318 oil pan/340 windage tray

[str12-340]

I just did a minor rebuild on a 75,000 mile 1970 318. It's in a restored street car - 70 Dart. I put the whole Edelbrock kit into it to give it a boost - carb, manifold, cam, lifters, springs, timing chain and gears all from Edelbrock. Also added a stock 340 windage tray. Started it up and it broke in nice, no smoke, runs smooth, but there is a slight tapping noise that varies with rpm. Ran it up the lift to check for exhaust leaks and the noise definitely comes from the oil pan. We checked clearance on the windage tray when it went together, but it occurred to me that the 318 pan might push the tray up and make contact. Anyone with experience on this?

Thanks!

 

[str12-340]

oops forgot to mention this is all the Performer level stuff - nothing particularly outrageous

 

[66dartgt]

Did you inspect the rod and main bearings when you did the work ? Assuming you did - what was the clearance like ? Those engines also use floating wrist pins, anything done to the small end of the rods ?

 

[str12-340]

We went through the whole motor. "Mic"ed everything ended up putting all new bearings and rings, but all the clearances checked out. It literally sounds like something tapping on sheet metal.

 

[Robbie2734]

I used one on my 318 but turned the rotating assembly a few times and checked for interference, I had to bend the baffle in one or two places. It was a very minor adjustment, bolted the pan up and have been good for 8 years now.