383 Stroker Oil Pan
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
383 Stroker Oil Pan
I bought essentially a 383 stroker crate, but it has an 8" deep Moroso oil pan on it, which seems to be about an inch deeper than stock.
I plan to lower my car an inch or so and I'm afraid I'll have clearance issues with the pan. Does anyone know if I'll have a problem here?
Also, I recall seeing a small silver metal line that ran under the pan when I replaced the engine bearings from beneath. Will a deeper pan interfere with this line?
I plan to lower my car an inch or so and I'm afraid I'll have clearance issues with the pan. Does anyone know if I'll have a problem here?
Also, I recall seeing a small silver metal line that ran under the pan when I replaced the engine bearings from beneath. Will a deeper pan interfere with this line?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,482
Likes: 196
From: folsom california
I bought essentially a 383 stroker crate, but it has an 8" deep Moroso oil pan on it, which seems to be about an inch deeper than stock.
I plan to lower my car an inch or so and I'm afraid I'll have clearance issues with the pan. Does anyone know if I'll have a problem here?
I plan to lower my car an inch or so and I'm afraid I'll have clearance issues with the pan. Does anyone know if I'll have a problem here?
Intl Council of Corvettes
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 139
Likes: 3
From: Huntsville Alabama
I have a 383 as well and used the exact same pan that was on the engine when it had the 350 crank, lowered and deeper tranny pan... no issues. You should be fine from what I can tell.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
).
Intl Council of Corvettes
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 139
Likes: 3
From: Huntsville Alabama
Another point comes to mine on this engine of yours. The harmonic balancer on the engine. Note that any old balancer will not work on your vette when you go to install it, I found this out the hard way when mine came back from the engine builder. They put a traditional unit on the front that was too big and would cause the crank pulley to hit the cross member. I took it back to them and they were able to order a smaller unit for a 383 and everything went in with no issues.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
Another point comes to mine on this engine of yours. The harmonic balancer on the engine. Note that any old balancer will not work on your vette when you go to install it, I found this out the hard way when mine came back from the engine builder. They put a traditional unit on the front that was too big and would cause the crank pulley to hit the cross member. I took it back to them and they were able to order a smaller unit for a 383 and everything went in with no issues.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 9
From: N.E. WA
You can use your original pan but you will need to change the oil pump pickup to match it as you will with any pan that differs from the one you have. Generally the front of the SBC oil pans are all the same. The difference in capacity is usually only in the sump area. Most "aftermarket" pans just take a stock style stamped pan and add to the sump area. Don't worry about the line that you saw. If the pan hits that it will also be hitting the cross braces. I don't know of anything special about the harmonic balancer. I believe I have an 8" Summit pro street on my 383. The pulley may hit while trying to install the engine but I don't have any clearance issues with mine. In fact I had to remove the pulley to install the engine.
With all that being said, my custom pan did hit my cross braces. Why? I have no idea. It's a different block and engine mounts and it was just barely touching but I didn't want it to rub and wear through. Good luck with your 383.. Have fun and stay safe...
With all that being said, my custom pan did hit my cross braces. Why? I have no idea. It's a different block and engine mounts and it was just barely touching but I didn't want it to rub and wear through. Good luck with your 383.. Have fun and stay safe...
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
You can use your original pan but you will need to change the oil pump pickup to match it as you will with any pan that differs from the one you have. Generally the front of the SBC oil pans are all the same. The difference in capacity is usually only in the sump area. Most "aftermarket" pans just take a stock style stamped pan and add to the sump area. Don't worry about the line that you saw. If the pan hits that it will also be hitting the cross braces. I don't know of anything special about the harmonic balancer. I believe I have an 8" Summit pro street on my 383. The pulley may hit while trying to install the engine but I don't have any clearance issues with mine. In fact I had to remove the pulley to install the engine.
With all that being said, my custom pan did hit my cross braces. Why? I have no idea. It's a different block and engine mounts and it was just barely touching but I didn't want it to rub and wear through. Good luck with your 383.. Have fun and stay safe...
With all that being said, my custom pan did hit my cross braces. Why? I have no idea. It's a different block and engine mounts and it was just barely touching but I didn't want it to rub and wear through. Good luck with your 383.. Have fun and stay safe...
Thanks for the reminder about the pickup. Not sure if I would have remembered that.
Any recommendations for a balancer? I pretty much want to use the cheapest one that will work, since this is a budget build.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
Intl Council of Corvettes
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 139
Likes: 3
From: Huntsville Alabama
The reason that I mentioned the balancer was that typically a 383 uses a 8 inch balancer for a 400 and this will be an issue as 383 vette stated. Assuming also your engine is externally balanced then you will need to get a balancer in the 6.75 range. As for one from summit I am not sure but you could give the tech guys a yell and find out. The local speed shop that built my engine got it from one of their suppliers. I will have to find my build sheet and get the PN. 
