordering one from my local GM dealer. It appeared to be the replacement but the baffles are slightly different and the pan doesn't fit either. Ordered a new billet thermostat housing to fit my new edelbrock intake. They sent a 45 deg. angle instead of a 15 degree. Ordered a cast housing from my local parts store. It did't fit either. It was less than 15 deg. outlet. I'll take it back tomorrow. I spend more time looking and returning parts than assembly.

What can I do or who can I order parts from? Can anyone with a L82 help me find these parts?

 

How is the oil pump and pickup too long? Is the pickup too low and hitting the bottom of the pan or is it too wide and hitting the side of the pan? If you get the correct pan from GM, you need to get the correct windage tray for it and the studs that it mounts to.

 

The new melling pump/pick-up is too long when installed from the rear of the pan to the front of the sump portion of the pan. When I measured the old pump assembly, it is 1.5" longer. If you look up the melling #s, they reference the new part # that I purchased. I never did get to adjust the height of the pick-up because of the length problem.

The pan was discontinued by GM but the great folks at Wilcox spent a lot of their time trying to cross reference to a new #, unfortionately the baffles are at slightly different heights(1/4") on one side and the pan won't clear the windage tray. I reused the origional main bolts/studs and windage tray. The old pan fits fine.

It seems the L82 differences are thowing the suppliers for a loop.

 

Mike, in your first post you mention trying to use original parts, then you talk about using aftermarket parts. The two are not mutually exclusive, but you may avoid some frustration if you decide to go one or the other.

First of all, the oil pan on the L82 is the same as the oil pan on the L48. It is also a pretty generic pan of that mid-70s, so it shouldn't be too hard to get a replacement that fits. Having said that if you do start mixing and matching parts you can encounter problems.

If you want original, I would stick with a vendor such as Paragon that carries just about any original part you might want. They specialize in the C1's, C2's and C3's so they are very knowledgeable on our cars. They are also a great resource if you have questions and best of all their prices are not outrageous as you might expect.

If you are willing to use aftermarket, which opens you up to lots of possibilities, I would shop with a company like JEG's or Summit. Both of these companies have experienced folks on their staff that can tell you exactly what components work together as they've done it thousands of times. They make their living "building" engines for customers. They're not perfect, but they have a lot more experience at outfitting engines than most vendors and auto parts stores do. Their prices are generally excellent and their shipping times are not excessive.

Sometimes we tend to get caught up in shopping around for best prices or a local store and end up paying in aggravation or having to return things that don't actually work together.

Good luck and don't give up... just try a different tact... GUSTO

 

The 'bottom line' on this is that parts suppliers have cut costs and let go of their 'expensive' [translated as 'knowledgable'] personnel to the point that they don't know what will work with what anymore. YOU have to be the engineer on your project...because they don't want to hire one! Keep track of which vendors are good at supporting your habit...you know, the ones that send parts that fit and work! Keep them on your "buy" list and discard the ones that won't do the leg-work necessary for the job.