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So I'm wondering if I'm being too picky but I have a question re
Passenger side rear of oil pan, slightly sticking out past rear of engine cover
Driver's side pretty much flush
garding oil pan alignment. The way I aligned the Holley pan was to take engine off stand, install bell housing, then set/torque pan including the two bolts that go through the bell housing to the oil pan. When I removed the bell housing I noticed the pan on passenger side was very slightly hanging over back side of the block. Everything I'm reading says it should be flush with back of the block. Check out the attached pics. Lmk your thoughts.
You've got it right, the pan is supposed to be aligned with the machined rear face of the block...the rear cover is not lined up with the machined rear face of the block.
Loosen all the pan bolts, get a straight edge and line the pan up with the back of the block. Or if you you are running a manual trans with a 2 piece bellhousing, loossing up the pan bolts, install the bellhousing, snug the bolts up and tighten the pan bolts down.
The pan is used to structural purposes. If it's way out of alignment bad things can happen when you bolt the up the trans or bellhousing.
Loosen all the pan bolts, get a straight edge and line the pan up with the back of the block. Or if you you are running a manual trans with a 2 piece bellhousing, loossing up the pan bolts, install the bellhousing, snug the bolts up and tighten the pan bolts down.
The pan is used to structural purposes. If it's way out of alignment bad things can happen when you bolt the up the trans or bellhousing.
Thank you for your reply. I actually did the second method you described, installed and tightened bellhousing then snugged oil pan bolts, and this is what it looked like when I removed the bellhousing. Was somewhat confused but when I reassembled everything this weekend it all went back together snug with no problems.
It actually looks perfectly straight to me now that I'm looking closely. Relative to the cast aluminum rear engine cover, the pan sticks out about the same on both sides; if it is slightly more on the passenger side, that could just be the rear cover itself being machined slightly off angle from the casting. On the driver's side you can see it is flush with the bellhousing surface on the block. On the passenger side there is no nearby bellhousing surface to go off of, but it was clearly aligned to the bellhousing of the transmission when you put things together. My opinion is that it's perfectly fine as is.
Ive got an old 60e bell housing tht i use for stuff like tht. Bolt it up and its alighned properly. Easiest and fastest way to do it. I also use for turbo crossover fab work.
You can’t inatall the pan without the transmission or at least the bellhousing in place. The covers, the pan and the trans all align off of each other and have to be installed in a specific order.
You can’t inatall the pan without the transmission or at least the bellhousing in place. The covers, the pan and the trans all align off of each other and have to be installed in a specific order.
lol. How do you do that with the engine on the stand?
Does your engine instantly become untouchable as soon as it's off the stand? Does it heat up to 1,000 degrees or something? Maybe spikes coming shooting out the sides? Snipers? Ninjas? Just what exactly is it that makes your engine so different from everyone else?
Does your engine instantly become untouchable as soon as it's off the stand? Does it heat up to 1,000 degrees or something? Maybe spikes coming shooting out the sides? Snipers? Ninjas? Just what exactly is it that makes your engine so different from everyone else?
You get 10 points for best answer ever.
My engines, and I build quite a few, don’t come off the stand until they are ready to go in the vehicle, or out the door. They are buttoned up quickly to avoid contaminants getting in them. No way I’m gonna attempt an oil pan install on one of my builds from the bottom, lying on the shop floor on my back. Ain’t happening.
Just use a straight edges like most people do. SO much easier. Takes 2 minutes.
Loosen all the pan bolts, get a straight edge and line the pan up with the back of the block. Or if you you are running a manual trans with a 2 piece bellhousing, loossing up the pan bolts, install the bellhousing, snug the bolts up and tighten the pan bolts down.
The pan is used to structural purposes. If it's way out of alignment bad things can happen when you bolt the up the trans or bellhousing.
This is exactly that I did. Snugged the bell housing with pan bolts loose. Then started snugging pan bolts in specific order. Pics above show how it came out. Guessing I'll be okay. Thanks everyone for your help/reassurance.
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Holley Oil pan alignment 
