I test fit the pickup tube yesterday.

Based on these pictures, does anyone see a need for me to cut the windage tray? I noticed that most of you guys do, but I'm not sure why?

 

I believe most trim it because it doesn't clear the pan.

 

Exactly. Clearances are pretty tight. I modeled my cuts after what GoKart had done and then cleaned up all rough edges for factory appearance.

 

so anymore updates to the speedmaster oil pan?

 

I have been reading through this thread. I can't seem to find a good number for how thick the front of the pan can be. I have a lead on a MAST Motorsports conversion pan that I can get real reasonable but it's about 1.75" from top of the pail rail to the lowest point on the front of the pan. Anyone know if this pan works with the v8 roadster frame?

 

Notes in post 2 on the Mast pan indicate - maybe...

 

Can anyone identify this pan's maker. Does it require a special oil pickup? I see that it requires a remote filter. That's good as I want to use a cooler

 

Is it steel or alum? It looks like painted steel to me and a lot like the Kevko pans shown on page 1 of this thread. Lots of extra welds on it though.

 

All aluminum.

 

Have you tried to install the pan into the car yet? I am very interested to see how it fits. I am waiting on my crossmember to come in and I want to get the rest of my parts this pan seems like a great option at a great price point if it fits. I am patiently waiting to see how it will work.

 

So you have plenty of time to do a build thread then! General Motors V8 Miata Build Threads - v8 Miata Forum - Home of the v8 Miata Conversion

 

I haven't had a chance to test fit the Speedmaster Pan in the car, yet. The motor is still on the stand.

My notes so far -
Strike 1 - The pickup tube did not work out of the box. It unfortunately sat too low and would not allow the pan to sit flush with the block. I emailed Speedmaster about it and they pretty much said "Too bad."
So I got out the trusty torch and bent it so it fits nicely.

Here is the Play-Doh Before:


And After:

 

Speedmaster Pan Strike 2 - The starter will not fit. The flange sticks out too far off of the motor, so there is literally no way any F-body/Truck/whatever starter will work with this pan...
The good news is that there is more than enough meat on the flange to trim the pan where I need to, but I'm hesitant to do any trimming before I determine if it will clear the PS rack. I don't want to cut it and not be able to return it.

I will get a picture of this tonight.

 

Can you post a shot of that before you trim it? Is there a bump in the lower part of the pan that sticks out on that side too or is that just on the cooler line side?

 

That could easily have cost someone an engine if I'm seeing that right. It's a good thing you checked!

 

Word to the wise..., doing the Play Do test or whatever preferred choice of squishy material one chooses to use, & regardless of who's aftermarket pan and pick up tube you're installing, you must spend the 15 minutes to confirm proper clearances on the pick up. I had to slightly tweak the V8R pick up tube on my car as well. Didn't think twice about it after it was fixed.

 

Jim - Here are some pictures of the pan/starter area:




The flange on the pan is too wide.

 

Found this one today. Does not seem to be a bad price considering you do not need a remote filter. And they even have a pan with a built in skip plate for off road or really low cars.

Tilden Motorsports LSx Sheet Metal Oil Pans

 

Still fighting with the Speedmaster Pan. I got the motor in for a test fit and it hits the rack.


It's barely hitting it, and I'm thinking (read: hoping) that the motor will rock backwards when the tranny/mount is on it. It tends to lean forward without anything on it, so it *might* still work.

Also - it hits the CTS-V A/C belt tensioner when trying to put the belt on.

 

My engine was tilted backwards, not forwards without a trans when I test fit. I just don't think this pan is going to work.

 

Wonder if it would clear the thinner manual steering rack (which is what I'm running)..?

And, hopefully, yours will still work after you add clearances where possible.

 

i'm really interested in the holley 302-2. do i need the racing baffle kit 302-11 for street use?

 

That depends on your definition of street use. Are you using a HV/HP oil pump?

A $200 baffle was a no-brainer for me. I was disappointed at the lack of a proper baffle in the Holley pan.

 

Fitted up my bellhousing to my LS1 recently using the FM steel oil pan...

Realized the lower two bolts on the bell don't attach to anything where they would normally tie into the OEM Fbody oil pan.

Seems to me this takes away from the structural integrity of the bellhousing, though I don't see it mentioned on the sites selling these parts (Hmm). I guess hundreds of LS swaps with custom oil pans (Miatas not included) can't be wrong right? Anyone have issues with this, or seeing failures?

On a steel pan one could easily look into some simple bracing there and it would take away from room for the exhaust system, etc.

 

Everyone here seems to have forgotten that there are several degrees of freedom available to allow that pan to clear the steering rack. The easiest one to take advantage of is the motor mount plate that attaches the mounts to the engine. by fabricating a new set of plates out of flat billet stock you can move that motor front to back to clear headers or raise it to clear your pan. A bit of time with dykem, a scribe and your drill press solves the clearance problem and will allow you to use the MAST cast aluminum pan without any clearance problems with the rack. The changes are small, in my case, I moved the holes DOWN 0.185 inches which raised the motor an equal amount allowing the MAST Motorsports cast pan to fit with 3/8 in clearance at the rack. That change also allowed my Sanderson headers to fit without having to dimple one of the tubes to clear the steering rod. Motorplates are cheap and speedway has a pair you can use as a template for the holes for just a few bucks.