LS oil pan selection?

[Alex]

Is there a particular (wet sump) oil pan that will work best (in terms of fitment and ground clearance)? Batwing, standard ls3 crate engine, f-body, gto, corvette, etc... etc...?

Getting closer to the engine being completed - got the final componentry coming in shortly - Mozez heads .... mmmm, almost 500cfm flow

 

[Alex]

booooomp 4 oil pan?

 

[Doc Kaler]

Alex,

I have the LS7 dry sump so "no dog in the fight" so to speak. But, I would go with what came with your crate engine first and check clearances before jumping for another pan. That said, if you plan to track with slicks, consider pan baffles/traps in a wet sump tank to prevent pickup problems or go with a dry sump.

 

[Doc Kaler]

Oh BTW, I have a LS7 dry sump pan "take off" if you are going to change to dry sump.

 

[Mesa]

Alexus
I looked at all the stock pans and they didn't work for me. So, I had Kevco make a pan, took a bit of careful measurement and re-measurement to get the max oil retention while still allowing access to the bell housing to chassis bolts. Have not put it on the car yet but I am sure it has maximum oil capacity while allowing ground clearance and bolt access. I'd have to dig up the paperwork to give capacity numbers.

 

[Alex]

Thanks for the offer Doc, but I prefer the simplicity of the wet sump

No plans on tracking it so it won't be an issue.

However my builder wants to know what type of pan he should use on it and gave me all those choices......I don't want to guess it will fit, and then have to start changing it out down the road.

Alexus
I looked at all the stock pans and they didn't work for me. So, I had Kevco make a pan, took a bit of careful measurement and re-measurement to get the max oil retention while still allowing access to the bell housing to chassis bolts. Have not put it on the car yet but I am sure it has maximum oil capacity while allowing ground clearance and bolt access. I'd have to dig up the paperwork to give capacity numbers.

Interesting - this is the first I've heard about pans not working - I thought others (e.g., Cam) just used whatever came on their crate engines? (edit: or maybe not since I just looked up ls376 crate and it says delivered w/o an oil pan)

Hmmmm. Is the pan you got Kevco to make wet sump and compatible w/ all LS's? Any special baffling features in it? Maybe I should just contact them and ask them to make me the same one you got? (Alexisisisisis at work borrowing other people's design ideas here, hah!)


edit: My motor mounts are offset backwards from the horizontal beam they're welded onto, which was probably an addition made to later chassis to allow for a stock pan to clear? Rob, where your motor mounts are welded to the chassis, are they welded to the centre of the beam, or offset backwards?

 

[Mesa]

It is custom and baffled. He put an odd notch in mine at the rear that I did not draw in. So if you a called and asked for my design he may not know who I was anyway and there is that notch that makes no sense to me. It will not cause any issue and it was not worth returning over. I'll take pictures and post when I get the chance. My engine mounts are centered on the cross beam.

Oh, and it is a wet sump.

 

[Wayne]

Alex, I believe the LS7 set up has the engine mounts centered on the cross member. I know Cam has the rear offset for his LS3, probably like yours. My engine mounts are also centered, but I had to notched the cross member to accommodate my oil pan. It's a different ball game with your big block, measure twice cut once. As it turns out, I will cut out my cross member and move it forward 1/2" so that the new rear tail will fit over my ricardo. I already had to cut a hole in the tail just to get it on so I could route the exhaust. Plus I plan on poly mounting the entire drive train.

 

[Alex]

Alex, I believe the LS7 set up has the engine mounts centered on the cross member. I know Cam has the rear offset for his LS3, probably like yours. My engine mounts are also centered, but I had to notched the cross member to accommodate my oil pan. It's a different ball game with your big block, measure twice cut once. As it turns out, I will cut out my cross member and move it forward 1/2" so that the new rear tail will fit over my ricardo. I already had to cut a hole in the tail just to get it on so I could route the exhaust. Plus I plan on poly mounting the entire drive train.

My engine mounts are pushed backwards

So it looks like that was done for oil pan clearance (i guess a standard ls3 corvette oil pan will fit now)

Btw, I don't have a big block - the RHS is dimensionally the same as any LS motor, except it's 1/2'' taller at the V, can take a huge crank and a bunch of other stuff. but other than that it's the same.

 

[Ken Roberts]

Any updates on which wetsump LS oil pan to use? I'm in the same boat as Alex. I currently have a F Body oil pan.

 

[Alex]

Seems any one from a corvette will do, like an ls3?

 

[Tim S]

I don't know which one fits the SL-C (sorry I just lurk here for now!), but coming from a Corvette background, I can tell you that an LS2 and LS3 Corvette pan are identical. An LS1/LS6 pan is the C5 "batwing" style, which is different.

 

[Cam]

It is custom and baffled. He put an odd notch in mine at the rear that I did not draw in. So if you a called and asked for my design he may not know who I was anyway and there is that notch that makes no sense to me. It will not cause any issue and it was not worth returning over. I'll take pictures and post when I get the chance. My engine mounts are centered on the cross beam.

Oh, and it is a wet sump.

Rob, do you remember how much that Kevco pan cost? I do have the mottor mount stands sept back around and inch so i didn't have to nothc my crossmember. there is 1/4" of room and with solid motor mounts, that engine doen't move a mm on high rev's. Instead it torques you and the whole car - perfect!

 

[flatchat(Chris)]

Here is the Z06 (LS6) winged pan --no use to me , as it won't fit in a RCR (Lola) chassis .
The LS pans a pretty good to start with as for oiling / baffeling

 

[Jack]

I'm using the "Batwing" Corvette pan on my LS1 in the SL-C. No issues..

 

[Ken Roberts]

I'm using the "Batwing" Corvette pan on my LS1 in the SL-C. No issues..

That's great to hear. With the wings sticking out on each side does it block access to any other components from underneath?

 

[Jack]

Ken, fits perfectly. Made a slight mod to the engine crossmember to accomodate removing the oil drain plug. Piece of cake! No ground clearance issues either. It does not block any
components. My first choice for a wet sump on LS1/LS6 engines. Not sure if it will bolt up to the other LS series. Don't forget the oil pump pickup is different too.

 

[Troy]

Australian LS2 Pan has fwd bulge, just perfect for my GT40

Am upgrading to dry sump though...

 

[Mesa]

This is a pic the pan design, although mine is cad plated and slightly narrower....and come to think of it - has that notch for the drain plug too (maybe that is a standard need on some other car???) I don't recall the price exactly ..... but 325 rings a bell.