bebbetufs

Any interest in a new oil pan design? A new pan could be designed to help reduce windage problems and foaming problems which contribute to the infamous #2 rod bearing failures (see this thread if you need info on this problem).

I've been in contact with a few companies who design oil pans for race cars. Several have offered to make an improved aftermarket pan which can take care of some of the most severe windage problems and potentially increase the volume a bit.

These are the basic specs (subject to change depending on price and feasability):
* Most importantly it will have a kick out on the right hand side to allow the oil returning from the head to escape the crank and return to the sump without following the crank around 270 degrees and foaming up. A bit like the kick out on this Moroso pan where the company logo is. This cick-out should work in conjunction with a scraper.

* Built in baflfing system with one-way ports to prevent oil from being sloshed onto the crank when braking, turning and accelereating.
* Integrated crank scrapers like the stock pan, but tighter (possibly teflon blades?).
* Much improved integrated windage tray with proper louvres to cut down on windage. Becuase the tray is installed in the pan it will not be necassary to split the block and ntefere with its integrity and the bearing clearances to install the windage tray. .
* Integrated gasket retainers to stop the gasket from pushing out.

Here's a rough sketch of the basic ideas. There will also be baffles in the sump itself.


The windage tray will sit on top of the baffles and the baffles will be welded to the tray to give it rigidity and to ease assembly. The windage tray will be bolted to threaded inserts in the pan.
The diamond shape minimizes slosh and, together with the two outside perpendicular baffles, makes the trap doors more efficient as the oil outside the diamond shape will be forced into the centre of the diamond by acceleration, deceleration and cornering forces.


To get this moving we need to get 10-15 people together in a group buy.

Please sign up here if you are intersted in such a pan. For now the list will be to judge interest only. If there is enough solid interest I will make a bindig list once the design is finalized.

List of interested people depending on price:
-Chris White - several
-Myself - one
-KSira - one
-ausgeflippt951 - one
-Omni - one
-harveyf - one
-carlege - one
-Nashio - one
-fejjj - one
-URG8RB8 - one
-Jamesr6967 - one

ausgeflippt951

I am interested, though with any luck I won't be dealing with this anytime soon.

URG8RB8

Estimated price?

michaelmount123

Make sure your pan people are fully aware that the engine leans over and the pan rails are not perpendicular to the ground. That issue will affect the pan design.

I hope you get some interest in this. A good wet sump pan for the 944 is sorely needed. If you don't get the interest you need, PM me. I have a pan you may want to test.

User 52121

Depending on price I could be interested.

bebbetufs

I just got a few replies from some manufacturers but no prices yet. It will obviously cost a bit, but the improvements should make it worth the cost.

A really good improvement would be to find a standard type oil pan gasket and make the pan deeper by the same amount instead. It would minimize the leaking problems and stop the gasket bulging out once and for all. It may be difficult to find a suitable gasket though.

bebbetufs

Thank you for the heads up. Actually I will design the pan in pro enginer first. I will post the renderings here so you all can take a look at it and have your say before I order it.

I need some solid interest in this before I go ahead with all that work though.

admiralkhole

If someone comes up with a design I can probably weld one up if I find some free time...I have two extra pans I can modify because I won't need them due to my v8 swap.

KSira

I'm interested as long as the price is reasonable.

bebbetufs

Thanks for offering to help admiralkhole. Do you mean to make a prototype? If not one or two pans will be of a great help to those who get them. My goal is really to generate some interest and possibly make this more widespread. Such a pan should be very popular with the racing crowd provided the regulations will allow it, or can be changed to allow it.

harveyf

Interested.

carlege

based on price im interested

Nashio

Like others said I am interested based on price

admiralkhole

Yeah, it could be a prototype or just a few modified pans for as per personal spec. Would you need one with extra kick out wings and trap doors inside?

bebbetufs

A prototype could be useful. I'll let you know if we need one.

I hope this will continue to generate interest for a while. If it does this may actually come to fruition which would be great.