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 140
Likes: 7
From: Fort Ripley Minnesota
C4,
You have a internally balanced engine.... correct? be mindful which balancer you purchase. I used the stock balancer on my 383 with on issues at all... luck may have it.
Also on the oil pan, I installed a 7 Qt CHAMP pan CP50 series with there HO oil pump. The pump screen needs to be adjusted properly so you don't end up starving the pump / engine of oil. I had some minor X brace issues that needed to be addressed with a saw and grinder, all in all a great fit.
You have a internally balanced engine.... correct? be mindful which balancer you purchase. I used the stock balancer on my 383 with on issues at all... luck may have it.
Also on the oil pan, I installed a 7 Qt CHAMP pan CP50 series with there HO oil pump. The pump screen needs to be adjusted properly so you don't end up starving the pump / engine of oil. I had some minor X brace issues that needed to be addressed with a saw and grinder, all in all a great fit.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
The reason that I mentioned the balancer was that typically a 383 uses a 8 inch balancer for a 400 and this will be an issue as 383 vette stated. Assuming also your engine is externally balanced then you will need to get a balancer in the 6.75 range. As for one from summit I am not sure but you could give the tech guys a yell and find out. The local speed shop that built my engine got it from one of their suppliers. I will have to find my build sheet and get the PN.
C4,
You have a internally balanced engine.... correct? be mindful which balancer you purchase. I used the stock balancer on my 383 with on issues at all... luck may have it.
Also on the oil pan, I installed a 7 Qt CHAMP pan CP50 series with there HO oil pump. The pump screen needs to be adjusted properly so you don't end up starving the pump / engine of oil. I had some minor X brace issues that needed to be addressed with a saw and grinder, all in all a great fit.
You have a internally balanced engine.... correct? be mindful which balancer you purchase. I used the stock balancer on my 383 with on issues at all... luck may have it.
Also on the oil pan, I installed a 7 Qt CHAMP pan CP50 series with there HO oil pump. The pump screen needs to be adjusted properly so you don't end up starving the pump / engine of oil. I had some minor X brace issues that needed to be addressed with a saw and grinder, all in all a great fit.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pf...make/chevrolet
Right now (on the engine in my car, not the 383) I have the Melling M55HV oil pump and the stock pan and don't have issues with the pump sucking the pan dry. The pickup tube is 3/8" above the bottom of the pan, as recommended. Would I have different results with that combo on a 383?
I'm thinking about installing my old stock pump on my new engine so I'm not running a HV pump. Most things I see say that a HV pump is overkill, especially on a new engine, plus I see two disadvantages of using one. First there's the danger of sucking the pan dry, and second it uses some amount, however marginal, more horsepower to drive the high volume pump. I'm only running a HV pump right now as a temporary patch for low oil pressure from worn bearings.
Why is grinding needed? I hate to do any permanent modifications. And my knowledge of anything other than the engine is pretty limited, but I'm guessing the X braces are the forward crossmember braces I had to take off to drop the pan?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 9
From: N.E. WA
Well, live and learn. No damage done.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,973
Likes: 341
From: Adelaide South Australia
I used this one on my 383 (with Scat crank), it has a removable weight so it can be used on either internal and external balance.
When I compared it to the Summit balancer I used on my 350, they were exactly the same, the bolt in weight being the only difference.
http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...4266/overview/
When I compared it to the Summit balancer I used on my 350, they were exactly the same, the bolt in weight being the only difference.
http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...4266/overview/
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
I used this one on my 383 (with Scat crank), it has a removable weight so it can be used on either internal and external balance.
When I compared it to the Summit balancer I used on my 350, they were exactly the same, the bolt in weight being the only difference.
http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...4266/overview/
When I compared it to the Summit balancer I used on my 350, they were exactly the same, the bolt in weight being the only difference.
http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...4266/overview/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pfs-80000
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 9
From: N.E. WA
Once again I will get egg on my face for the better of the community. This forum has given so much to me with little in return on my part.
Love this place. Anti
I was gettin ready to give it a start on my day off. not so much now. I hate this car and this engine. The only reason I continue is so that I don't have to say I was beat. Thats it.
Love this place. Anti
I was gettin ready to give it a start on my day off. not so much now. I hate this car and this engine. The only reason I continue is so that I don't have to say I was beat. Thats it.
Last edited by ANTI VENOM; Dec 23, 2014 at 01:25 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,973
Likes: 341
From: Adelaide South Australia
Once again I will get egg on my face for the better of the community. This forum has given so much to me with little in return on my part.
Love this place. Anti
I was gettin ready to give it a start on my day off. not so much now. I hate this car and this engine. The only reason I continue is so that I don't have to say I was beat. Thats it.
Love this place. Anti
I was gettin ready to give it a start on my day off. not so much now. I hate this car and this engine. The only reason I continue is so that I don't have to say I was beat. Thats it.
and the people who disappear off the forum are probably the ones who have
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 46
From: Lynchburg, VA
