modifying an oil pan
#1
modifying an oil pan
Did a search and read thru the stickies, but came up empty. I need to get an LQ-4 oil pan modified to clear the stock steering linkage on my 1955 Chevy. I know S&P provides this service, does anyone know if one of our sponsors can do this work?
#3
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Just be carefull.. some of the pans can not be welded.. I ended up with one of them. I call S&P and they also stated that some of the earlier pan have junk metal in them and that oil gets in the pores and cause problem.. S&P seem to be the most successful at doing them.
I had two very good professional welder try it.. both came up with the same results.. black burns and poping during the Tig Welding.. due to the bad metal and oil... both do know what they are doing, we tried may thing, pre heading, cleaning with various methods.
One of these days.. I will find someone to try it again.
Good luck.
I had two very good professional welder try it.. both came up with the same results.. black burns and poping during the Tig Welding.. due to the bad metal and oil... both do know what they are doing, we tried may thing, pre heading, cleaning with various methods.
One of these days.. I will find someone to try it again.
Good luck.
#4
Originally Posted by bczee
Just be carefull.. some of the pans can not be welded.. I ended up with one of them. I call S&P and they also stated that some of the earlier pan have junk metal in them and that oil gets in the pores and cause problem.. S&P seem to be the most successful at doing them.
I had two very good professional welder try it.. both came up with the same results.. black burns and poping during the Tig Welding.. due to the bad metal and oil... both do know what they are doing, we tried may thing, pre heading, cleaning with various methods.
One of these days.. I will find someone to try it again.
Good luck.
I had two very good professional welder try it.. both came up with the same results.. black burns and poping during the Tig Welding.. due to the bad metal and oil... both do know what they are doing, we tried may thing, pre heading, cleaning with various methods.
One of these days.. I will find someone to try it again.
Good luck.
#5
you could also try the vette batwing pan, alot more low profile, but alot wider. My dads got a 55 chevy pickup, we front cliped it with a camaro subframe, but I think it had some funny drag link behind the crossmemeber, is that what your running into?
#6
Originally Posted by v8bug
you could also try the vette batwing pan, alot more low profile, but alot wider. My dads got a 55 chevy pickup, we front cliped it with a camaro subframe, but I think it had some funny drag link behind the crossmemeber, is that what your running into?
#7
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Originally Posted by bczee
Just be carefull.. some of the pans can not be welded.. I ended up with one of them. I call S&P and they also stated that some of the earlier pan have junk metal in them and that oil gets in the pores and cause problem.. S&P seem to be the most successful at doing them.
I had two very good professional welder try it.. both came up with the same results.. black burns and poping during the Tig Welding.. due to the bad metal and oil... both do know what they are doing, we tried may thing, pre heading, cleaning with various methods.
One of these days.. I will find someone to try it again.
Good luck.
I had two very good professional welder try it.. both came up with the same results.. black burns and poping during the Tig Welding.. due to the bad metal and oil... both do know what they are doing, we tried may thing, pre heading, cleaning with various methods.
One of these days.. I will find someone to try it again.
Good luck.
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#9
if your putting an ls1 in a 55 I dont think your worried about stock anymore. Maybe look into one of them aftermarket mustangII setups that go right over your frame rails? Indy front suspension and some nice disk brakes would help handle the power your going to be throwing at it. just a thought
#10
Originally Posted by v8bug
if your putting an ls1 in a 55 I dont think your worried about stock anymore. Maybe look into one of them aftermarket mustangII setups that go right over your frame rails? Indy front suspension and some nice disk brakes would help handle the power your going to be throwing at it. just a thought
#11
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Has anyone tried steam cleaning the aluminum pans before trying to weld them?
A good welder told me to get the heavy stuff of and actually put the pan in the dishwasher with dishwasher detergent just like I was running a load of dishes. He said that would be the best way to clean it.
A good welder told me to get the heavy stuff of and actually put the pan in the dishwasher with dishwasher detergent just like I was running a load of dishes. He said that would be the best way to clean it.
#12
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I considered modifying a used pan when I was working on my swap.
Every welder I talked to said I was asking for trouble.
Cast aluminum has some level of porosity. Oil works its way into the aluminum and its nearly impossible to get it out. But when you start welding on the pan, it causes all kinds of problems (inclusions, sputtering, etc).
Here is my view of your available options:
1.) Buy a brand spanking new pan from GM, and modify it. No oil = no welding problems.
2.) Have a custom made pan fabricated (they're really not that hard, especially with the flat pan rail) or buy one (there are a couple of vendors coming out with them). Material isn't all that critical, steel or aluminum will work.
3.) Modify a used aluminum pan and try your best to get the oil out. I like the dishwasher approach. I'd add one more step: Bake it in an oven at 400 degrees (or higher if you dare) to burn the oil that remains in the casting off. Eliminate the oil and you fix the welding problem. But the heat required to burn off the oil may cause the casting to distort (not sure where aluminum starts to get plastic) so that would be a concern.
You may be concerned when you read the GM literature that the pan is a "Structural Member". It is, but only slightly. There are 2 bolt holes that the 4L60E and 80E bellhousing can bolt to. GM added them looking to reduce NVH issues. The 80E and TH400, both ran the same bellhousing patterns without the bottom 2 bolt holes behind big blocks without issues. And your 200R4 doesn't have those bolt holes anyway, so why worry.
For my project, I ended up fabricating my own pan out of steel. A reasonably easy project, all things considered. Just cut a bunch of pieces of 16ga CRS sheet and some 3/8" x 2" CRS barstock.
'JustDreamin'
Every welder I talked to said I was asking for trouble.
Cast aluminum has some level of porosity. Oil works its way into the aluminum and its nearly impossible to get it out. But when you start welding on the pan, it causes all kinds of problems (inclusions, sputtering, etc).
Here is my view of your available options:
1.) Buy a brand spanking new pan from GM, and modify it. No oil = no welding problems.
2.) Have a custom made pan fabricated (they're really not that hard, especially with the flat pan rail) or buy one (there are a couple of vendors coming out with them). Material isn't all that critical, steel or aluminum will work.
3.) Modify a used aluminum pan and try your best to get the oil out. I like the dishwasher approach. I'd add one more step: Bake it in an oven at 400 degrees (or higher if you dare) to burn the oil that remains in the casting off. Eliminate the oil and you fix the welding problem. But the heat required to burn off the oil may cause the casting to distort (not sure where aluminum starts to get plastic) so that would be a concern.
You may be concerned when you read the GM literature that the pan is a "Structural Member". It is, but only slightly. There are 2 bolt holes that the 4L60E and 80E bellhousing can bolt to. GM added them looking to reduce NVH issues. The 80E and TH400, both ran the same bellhousing patterns without the bottom 2 bolt holes behind big blocks without issues. And your 200R4 doesn't have those bolt holes anyway, so why worry.
For my project, I ended up fabricating my own pan out of steel. A reasonably easy project, all things considered. Just cut a bunch of pieces of 16ga CRS sheet and some 3/8" x 2" CRS barstock.
'JustDreamin'