Oil Pan Capacity...opinions needed

[Kirk]

Am looking at upgrading my stock oil pan that was part of a package when I purchased my long block 350 sbc last year.

The capacity of the current oil pan is 6 quarts and is just some cheesy cheap piece.

On some of the big dollar motors...mostly big blocks I have seen hi-capacity oil pans made by www.dooleyenterprises.com (Dooley Enterprises) they make pans with 10 quart capacity with windage trays.

My question is do I gain any really advantage in going up in capacity or am I just wasting my time. If I am not wasting my time does anyone have connections @ Dooley as the pans are almost $500.00 with shipping.

Thanks for the help,

KJ

[MOP]

I talked about that self same thing awhile back with local buds in the biz, the thought was on a boat engine to run a cooler and have good filtration. I went out of my way to get hold of a good windage tray due to the pounding we go through. I will be running a cooler and a 6qt aluminum pan, will be setting up dual filters running in parallel which will let the oil flow freely but slower than a single setup. I am sure there are more ways to go.

Phil

[mphatc]

Kirk,

How do you run your boat?
Hard, fast, in rough water . . .
or cruising in calm water
with an occasional skier?

In most cases a large volume pan is not required . . my original '69 H&M 302 showed no signs of oil starvation upon teardown, and I am running the same crankshaft in my new engine w/o anything but a machine polish. That 's after 30 + years of use, where most were for waterskiing, with only a 5 qt pan.


Mario

[Murphy]

Whatever Mario says, go with it. He knows engines. For my money, you'd be money ahead installing a pre-oiler at a couple hundred bucks. Marine engines sit for days, and over winter, months sometimes. Those semi-dry startups are worse than anything. During the second year, after break-in, change over to Amsoil or Redline synthetic.

Murph

[Kirk]

Thanks for the comments:

Just going thru more issues here.....

Purchased new 350 sbc...original block was screwed up. Bad head gasket detected with ZERO RUN TIME. Engine builder replaced under warrenty with another sbc with a roller set up.

Run replacement motor for 1 hours time...lost oil pressure & shut down almost immediatley. Now I have to pull the motor again (forth time this season & a long story) I think at least one or more rod bearings went. So now how do I tame the beast and have been thinking about a hi volume oil pan & heavy duty oil drive shaft pump, race bearings etc. Dont want to go thru the tear down and cheap out. I need to make this bulletproof after learning the hard way. When it works it should push some 350 to 360 hp with 10.5 to 1 compression. Was a tight motor for the hour it ran. When break in is completed I wil be running Amsoil Synthetic 10w40.

Mario:

I do show some discreation at least to fellow boaters (jet ski's are the exception) but do like to move right along. Am on the CT River and on occasion would run into LI Sound the waters can be kicked up with lots of traffic or as smooth as glass.

By the way the Corsician looks great.

Just want to do this right and make it bullet proof so I can keep up with Cliff....he's killing me.

KJ

[MOP]

Not good two motors going one after another, who is the builder? Seems like he owes you another one or your money back, I'd be thinking the latter. Every shop has one go bad now and then but its not that often. Even if you flog em a bit they seem to survive.

My 2 cents
Phil

[Kirk]

Phil...it's zigouras racing in Mass.

Thank god for the warrenty..

Quality control will prevail and I am going to rebuild this myself even thou I dont know what I am doing.......I'am certain I can do better than that filthy animal.

KJ

[MOP]

Get a book on rebuilding read it through and keep it on the bench, have the right tools on hand get the pan off pull all the caps. See what you are facing, if the crank is bad (fair chance) get a complete kit from a reliable source. With luck you may get away with just doing the bottom end.

Phil