5.2/318 Magnum Oil Pan Gasket

-
gwmax65

gwmax65

Magnum V8 Mopar
Joined
May 17, 2013
Messages
120
Reaction score
80
Location
Utah
Hello. I'm currently facing a dilemma with oil pan gaskets for my '96 318 Magnum motor. I'm not keeping the factory fuel injection, carburating it. But I am keeping the front pulley set-up with the serpentine belt - stock. This is going into my '65 Valiant 200, so ain't gonna be using the stock truck-type oil pan for it, nor the stock oil pick-up tube. Bought a chrome LA 318 center sump (car style) oil pan off eBay for cheap ('64-'87 273-318-340 LA motors - it said), and along with that I also got 318 LA oil pan gaskets. I also have the magnum one-piece gasket from my 318 Magnum gasket set. I've already switched out the rear oil pick-up tube to the center-pan style oil pick-up. The main problem is getting the rear seal to fit on the chrome LA 318 pan with the LA 318 oil pan gasket (area that sits next/on the oil pump), it has a quarter inch (or more) gap from touching/mating to the oil pan, same thing happens with putting the magnum one-piece style gasket on it. It seems to sit flush in the front, but on the rear, it won't. I figure as much that I could pack it full of high-temp RTV to seal the gap, but that would be a lot of RTV. Has anyone out there been able to make a LA 318 oil pan work on a 1996 5.2 Magnum motor? If so, how did you make it work?

I will try to put links on here later so you can see pics of what I'm attempting to describe.

Also, Magnumswap.com was no help for me for this part of the 'swap'.
 
you need a 360 car pan. the magnum motors use a 360 style pan.

this is right off magnum swaps.com's site

Oil Pan
To install a Magnum motor in your car, you will need a car-style mid sump oil pan and matching pickup tube. All Magnum motors have rear sump truck-style oil pans. If you’re putting the Magnum in a truck or SUV, the existing pan will work.
The Chrysler LA 360 oil pan will bolt-up to the Magnum with no modifications, but you aren’t stuck with the typical leaky four-piece 360 Gasket. The Magnum uses a one-piece oil pan gasket. If you use the Magnum timing cover, you can use the gasket as-is. It is possible to use the Magnum gasket with the LA timing cover, but modifications to the front of the gasket are required. Details here: Oil Pan Gasket
 
I can tell you my plan with my magnum motor.

I am going to use a Kevco pan and magnum one piece gasket. I have heard LOTs of good things about the Kevco pan that I think that a stocker is money wasted when you can pay more for the Kevco and get way more bang for your buck. By the time you add up the cost of the stocker pan, and the pickup I think its too much money spent for bone stock.

You can sell your current pickup/pan combo to offset the price.

Here is the link:
http://www.kevkoracing.com/mopar.htm

I am going with the extra capacity pan myself.
 
Just to be clear here. does this mean that you can't put a 5.2 magnum oil pan onto an early 318 LA engine?
 
Yeah, ain't spending $190 - $240 for an oil pan. Thanks for the clarification! Would've got back sooner if this website would've started sending me notifications over email again!
 
Still seeing a lot of stock oil pans for a LA 360 oil pan on eBay, with descriptions saying they won't fit a magnum.. Did they have some design change to the lower end of the block after the '80's?
 
summit racing. part # sum-g3536. 360 la pan, $49.97. got one on my 5.2 magnum in my dart. great pan. dave.
 
A LA 360 oil pan will fit, but you would have to use an LA pan gasket. I suppose thats why the listings are showing that it wont fit a magnum.

Magnumswap.com also covers a way to use some parts magnum, some parts LA to get the rubber oil pan gasket from the magnum to work on the LA. I believe you chop the ends off of the magnum gasket and use the ends that come with an LA gasket.
 
11/30/2014 update: Got the oil pan from summit racing (sum-g3536) installed on my 1997 Magnum 318 motor. Fired it up 2-3 times, less than 5 seconds of running time each time (40-60 psi oil pressure). Got it installed in my brothers 1965 Plymouth Valiant 200, so far so good, no leaks! Got about 2 1/2" oil pan clearance with the stock V8 center link, would even bet on having enough clearance just using the slant six center link. I was able to use the 1 piece magnum gasket with this oil pan, and made sure to use high-temp RTV all around, not too much to make a mess, just enough to create a good seal. About to get everything rapped up with the Valiant in the next 2 weeks, just have an alternator problem left to solve (stock magnum serpentine 90 amp alternator).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top