Steering rack bump doesn't clear Oil Pan
 

Hi Everyone,

Long time no post - This year, I decided to do the top end on my engine and get a bit more power. Trickflow Heads, Trickflow Intake. It's a 5.0, Martin's v8miata kit (Martin's modified oil pan, Martin modified k member, motor mounts). Much to my expectation, the after market intake is ridiculously large and high, and I'm trying to refit my engine, get it as low as possible to minimize the hood bump I will need. I am suspecting that I am the only one with this issue because my engine always seemed so much higher than what other people get away with.

Here's what i'm talking about. The bump on my steering rack right before the clamp that holds it down to the K-Member ends up under the oil pan... If I could move the rack over by 3/4 inch I could lower the engine by almost a 1/2 an inch, which is HUGE.... My question is how does yours end up? and what did I do wrong? It's been like this for years since i finished by build, I had to cut down the thermostat housing so that the coolant cap didn't hit the hood... something i noticed other people never seem to have to do
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Can you move the motor toward the passenger side? Even 1/2 inch might allow you to drop it down. The motor mount plates are easy, the trans mount not so much, but its probably worth it

I tried pretty hard to do that back when I installed the motor, it would cause all kinds of other issues and look awkward, and even then i couldn't' get quite enough clearance... I'm still wondering if this is how it was meant to be? or do most people have enough clearance... was yours like this? maybe my rack is weird? I have the same Martin kit that built 100s of ford miatas

Grind the bump? Lightly bash the pan? (not my 1st choice). It's probably not unusual to find some discrepancies between builds. Although mine is not a Martin build. My first choice would be to move the motor over. How does it look awkward? I have 2 that are offset as much as possible, and it looks good to me :)

Well - I think it might have looked awkward because I didn't move the trans mount.. It will only go so far though, if you look this picture, you can see where the pan comes down into the K member, the areas indicated there's probably less than 1/8 of an each of clearance.. not much room to go side to side.. so that may not be possible. I may have to follow your other recommendations..

I am still curious to find out if anyone using Martin's kit has found this problem though - I'm starting to think it's just bad luck.. and i'll just have to deal with it! but that's ok!

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...0d2c534531.jpg

I ground the bump on mine. Tight clearance, but didn't rub.
TM

I think that's what I will do - I was scared to trash the rack if i did that.. no problems to report?

No problems in 9 years and 24k miles. In a couple of weeks I can probably take a photo if you need it. The car was parted out after the accident and it's one of the few pieces left, but it's in a place where I can't get to it right now.
Regards,
TM

Yeah, I ground my rack as well for clearance.

I ground mine down too. I also trimmed the spot weld flange on the k-member where the arrows are in your last pic.

Everyone - Thank you so much for the feedback - I'll be grinding mine as well - I'll report back and post pictures when done.

I ground my rack, too. I also ground down the upper flange on the retaining strap.

FYI get rid of the Fram filter and use a Motorcraft FL-1A. Over the years I have resolved hundreds of customers low oil pressure issues by doing so.

I had to grind mine also.

Well.. Here's an update. I've ground my rack... lowered the engine 1/4 inch.. YEAH! PIA to do with engine installed.. but got it done.

However! - once the engine was lowered the oil pan was now rubbing on the back corners of the k member ... I modified every motor mount and tranny mount to shift the engine to the passenger side by about 3/8 of an inch... That was as far as it would go since the rubber motor mount on the passenger side is now almost touching the oil pan... but all in all I think I finally found the sweet spot for this engine to sit!

Tbone - the Fram filter is still there in the picture, I bought a Ford motorcraft filter and will follow your advise - just haven't changed it yet

My advise to all - a lesson I learned the hard way: Plan, Expect, and DO spend an extended amount of time positioning your engine correctly during initial install - that is the absolute most important thing to make sure you get done correctly during the initial install... this is one of the hardest things to go back and fix later because it affects everything... Moving the engine caused a chain reaction of things for me to deal with, now I have to modify my exhaust because the headers end up at a different place... just do this step right the first time.. how ever long it takes, I promise it will take 3 times longer if you have to fix it later.

Gabriel out.
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Good advice. That planning stage might have allowed for some slight pan mods that would have minimized your grief. I suppose it depends on your willingness to get into the pan, but those corners are just empty space inside that can be pretty dramatically rounded off to clear things like subframe and steering rack. All in all, congratulations on your progress..