Windage Trays; Good Or Bad

Well Mike, this is what I have gathered so far on this topic.

A windage tray is actually not needed with a deep pan, but it also dosen't hurt. The hampering effect is null and void with a deep pans extra capcity of oil. True, once the oil hits the tray, it will take an extra second or 2 to come off the tray and into the pan. However, @ 7 - 9 quarts of oil in a deep pan, theres not a need for a quicker return or actually, a worry for a quicker return. If your sucking 7 - 9 quarts dry, you have other issues at hand.

Also, the oil is so far away from the crank due to the pans depth, it doesn't or actually rarely splashs up and hits the crank.
The stock windage tray has 3 window that need to be opened up. Or is it 4? Hummmm... This aids in the quickest possible return of the oil.

A windage tray should be used with a stock pan.
A windage tray is added insurance of oil splashing up on the crank even with a deep pan. But that seems to only happen with mega hard hitting drag cars and cars that see alot of side to side motion in something like a series of quick turns. Road race, SCCA, extra spirted driving in the streets, etc ........

There has been some discusion on the effect of the 340's windage tray use on a 360. "Not being engineered for the larger stroke" seems to be the bugle cry. I'm honestly not sold on this. The tray did come stock on 360 engines. The E-58 or HP 360's. While this is not a race engine, just a factory part adding what ever HP they could squezze out of the engine anyway they could in the late 70's, I really don't see this has a problem.

I'm sure someone will come up with some scientific mombo jumbo BS write. And how true it is, and I've seen a few, just doesn't sell me on the worth of it's not being used vs. the HP loss of it's use. It is also compaired with so called stroker windage trays designed for a larger stroke.

More clearance might be needed on a stroker. I don't know about small blocks. Big blocks have a increased clearance tray.

The best set up for this is an overkill list IMO, but actually, probably, worth power. Bang vs. buck vs. work vs. .........

Widage tray, deep pan and a scraper. Then theres a dry sump.