Conversion Oil Pan

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howco4

howco4

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After installing a 383 into my 70 Swinger with my recommened 187 oil pan,(built in indent for idler arm), I still had to heat the pan, and wack in enough clearance to make a full right turn. Is this a unique problem? I could have shaped my old oil pan, while the engine was out, and made a lot better looking installation. Howard
 
Did you have your Draglink out?If you put it back in the wrong way it will hit the oil pan.I found this out when I put in my 383.
Jim
 
I had it out. After checking it tonight, reversing it from it's present position would make it worse. The rise in the drag link would have occured earlier, lessening the amount of steering travel. It's probably a mute point, as I have painted the ugly, and will run it as is. Thanks for the input
 
howco4 said:
I had it out. After checking it tonight, reversing it from it's present position would make it worse. The rise in the drag link would have occured earlier, lessening the amount of steering travel. It's probably a mute point, as I have painted the ugly, and will run it as is. Thanks for the input
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The big block motor mounts and spools have a little play in them...try to move the engine up and away from the center link.

This is a problem with A bodies.

I am working on a 440 69 Cuda. We just fit the pan today. It hit at 1st until we moved the motor a little.

Good Luck!
 
Ya I had to move mine around a little also before bolting her down for good. One question Howard did that 187 pan have acceleration and deceleration baffles in it. A lot of those pans came with nothing.

Terry
 
Same issue here with 187 pan, 440, and '70 Duster. It didn't take much for me - flattened a corner a little.

linkage.jpg
 
for some reason I have a 420 pan in my duster and it fits just fine. full steering travel and didn't have to trim k member or anything. It does come close but it does fit. I used an old diredt connection big block K-member for installation. the 402 pan is from 68-69 440's and is I believe 6 quarts and baffled. I know it shouldn't matter but i do have late (74) spindles for the big bolt pattern conversion too. Car is an original 72 340 duster but now has a 383.
 
howco4 said:
After installing a 383 into my 70 Swinger with my recommened 187 oil pan,(built in indent for idler arm), I still had to heat the pan, and wack in enough clearance to make a full right turn. Is this a unique problem? I could have shaped my old oil pan, while the engine was out, and made a lot better looking installation. Howard
Click to expand...

I`ve had similar experiences using the 187 and 699 pans and that was even in an original big block car. Like DusterDon said the 402 pans seem to work without clearance issues, I`ve used one myself without any problems.
 
What mounts were used? I had no issues with the 187s I've run. But in the last year or two I have found some std rubber type mounts are thinner in the rubber, or maybe just softer, and the engine sits a little lower.
 
moper said:
What mounts were used? I had no issues with the 187s I've run. But in the last year or two I have found some std rubber type mounts are thinner in the rubber, or maybe just softer, and the engine sits a little lower.
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I`ve noticed that too, mounts made in India about 1/4" thinner or mounts that once installed have the insulator at a 45 degree angle.
 
i noticed with those aftermarket conversion kits, placement leaves alot to be desired. lesson here is don't slap everything
together and assume its good to go. the measuring tape is your best friend in this instance.
 
We have 7 of the right pans which we have used 2 successfully and I think they are 189 pans not 187. They have a large indentation in the bottom. I'll find out for sure and get pics tomorrow if you guys want.
 
The mounts used were Shumacher issue. There wasn't much of anything I could do in terms of moving the engine back or forward. There were no baffles in this pan. It's not a big item to change it out if I had to. This car won't be seeing the strip anyway. I sold my Willys straight liner last year. I think I got it out of my system. Howard
 
Well, if you need to, you can also try losening all the bolts a few turns on the mount brackets and block ears, and then lifting the engine, and tightening them again. It might get you a little wiggle room anyway... And yeah, it's a "187"... I have two at the moment.
 
You most definatly need a #187 pan, I used a Milidon pan and let's just say I found out the hard way that it doesn't work. I have to take the engine back out to change the pan again.:angry7:
 
I've had the same problem too, the 400 in my Duster and the 440 in the Dart hit in the same place. The Duster has Schumacher mounts and the Dart has a old DC k member with spool mounts. Two different style mounts and the same problem.
 
before the Schumacher mount kits came on the market, the only way to do this swap was with the DC K member. I had NEVER heard about using a 187 pan back then. saw a lot of big block a bodies with a lot of different pans. A lot of aftermarket pans. No 187's. Schumacher includes shims with their kits to shim up the motors ( They included a set with the Schu headers I bought). Maybe some of these shims would help?
 
I shimed my mounts almost a quarter inch and it still hits the oil pan pretty bad, more than I'm comfortable with. At least I found a #187 pan.
 
I have a #187 pan. I still had to cut the pan a little so the steering will not hit. Only cut the corner about 1" wide and welded a flat piece in.
 
Longgone said:
I`ve had similar experiences using the 187 and 699 pans and that was even in an original big block car. Like DusterDon said the 402 pans seem to work without clearance issues, I`ve used one myself without any problems.
Click to expand...

dusterdon said:
for some reason I have a 420 pan in my duster and it fits just fine. full steering travel and didn't have to trim k member or anything. It does come close but it does fit. I used an old diredt connection big block K-member for installation. the 402 pan is from 68-69 440's and is I believe 6 quarts and baffled. I know it shouldn't matter but i do have late (74) spindles for the big bolt pattern conversion too. Car is an original 72 340 duster but now has a 383.
Click to expand...

The 402 is a 4qt sump pan . Interesting that it clears the DC K .
 
Has anyone tried the Milodon 30930 low profile pan? If so, what has to be done to make it fit?
 
here's a thought fellows. check over at the spindle where the stop is to stop the steering, if you weld a 3/4" nut on the stop you won't have this trouble at all. the cool part is any pan wil fit then. it will not effect your steering at all because it you need to turn your steering to full lock at speed you have other problems that are more important anyway. you will never even notice the little bit of difference in the turning radius at very low speeds either.
 
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