The dipstick and tube doesn't necessarily need to be replaced. Three items are required for the swap, pan, pickup and windage tray. In a Gen 4, the pan has to be machined for the oil pressure safety blow off.

 

I forgot to list the windage tray. For no more than the dipstick and dipstick tube cost, it was not worth modifying to me. Just my .02

 

So with the windage tray, dipstick, and tube, I will certainly have everything I need, right?

Thanks.

 

Yes, that is correct.

 

Great! I've got the parts ordered now. With shipping, it came to around $50 for everything.

Thanks!

 

G Body
Will the new holley pan work in my G Body

i have used the search function for months now,so many pans, so many ideas,so many myths..i neeed a clear answer like some now have.. thanks for your help Dennis

 

I purchased the Holley pan for my '81 Camaro and was able to compare it to several OEM pans. I found the Holley pan inferior and ended up using the Caddy CTS-V pan. Here are my reasons:

1. The Holley pan only has a small (barely) 4 quart capacity. At the same oil level, the CTS-V pan has a 6 quart capacity. (I measured them precisely.)

2. The Holley pan does not include a gasket, which is $25 from the dealer.

3. The Holley pan does not include provision for the oil level sensor.

Since the CTS-V pan has similar dimensions except for the deeper reservoir, and is actually cheaper from a cooperative dealer (my local dealer matched the price at gmpartsdirect.com), it is generally a better choice than the Holley.

Yes, the CTS-V pan sits about 3/4" below a 2nd Gen Camaro's crossmember, but even on my 2" lowered car, I have more than 5" of ground clearance. (Also my headers sit a bit lower than the oil pan and I have very stiff springs.)

I cannot answer your fit question for a G body, but IMHO the Holley pan is inferior to the OEM choices.

As has been mentioned here, avoid the GM Performance oil pan. I also tested that and found it sits much too low, almost as low as the truck oil pan. Yes, I tested every pan other than the the Vette and F-Body. I skipped the F-body as I wanted more than 4 quart capacity.

 

Have a look at the Mast Pan. That is what I used on my A-body.

 

So the CTS-V pan setup would be the best option for a 1980 Pontiac Firebird? I'm gonna be running a LQ4 6.0L with 1" setback motor mounts.

 

IMO, yes that is the best pan to use for a 2nd gen Camaro/Firebird.

However, unless you absolutely need to connect the engine to a stock TH350 in its stock position, I would highly recommend 0" setback mounts and not the 1" setback. With 1" setback the engine is so close to the firewall (within millimeters) that the rear wiring, fuel lines, etc. become a real pain.

Here is a good picture showing how close even 0" setback is (See post #7):
http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=222162

See my post #4 on this link:
http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=217897

You do not need any setback for teh CTS-V oil pan; it clears the crossmember with plenty room to spare. Also the front of the CTS-V oil pan is shallow enough to keep the steering linkage from hitting it.

 

Are the two first oil pans in the OP (12609074 and 12579273) front or rear sump?

 

What is the total system capacity for a CTS-V engine?

The Holley pan is advertised as 5.5qts capacity w/o filter, and 6qts capacity w/filter. Given that you use an OEM dipstick assembly to measure oil level and it takes 6qts to get there (with a half in the filter), the CTS-V must be a much larger total system capacity??

 

I took measurements (and pictures) of everything.
Here is the Holley Pan next to the CTS-V; its a big difference:



Here is the Holley with 4 quarts of water, which brings it to level of the windage tray:



IMO, it is full.

Here is the CTS-V pan with 4 quarts:



Here is the CTS-V pan with 5 quarts:



There is a 2 quart difference between the pans. Yes, the Holley will hold 5 quarts without "spilling", but the oil level would be above the windage tray. This may be the way old SBC oil pans were rated, but GM rates their oil pans with a much lower oil level.

Also, from my measurements, GM makes two dipsticks, one shows "full" right at the windage tray, while the recommended one for the CTS-V shows "full" about 1/2 inch below the windage tray. Therefore the CTS-V pan easily hold its 6 "rated" quarts with another quart to spare.

Here is a picture of the Truck pan, the CTS-V pan and the Holley pan. I'm sorry I don't have the F-Body pan for comparison. (I try lots of combos, but even I have limits.)



On my '81 Camaro, the Truck pan hung way too low below the frame crossmember. The CTS-V pan hangs about 3/4" below it while the Holley didn't hang below at all. This issue is often discussed on the NastyZ28 forum. While many "swappers" have used the CTS-V pan, one member recently hit a high manhole cover in a construction zone and severely damaged his engine; he was swiching to the F-Body pan. While GM rates the F-Body pan at 5 quarts, I suspect this is with the oil level right at the windage tray.

 

Interesting. I used the corvette LS2 dipstick, looks like it reads full at the bottom of the windage tray.

 

Is the oil valve universal between sumps

 

Man, after looking at used F-body pans I thought I would check out GM Parts Direct.....thought I was on to something till I figured the shipping in!! Plus the oil pump O-rings at $3.58 ea but have to get 5 in a pack.......$17.90!! Shipping was $66 BUCKS!! Kit came out to be $324.83 to the door.

 

If you buy the f body pickup tube, the o ring comes on it. FYI. Also any new GM pump or the melling pumps come with them as well.

 

I thought I read that somewhere. That still makes it a tad over $300 new. Im gonna have a hard time coughing up $300+ for an oil pan on a $900 dollar motor that has a perfectly good oil pan. Of course there is the used route that is not out of the question after I saw shipping charges.

 

I printed out the prices from GMpartsdirect and took them to my local dealer. The parts manager looked at it and was willing to match it! I didn't need a windage tray and I recall the total for CTS-V pan, bolts, dipstick, dipstick tube and sales tax was about $225.

 

Well I lucked up. Just picked up a LS1 pan/pickup for $75 shipped. I can cut my truck windage tray down to fit for free and even use the truck dipstick if need be (cut down of course).