suggestions: oil pump hitting pan baffle

69machmike

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Sep 13, 2009

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Colorado

Oct 17, 2009

#1

• Oct 17, 2009

• #1

I am installing my new oil pan (reproduction) on the 351C and the baffle seems to be hitting my oil pump. Of course this makes installation of the pan impossible.

It appears It is about 1/4"->1/2" before I could seal the pan.

Should I cut the baffle
Bend the Baffle

or should I investigate whether the pump itself is too deep? No telling if once this problem is addressed the pickup may be close to bottoming out as well.

My measurements show it (the pump to baffle) to be very close to 1/8 to 1/4 to shallow.


Pictures:

View attachment 242218

View attachment 242219

 

D

D.Hearne

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Sep 29, 2000

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Oct 17, 2009

#2

• Oct 17, 2009

• #2

Paint the baffle with black (or any other dark color spray paint at hand) And then try fitting it again. If the pump is hitting the baffle, it'll remove the paint at the point of contact.

 

shoguun

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Jul 28, 2009

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Oct 17, 2009

#3

• Oct 17, 2009

• #3

you didnt change the sump did you when you changed pans.

 

69machmike

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Sep 13, 2009

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Oct 17, 2009

#4

• Oct 17, 2009

• #4

The pickup is clear. It is the actual pump. If you look carefully you can see where I made a scratch in the second photo.

It is almost dead center.

Mike

 

shoguun

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Oct 18, 2009

#5

• Oct 18, 2009

• #5

It could be a manufacture error or it could be the oil pump itself. Maybe your pump doesnt match up with your pan or something like that. Is it a stock pump. i wouldnt bend or mess with the pan. that could mess with the flow of oil.

 

2

2+2GT

10 Year Member

Apr 25, 2009

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Oct 18, 2009

#6

• Oct 18, 2009

• #6

What pump is it, standard Ford or TRW high volume, etc.?

 

69machmike

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Oct 18, 2009

#7

• Oct 18, 2009

• #7

M84AHV

I am going to take a guess this is a Melling high volume?

Mike

 

D

D.Hearne

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Oct 18, 2009

#8

• Oct 18, 2009

• #8

With a high volume pump the pump body is thicker, making the bottomside deeper into the pan. Sometimes a change to thinner headed pump body cover bolts will fix the problem of clearance.

 

69machmike

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Sep 13, 2009

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Oct 18, 2009

#9

• Oct 18, 2009

• #9

I am thinking of just drilling four holes for the pump body screws into the baffle. All my measurements show the pickup is fine with clearance.

This won't disturb the baffle functionality as something will be there, just not the baffle.

Mike.

 

shoguun

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Oct 18, 2009

#10

• Oct 18, 2009

• #10

I think if you are running a certain oil pan you need to have the matching pan. You probably need a melling high volume pan.

 

D

D.Hearne

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#11

• Oct 18, 2009

• #11

shoguun said:

I think if you are running a certain oil pan you need to have the matching pan. You probably need a melling high volume pan.

Click to expand...

There's no such thing as a Melling High Volume pan. There are deep pans, but Melling doesn't make em. There's also no problem with modifying the baffle in the pan he's got to make it work. It's only function is to limit the motion of the oil under hard braking or accelleration.

 

2

2+2GT

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Oct 18, 2009

#12

• Oct 18, 2009

• #12

You could just use a stock style pump. The HV means high volume, which is done by using wider gears in the pump. Since they can't go up without causing drive shaft problems, they go down, which interferes with the baffle in your Cobra Jet style pan. Unless you have a compelling reason for using the big pump, just get a stock one. What, maybe $30-$40? Or you could just give the baffle a few whacks with a BFH. Should be able to bend it 1/4 without much effort. Nice looking pan, though, seems a shame.

 

69machmike

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Oct 18, 2009

#13

• Oct 18, 2009

• #13

I measured the stock Melling pump and it is 1/4 inch shorter than the HV. I purchased one to compare them. I will probably just use it. This will save me some time and I can button up the engine until installation.

Thanks
Mike

 

D

D.Hearne

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Oct 18, 2009

#14

• Oct 18, 2009

• #14

I'd modify the pan before going with a std volume on a Cleveland. They need all the help they can get.

 

rbohm

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Oct 19, 2009

#15

• Oct 19, 2009

• #15

D.Hearne said:

I'd modify the pan before going with a std volume on a Cleveland. They need all the help they can get.

Click to expand...

agreed. you can either cut the baffle to clear the pump, or you can dimple the baffle to clear the pump. if you dimple the baffle, drill a 1/4" hole at the lowest point of the dimple to allow oil to escape when you change the oil, that way you eliminate as much junk as possible. personally i would cut the baffle to fit the pump.

 

69machmike

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Sep 13, 2009

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Colorado

Oct 21, 2009

#16

• Oct 21, 2009

• #16

I used my brain for once and called Melling. I verified the pickup hangs at the same hight regardless of HV or normal. The gears in the HV are longer so it hangs lower as dhearn and 2+2 mentioned. So I am just going to cut the baffle as I originally planned.

Thanks
Mike