I bought my truck '59 Chevy Half ton which came with a running (what appears to be stock)283. It did have a 7 qt. oil pan which used to leak badly around the radius for the timing cover. I decided to ditch the oil pan after several attempts to stop the leaking using the likes of RTV. and purchase a stock oil pump and oil pan(5 qt.) from summit. Put it on last night, started it up and something is hitting. Sounds like a bearing cap or something is hitting the bottom of the Pan. Not denting it but definitely hitting it. I haven't taken the pan back off yet but my question is..... Is there a history of clearance issues with 283's and oil pans? other info.... -283 did not come with truck(straight 6 did) -283 is a '64/'65 era model -new pan stopped the leak I was getting with the old pan -leak from old oil pan was due to the front timing cover radius for the oil pan was larger than the radius for the timing cover itself as well as the 1 piece felpro gasket.(probably Chinese junk) -7qt. and 5qt. pans referenced above are described as some by 6qt. and 4 qt..............but you know what I meant.
Crank weight probably hitting the pan. Look around fro a plain old GM small block pan. Make sure the bottom is not bent up before you install it. Friend had the same problem.
Several years ago, a friend had a similiar problem. He fixed it by a few good high rpm rev's... The pan now "cleared" the crank.. Hey, it worked for him!
If you can locate the spot where it's hitting by feeling the pan while it's running, you can tap the curve on the pan lightly with a hammer...between that area and the gasket area....a little on each side....while it's running, and eliminate the interference/noise. I've done it several times for customers who let their car slip the floor jack off the crossmember onto that pan area
That has to be it. I can't think of how many I ran with dented oil pans for years and no noise. They probably skimped a 1/4" on the depth. Good old USA pans should be available to the local Chevy parts counter. Bob
Summit buys their parts from major manufacturers like milodon and moroso etc. The problem is most likely that it is one of several thousands a day that are stamped out and you happened to get the one that was or is a little off. Do like groucho said you'll probably be fine. Did you buy the kit with the pump that already had the pickup installed? If that is the case the pickup may be rubbing the bottom of the pan. Or if yoi installed it did you stake it or take weld it? U usually put the pickup on tthe pump and put an eight inch spacer in the bottom of the pan. Push the pan up in place so that the spacer pushes against the pickup. Then drop the pan and the pump and either stake the pickup or tack weld it. Anyway too much info right?
Porkn****** my friend, all due respect, minimum 1/4" from pickup to bottom of pan, 3/8" is ideal dimension. You alway's have great advice, but 1/8" is cutting a little too close.
I've always run mine @ about 1/8. But I believe that your dimension is correct, I've heard those dims more often then not. I don't recall the 1/8 being an issue but better off to go with BDMs numbers here.
With the 1/8' dimension, even running over a chunk of tire like from a semi, could close that gap up between the pan and pickup. Small animals, speed bumps, heck here in Florida on the coast we have to constantly watch out for big turtles crossing the roads, like running over a helmet. Poor things, just can't see them at night.
I have probably just been lucky. Someone told me that if you run 'em close that picking up sludge can also be a problem. Now I have a new problem you made me have to open a book and find out that not only have I heard your numbers from other people but the wider spacing is also noted in an ol GM book I have here. So I guess I have to make a new spacer, that ads to the cost of the freshening that I planned this winter. And I was just starting to like you.
Damn it.......There's is just no wiggle room with this Hot Roddin' thing. Thanks for the replies boys. I'll pop the pan back off and see if I can't dimple it a bit where it is hitting.
i HAD THE SAME PROBLEM LAST YEAR ON A 283 . i USED A NEW REPLACEMENT PAN AND IT WAS HITTING THE COUNTERWEIGHT. hAD TO REMOVE THE PAN AND CLEARANCE A BIT WITH A BALL PEEN HAMMER. JAP **** !!!
Had the same deal on a Dodge ,had the larger capacity oil pan ,didn"t know till I went to do an oil change,took 8 qts to fill it up.Went over to the guys that sold it to me and he told me it was special ordered that way because his old man pulled alot of trailers.I decided to leave it that way because he told me to change it to stock I would have to fab a pickup tube and screen or the crank counter weights would hit the stock tube.Why I don"t know just left it as is drove it for 5years and guy I sold it to is still driving it.
One fix I did on a new rebuilt pont straight 8. The guy had it rebuilt and shipped back, and he did not notice a slight bend in the front of the pan. Way too much work to pull the motor to get the pan off. Went up throgh a hole in the front crossmember to feel where it was hitting. Then tack welded a nut and pulled down with a bolt and prybar on the bolt head. Fixed it.
Yeah....this little ditty would **** worse if I had to pull the motor to drop the pan.... luckily just dropping the starter gives me access to all the bolts and ample room to move it down and out.
Fwiw, you just needed to get an oil pan gasket set that has the thicker front seal and reinstall it. Your big pan is a later year one that uses the thicker front rubber gasket. pdq67
I wish I knew that when I first picked up the gasket at the parts store. You should have known the fix I was in back in June and sent me down the right path.......and you call yourself a psychic
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