Oil pick-up clearance

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Retroboy

Retroboy

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Hello. For reasons of ground clearance I need to reduce the depth of my 360 oil pan from the factory 7 1/2". I seem to have something in the region of 1/4" clearance between the pick up and t h e bottom of the pan. What determines the required amount. Any ideas?
 
Retroboy said:
Hello. For reasons of ground clearance I need to reduce the depth of my 360 oil pan from the factory 7 1/2". I seem to have something in the region of 1/4" clearance between the pick up and t h e bottom of the pan. What determines the required amount. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Get on hughs engines website , look up tech articles , one will tell u . 1/4" to 3/8''.
Same as the drag seminar hosts have said since way back ------------
Same as the chevy experts recommend-----------
 
That 1/4"-3/8" distance is for an aftermarket pickup that picks up oil through the bottom. If you are using a stock pickup, mount it touching the bottom of the pan; the stock pickup pulls oil in from the side.
 
I tape two nickles to the bottom of the pick-up tube, then fit the pan without gaskets, then remove the nickles and install the pan with gaskets...
 
Retroboy said:
How so?
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Do you mean how so on the side pickup for the stock oil pickup? The 'bottom' of the pickup is a solid piece of sheet metal below the screen...at least over here. The oil flow sideways and then up and into the screen. Putting the metal 'bottom' of the pickup on the pan places the screen about 1/4" above the bottom.

See here for different types: Pick-ups and Screen Assemblies
 
4F9B1476-C849-49B0-B9AD-985774497F2C.jpeg
 
On a side note I REALLY don't like the magnum Dakota/ RAM pickups. They are shaped like a small trumpet, and I'm absolutely sure that the OEM caused an oil pressure problem in the "White Whale I" It would roar down the highway for a ways, and suddenly lose pressure. It was sucking small soft flakes of sludge up into the screen and plugging

On the left, the new one I put in, out of an '80's RAM. The OEM stocker is the one on the right. There was not much sludge to cause this problem

pickup-jpg.jpg



..........Two more out of Dakotas I junked

img_0902cs-jpg-jpg.jpg


And one more..........did engineering REALLY think this was a swell idea?

img_0908cs-jpg-jpg.jpg
 
“Vortec?”

And by this it is to be mounted off the pan?
 
I figured that mopar wanted the oil pick up firm against the bottom of the pan so it would be fixed on both ends, then it would not be free to vibrate and potentially crack the pick up tube.
 
rumblefish360 said:
I’ve always read from a 1/4 - 3/8
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From a 1968 Plymouth Factory Service Manual

170-225
Page 9.21, the screen must interfere with the bottom of the oil pan

273-318-340
Page 9.42, Bottom of strainer must touch the bottom of the oil pan

383-440
Page 9.66, Bottom of strainer must touch the bottom of the oil pan

426
Page 9.83, Bottom of strainer must touch the bottom of the oil pan

From a 1983 D-W Series Factory Service Manual

225
Page 9.24, The screen must have interference with the bottom of
the oil pan. 1/16 to 1/8 is desirable.

318-360
no mention of oil pick up interference or clearance.
 
my68barracuda said:
I figured that mopar wanted the oil pick up firm against the bottom of the pan so it would be fixed on both ends, then it would not be free to vibrate and potentially crack the pick up tube.
Click to expand...
Supposedly there were customer complaints about an 'odd sound' from the early /6's.... which prompted the pickup to be put against the pan bottom for those engines.... it was vibrating against the pan. I did not pay attention to mine.... guess what I get now? Yep, an 'odd sound' LOL
 
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