I'm working on my Vehicross conversion as some may know. I have had the LS1 in the engine bay awhile back and it fit for the most part, but the oil pan was hitting the front axle... independent front suspension... I thought by doing a front axle drop that I could get the extra clearance I needed... I modified my axle housing mounts more than a month ago but hadn't gotten a chance to put the motor back in due to falling down some stairs and tearing some ligament in my left knee. Well, yesterday I slipped the motor back in and found that the pan still hits the axle housing! After looking at the problem, I realize that with the shape and orientation of the axle mounting brackets, when I dropped the axle down two inches, I also moved it slightly (maybe 1/4") to the rear... so, the pan hits the housing...

My question is... are there different oil pans for the LS1? Basically, I need something that has just a little smaller sump area...

a little less like this... [__/----
and a little more like this... [_/-----

Does that made any sense at all?

I think a mere inch would do the job but I'm thinking the more, the better. I'm wondering... I haven't had the pan off of an LS1, nor have I seen a picture of one with the pan off... but was wondering... if it would be possible to take a stock pan, and modify the sump area to clear the axle EXACTLY how I want it? How is the oil pick-up on the LS1? Is it set up in a way that this could be done? Cut the pan and have a new front wall TIG welding into place? Would I need to have the sump area widened to compensate for the oil capacity of the pan? Are there other pan styles on different LS1 vehicles? If so, which might work? Is there someplace online I can view side by side or scale pictures of them? I have looked around a little already, and will continue to look but if someone has suggestions... I'd REALLY appreciate it! I found my second glitch...

Thanks in advance.

 

Yes there are a few different pans for LS1's the truck pans being the largest. The vette pan sticks down allot less but has what are often refereed to as bat wings sticking out the side of the pan. There is also the pan from the GTO and holdens that have the sump in the front rather than the back. Allot of people have modified a stock f-body pan. I would have a professional welding shop TIG it unless you can do it yourself. A few have complained about the cheap casting being hard to weld. You have 1 ½ to 2" inches before you have to modify the pick up.( never measured just an observation when I had my pan off.)

 

I found THIS page while searching... This individual was contemplating the same thing I am... I'm going to email him to find out what he did... but anyway... here is a picture to show what i was thinking... from his site...

http://www.montecarloss.com/ls1montecarloss/LS1fbodypanPnotch.jpg

(It won't show, so here is where it is located... not sure if it can be viewed without going to his page... the link is towards the top... 01/02/01... last passage, and last link)

I know the pan is structural... so what is the consequence of doing this? Can it be done? Is it a bad idea? I also for the fun of it did a search on dry sump pans... not sure if I wanna do that... not cheap and then I need a scavenge pump and stuff. Not sure how that would work out.

Anyway, I'll continue my search. but if anyone has ideas... I'd love to hear them. Thanks!

 

Actually, that is John Bzdel's website... he frequesnts these boards pretty often. He offers modifications to the LS1 oil pans which I beleive he charges about $250 for. Street & Performance also does the same, but from what I have seen their quality isn't as good as John's.

Which pan are you using?? If it is the Camaro pan, you MIGHT want to try using the Truck pan since this is going into a 4x4. The Truck pan already has the sump further back than the Camaro pan does... but the front part BEFORE the sump hangs a little lower, as does the entire sump itself. So, if your only issue is the front part of the sump hitting, but you have plenty of clearance UNDER the pan... it would probably work for you.

This is from S & P's website... at the bottom of the page, they have diagrams of the different pans. You can see what I mean about the truck pan.
http://www.hotrodlane.cc/onlinecatal...alogpage61.jpg

 

I got my oil pan back from the welder today... looks really nice IMO... welded inside and out. I hope to bolt it back onto the motor tomorrow or the next day and slip it back into the bay for one last test fit... keeping the fingers crossed... total cost of modification... 2 hours... $120. What is anyone else paying? Pictures can be found in the "Latest Update" or whatever I called it at the address below...

http://community.webshots.com/user/ironmanvx2000 (<---EDITED)
TTYL!

Coach... I mean Randy (I often forget who I really am)

Undergoing LS1 Conversion as we speak!
Click Image to Visit My Website!

 

Personally i dont really like the car its self but its growing on me and then again its not mine so it doesnt matter. i do think that its one bad *** conversin though and respect that. just my 2 cents

 

Well, I am one who can COMPLETELY respect EVERYONE's opinion... hey, at least it will be one less import out there with the mad-bumble-bee syndrome! No loud fart-pipe sounds for me... only gonna be kick ***, deep rumbling for me!

TTYL!

 

Keep up the good work