gpr

iTrader: (6)

Can the holley 302-2 ls oil pan work with a 4" stroker crank?

Toddoky

Not in its as-shipped state, but it be used for such an application by fabricating a little pop-out tray and welding it onto the pan so that it clears the front crank throw/rods. There's a couple of guys around who have done it and it works great if you, or someone you know, have aluminum fabrication skills.

1989GTA

Would the 302-1 be a better one for a stroker as is?

Toddoky

"Better" would be a relative word as it depends on what vehicle you're attempting to install an LS in and what engine inclination/U-joint working angles you're willing to accept...the front height of the 302-2 is more than an inch lower than the 302-1, so it can achieve far better installed engine geometry than the 302-1 in most cases. It's not unheard of for guys using the 302-1 to be shimming their engine up to provide clearance for the pan; this of course comes at the expense of optimized engine inclination geometry and center of mass height.

1989GTA

Thank you for the reply. I have the 302-1 on my LS3 376 motor installed in a 65 Skylark and I am about to install a 427 stroker short block. So it sounds like all I have to do is space the windage tray.

Toddoky

Yes, the 302-1 will easily accommodate a 4" stroke crankshaft.

usdmholden

What is the longest stroke that can go in the 302-2? Is it really just the stock stroke or could it fit a 3.75 or 3.80, without decreasing rod journal diameter?

gpr

iTrader: (6)

I'm not quite sure what you are talking about, do you have any pictures or examples of this?

Are you talking about clearance of the front section windage tray? If i remember correctly i had to cut and remove that section with this pan... Also had to modify the windage tray for the oil pickup tube.

To run a 4" stroker and this pan if I simply space out the windage tray, will the tray hit the pan itself?

Fry_

I think for the average at home builder with a MIG welder, using a f body pan and notching the k member would be a better option.

Toddoky

As you mention, you already provided clearance past the windage tray for a 4" stroke crank by trimming it down as per the instructions included with the 302-2 pan. What I'm referring to is cutting out a window in the pan itself to allow the front crank throw and rods to clear the pan and then weld a 1/4" aluminum sheet metal tray (about 1/4" deep with only three sides to allow oil drain back into the sump)over the window to seal it up.

gpr

iTrader: (6)

So there is no way a 4" stroke will fit, with out cutting out the front section of the pan for clearance.... Not exactly what i want to do on a pan I just paid a lot of money for....

Toddoky

Your position is easily understood as everyone's comfort level with fabrication is different. As for me, I do whatever is required to achieve the results I want since I have all the tools, equipment and skills to perform such modifications on the cheap.

Depending on the vehicle application, you could use the 302-2 pan with one of the LS oil pan spacers available on the market to clear a 4" stroke crank. I've seen them made in .250 and .375 versions. The undesirable result of this configuration in my opinion is that the oil pan tie-in holes to the bellhousing will no longer line-up, but maybe that would be acceptable to some.

As was mentioned, you could use an F-body pan to clear a 4" stroke but in many applications it requires notching the sump to clear the crossmember, which in turn reduces the oil capacity of the pan. What type of vehicle are you using this on?

gpr

iTrader: (6)

I bought the pan and will be installing it in a 1971 chevelle. Bought it because of all the clearance issues i read about with the tie rods, and the oil pan. I believe this pan fixes those issues. If i cut and weld a piece in or use a spacer, wouldn't i have issues with tie rods hitting the pan again???

Project GatTagO

iTrader: (7)

Not necessarily. The inner tie rods hit at the edges while crank clearance is needed in the middle.

Andrew

Toddoky

Bingo. Andrew is correct in understanding that the pop-out tray I'm describing would be centered in the pan and be only wide enough to clear the crank as it swings around.

Fry_

Screw that notch the crossmember to clear the oil pan. The average builder has a MIG welder and can fab steel, AC TIG welders on the other hand they're a little on the pricey side.

Toddoky

I do possess TIG welders and all the needed fab equipment, so I wouldn't hesitate to window the pan and put the pop-out section in.

I understand it comes down to whatever the user/owner is comfortable doing. If I was swapping an LS into a car that had any collector value, I wouldn't cut anything on the car and instead would modify the LS-specific parts to fit the car as needed. If it was just an average car with no specific collector value then that may change my mind as to whether I would choose to notch the oil pan or the vehicle frame.

On the same token, some cars have far more room available in which to fit an LS and just about any pan you want to put on it, like a second gen F-body. Other cars, like G-bodies and A-bodies, are more clearance challenged.