RPM and stock 360 pan

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Gearhed73

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Running a mild 360 with a stock style pan with acceleration baffle..nothing trick, also running standard oil pump. Ive been shifting at 6000. Its still pulling hard, just curious if im in any danger of sucking the pan dry? Id like to stay in it little longer if I could. Thanks guys.
 
Do you have a windage tray? If so, I would think on 5 qrts you'd be good for a little over 6k.
 
Shot of the pan baffle.

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I doubt a mild 360 is pulling hard/ producing HP @ 6000 rpm.
probably better off shifting @ 5500.
 
I'm familiar with the myth.. just wanted to check it with some people who have more experience with this setup than I have.
 
You won't suck the pan dry, it's a myth.


I agree, except when someone ignores the FSM and sets the pickup .250-.375 off the pan.

With a stock pan and pickup, the pickup needs to touch the floor of the pan. If it doesn’t, then what guys call “sucking the pan dry” happens.

Of course, the pan isn’t dry, the pickup just can’t pull the oil because the pickup is too far away.
 
You didn't say that you had done any oiling mods to your oiling system. I lost two factory stock 340s ,shifting in the low 6000s. On both of them, they spun a rod bearing on the driver's side. One was the front and I don't recall which on the other. Just saying.

A MILD 360 might be talking a 268/276/114 cam like the factory one. That cam peaks at around 4800, with a broad plateau. With an automatic, I could see a 5500 rpm 1-2 shift, cuz that puts you into second at 3250. But the 2-3 shift could be much earlier, say 5200 to drop into third at 3600. The trick is to outshift at about the same horsepower, as it inshifts in the next gear.

With a 4 speed, the splits area all the same, and they are tighter, so there's no sense in reving it into the 6000s, unless, like me, you just crave to hear the pipes screaming,lol. For the same 268* cam, you might find a 5200 shift adequate, when it inshifts the next gear at 3750. With good heads, you might be able to stretch it to 5400, and inshift at 3900..... but I think that might be really pushing it.

There is a sticky for the oiling mods.
 
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I set my oil pick up juuuuuust off the pan floor. Super close. I have a windage tray on my streeter 360’s, run a standard oil pump in a stock pan. Never a problem to 6500. 5 quarts and a filter, is a slight overfilled.
 
Definitely still pulling when I shift. Quick rundown.. comp xe284H (240/246) and closed chamber speed master heads, flat top wiesco pistons. Compression is in 10:6ish, I forget. My pickup is also just shy of the pan.
 
Been shifting my 340 at 7000 for ten years with a stock pan, tray and 5 qts. Still going. Not suggesting this, just saying it has never sucked dry with a hv pump.
 
It will not suck the pan dry. That's a myth that's been perpetuated through total ignorance. The small block Mopar has ample drain back. If it really bothers you, run an extra quart. That will never over fill it.
 
I agree, except when someone ignores the FSM and sets the pickup .250-.375 off the pan.

With a stock pan and pickup, the pickup needs to touch the floor of the pan. If it doesn’t, then what guys call “sucking the pan dry” happens.

Of course, the pan isn’t dry, the pickup just can’t pull the oil because the pickup is too far away.

Well that's a dumbass's fault, not the engine's.
 
Definitely still pulling when I shift. Quick rundown.. comp xe284H (240/246) and closed chamber speed master heads, flat top wiesco pistons. Compression is in 10:6ish, I forget. My pickup is also just shy of the pan.


Not sure what just shy is but the FSM says the pickup needs to touch the pan.


If you look at the design of the pickup, it’s actually very trick.
 
Not sure what just shy is but the FSM says the pickup needs to touch the pan.


If you look at the design of the pickup, it’s actually very trick.

Yup, you neat me to it. That's the way I've always done mine. I make it so it touches the pan and I mash the pan on down puttin it on.
 
Not sure what just shy is but the FSM says the pickup needs to touch the pan.
About a 1/64 or less. I didn’t want it pressing against the pan. Touching is OK by me. Pushing the bottom of the pan isn’t. When I was fitting the pan to make sure it was clearing everything under it, the pump body hit the corner of the pan.... clay on top of the pump and pick up help with everything.
 
About a 1/64 or less. I didn’t want it pressing against the pan. Touching is OK by me. Pushing the bottom of the pan isn’t. When I was fitting the pan to make sure it was clearing everything under it, the pump body hit the corner of the pan.... clay on top of the pump and pick up help with everything.

What's the difference? There's no way you can cut the flow of oil off, unless you bash the bottom of the pan in when you run over a rioter.
 
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I think the "sucking dry" is a high volume pump pumping all the oil to the valve covers quick. Thats the way I understood "The myth"

theory goes that all the oil gets pumped up top and the pickup sucks air momentarily.
 
So is this a myth on small blocks but not on big blocks?
 
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