360 Magum oil pan

[Demonracer]

We've decided to put a different oil pan on our Dakota crate motor because the oil pressure dives when we let out of it at the end of a run. I've looked at Moroso, Milodon, Kevko, and Stef's and cannot find anyone who makes a deeper pan for the Dakota. Does anyone have any ideas as to who makes them, or what will interchange?

 

[Demonracer]

Anybody???

 

[funwithfuel]

any 360 a-body pan will fly on a 360 magnum the trick is you have to use the 4 piece "LA" pan gasket . make sure your sump reaches the bottom of the pan . I think Kevco offers a swinging sump like the old 340 TA set-up.

 

[funwithfuel]

i just re-read your post, when you get out of it? wouldn't you expect a drop off of oil pressure with a decrease in engine rpm? Are you sure you're not misreading normal operation for starvation?

 

[LXguy]

funwithfuel: I think he's talking about the oil pressure diving because the oil sloshes forward when he gets on the brakes at the end of a run, uncovering the pickup. I don't think the standard car style pan will fit a Dakota. Or at least the pan my Magnum came with was very different than the car style pan.

Kevko told me in the past that they will make pretty much anything. I would give them a call and tell them what you are after. I'm sure they can make you something better. Worst case I am sure you could send them a stock Dakota pan and they could change the sump area significantly.

I am running their shelf 360 pan on my car and like it. They made a friend of mine a custom pan for his Ford 408 to clear a thick cap girdle, but also shallow enough in the center to clear the steering rack. Worked great.

What I did for a gasket on my magnum with 360 pan was to use the one piece Magnum gasket with the front U shape thing from a 4 piece 360 gasket (after cutting that section out of the Mag gasket) and using silicon to join the two. No leaks!

I hope this helps you.

Good luck.

Steve

 

[Demonracer]

Thanks guys, I contacted KevKo and they are a bit pricey on a custom pan for us privateer racers. I read somewhere that a Durango pan was deeper, if not we may try to modify a stock pan and pickup. I'm still open for other suggestions.

 

[Demonracer]

funwithfuel, with the IHRA approved light weight rods and pistons in this crate motor it is somewhat dangerous if the oil pressure dives too low. We experienced it on another motor and it was a disaster, to say the least. We are running the HV pump and the biggest screen we can get in the pan, with welded in baffles and the pressure still dives when you get out of it because the oil sloshes to the front of the pan. Personally, I think the design on the Dakota pan sucks if you are drag racing in stock eliminator. JMO

 

[66plyValiant]

as far as I know the dakota pan isn't really made much different in the aftermarket for the dakotas, there is such a small area that the oil picks up from and then it goes straight under the cross member

for those who haven't worked on a SBM dakota the area is very tight under the engine, think of a truck oil pan... got the picture? now picture it with 3-4" cut out of the sump and thats what you have to work with for a dakota pan, not much space to do much!