Ryan02SS

iTrader: (3)

Currently putting together my 385ci SBC marine engine.

Specs are

4 bolt 010 block, bored .040, 0 decked, line honed, stroker clearanced
ESP 4340 3.750 crank, ESP 6" H beams 7/16 ARP, Mahle forged 5cc flat tops, C77H bearings.

AFR 190cc heads 73cc, 2.02, 1.60, further worked by Carl McQuillen Racing
Custom billet 234/240 .570/.558 112+4 hyd roller ground to my headflow and combo.
Morel retrofit roller lifters
Edelbrock RPM Air Gap
Holley 750DP
Lunati 1.5 Widebody roller rockers
Full MSD ignition, 6AL, coil and dist


My question lies in the oil pan to pickup clearance.

Using a Hamburger 7qt kickout pan 8 1/4" deep sump, Melling Select #10555 HV and Melling #12559 pickup, full length windage tray. With cooler and remote filter lines and big oil filter it holds about 9qts.

Installed the pump and pickup the other day and clayed it and have 1/2" clearance between the pan and pickup. That's all I could get with the bolt on pickup. Sound ok or do I need another pickup? Lingenfelter's book stated 3/8-1/2" is optimium. I've also heard 1/4" thrown around but thats for a stock setup. In the past i've ran them 3/8" and a tad under and have had no problems.

Anyone have a power output guess? I'm thinking 450hp. Thanks

Shawn @ VA Speed

iTrader: (3)

1/2 is fine,if you suck the pan that far down you have other issues,you should be close to 475 hp

ZONES89RS

iTrader: (25)

Yea, 1/2 inch is what i usually go for.

Anti-Vnm

iTrader: (14)

I've run 3/8 inch before, but 1/2 would be just fine.

jmm98LS1

iTrader: (28)

I run 1/2" in my 383 w/6 qt pan & melling select 10553.

1 FMF

iTrader: (1)

the reason for the large clearance between the pickup and the bottom of the pan is in how much oil flow is required into the pickup. The lower or closer the pickup is to the pan then yes the less chance you have of sucking the pan dry theoretically, but there's increased turbulence in oil flow which I think might lead to oil pump cavitation. Key word there is I think, but i am pretty sure the closer the pickup is to the pan the more it will hinder maximum oil flow into and up the pickup to the pump.
How much clearance is enough I honestly don't know. I've read 1/4" minimum, 1/2" is probably probably the norm. More than that is probably better for flow provided the pan is deep and there's no chance of sucking air at that pickup height, and there is no forces moving oil away from the pickup. I think i have the merc service manual for the late model 6L, if it's more than 1/2" I'll post back and let you know.

i noticed you listed your cam, 234/240. are you running through hull exhaust? you visit idiotboats.com at all? what's your take on exhaust reversion?

Ryan02SS

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the post. The cam was a custom grind for my setup by Bob Madera, (RMBuilder) of Marine Kinetics. He does alot of offshore cam work for the big guys and he's the best plain and simple. I actually fired it up this evening on the firing stand and man it's awesome and idles very tame at 750-800rpms. I am running Glenwood Magnaflow aluminum manifolds and FastGlass 16" long stainless risers thru hull. I let it idle for about a min before shutdown tonight and pulled a manifold to check for reversion. I found none an am estatic. My last motor I had reversion that I found and had to extend the riser about 6". idiotboats, i'll have to check it out.