Did something stupid today

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MopaR&D

MopaR&D

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I wanted to put a spacer under one of my motor mounts to make my engine sit more evenly. So I go to jack up the engine the way I always do with a block of wood under the oil pan... except this time I didn't check the pan as I was jacking it up and went too far.

It's pushed up about 1/4-3/8" in the center, I have the pickup with the "cap" on the bottom that pulls oil from the side plus some homemade baffles welded into the pan so I'm not too worried about it being restricted but it looks like I'll be getting a Kevco pan sooner than later.

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hey, now the pickup is really in the oil! I beat a few flat from doing that......
 
That is why I always hook up an engine crane thingy and pull it from the top. That really bugs me when I find oil pans like that
 
I've bashed in quite a few oil pans in rallies as bad or a bit worse than that and kept running full tilt with no problems a'tall....started welding in reinforcing plates on some.
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
That is why I always hook up an engine crane thingy and pull it from the top. That really bugs me when I find oil pans like that
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I mean, that is the safe way to do it but I didn't feel like spending an extra hour taking off my carb, putting together my hoist, backing the car out and jacking it up then hoisting the engine just to slip a 1/4" spacer under one mount. I did make a mistake using too small of a wood block which didn't go all the way across the bottom of the pan.

I've jacked the engine up like this countless times before with no issues, you just have to be careful and not rush like I did this time.
 
MopaR&D said:
I mean, that is the safe way to do it but I didn't feel like spending an extra hour taking off my carb, putting together my hoist, backing the car out and jacking it up then hoisting the engine just to slip a 1/4" spacer under one mount. I did make a mistake using too small of a wood block which didn't go all the way across the bottom of the pan.

I've jacked the engine up like this countless times before with no issues, you just have to be careful and not rush like I did.
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Putting the hoist together and doing all you mentioned is still easier than pulling an engine to replace the oil pan.
 
Don't feel too bad, we have all done things in a hurry that is regretted later
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
Putting the hoist together and doing all you mentioned is still easier than pulling an engine to replace the oil pan.
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True but I don't need to pull my engine or replace the pan... If I simply had been watching the pan as I went I could have easily stopped when it started to bend.

Regardless I was planning on getting a Kevco pan anyway because my engine could use some extra capacity and baffling, especially once I start hitting the auto-x and road courses. And from the way those look it seems the bottom of the pan is less likely to be bent up.
 
MopaR&D said:
True but I don't need to pull my engine or replace the pan... If I simply had been watching the pan as I went I could have easily stopped when it started to bend.

Regardless I was planning on getting a Kevco pan anyway because my engine could use some extra capacity and baffling, especially once I start hitting the auto-x and road courses. And from the way those look it seems the bottom of the pan is less likely to be bent up.
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I never even heard of a kevco pan, I had to look it up.

Those look like total crap.

Please don't tell me this is your goal

images.jpeg
 
put a 12x12 plank of 3/4 plywood under the pan, get support on all 4 rails. Ive seen 904's with the center of the bottom bell bent in so as to almost touch the convertor ring gear. Don't jack from there!
 
pishta said:
put a 12x12 plank of 3/4 plywood under the pan, get support on all 4 rails. Ive seen 904's with the center of the bottom bell bent in so as to almost touch the convertor ring gear. Don't jack from there!
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My thoughts exactly or even a longer 2"x6".
 
Had to readjust as well as the mount bolts were tight enough. But I jack on a pan bolt head. That sucks!
 
I had to raise my engine to get the exhaust manifolds in. I used a jack and a 2x4 on the edge of the oil pan rail. Picked it right up and no damage.
 
Yup. Human nature, you do something a thousand time, so much so that you let your guard and attention down and...Whoops!
 
I use a porta- power on pan rails, a 4” piece aif 1x1 square tubing to spread it across a few bolts.
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
I never even heard of a kevco pan, I had to look it up.

Those look like total crap.

Please don't tell me this is your goal

View attachment 1715373194
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I understand you've traditionally been more of a "keep it stock and restore it" type so it makes sense you've never heard of a Kevco pan; they may look like total crap but they work really well and in some cases are better than the big-name brands (Milodon, Moroso). Seriously do a search on the forum for Kevco pans see how many members are running them, it's a LOT.

That Duster is extreme, pretty sure that was the one somebody hacked up and dropped on a modern Corvette chassis. This is more along the lines of my goal:





I basically want to make a Duster version of that Fishtail Cuda but not as much drifting, more just road racing...
 
MoparMike1974 said:
I had to raise my engine to get the exhaust manifolds in. I used a jack and a 2x4 on the edge of the oil pan rail. Picked it right up and no damage.
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This is probably what I will do from now on, jack the engine from the pan rails instead of the pan itself. No risk of screwing up the pan that way.

And yes, total complacency screwup. I'm glad it was at least something like this and not dropping the car on my head. I do still try to rock the car back and forth when it's set on jackstands to make sure it won't fall when I'm under it. EVERY time... I'm not trying to crush my skull.
 
it's fine. Half the old cars I've had looked like that.... lol
 
I have seen some jack on the harmonic balancer. Not a big fan of that for sure.
 
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