Canton pan / windage tray question

[dcdoug]

OK, some of this has been covered before, but didn't feel quite specific enough to answer my questions, so sorry if this is repetitive for some.

I have a CSX, 427FE, Canton street/strip pan (slosh baffle only, #15-810) and a canton windage tray (not installed). Here are my questions:

-I would like to take my car out to the track this year (road course, not drag strip, although I might do that too) and am wondering whether I should change the pan to the Canton road race pan, #15-820 with the trap doors, etc (I know that I need to change the pick-up as well if I do that). Seems like it might be worth spending a few hundred bucks to better protect my FE. Thoughts?

-I understand the benefits of the windage tray and would like to install it, but couldn't get it over the oil pickup and clear the frame cross member and clear the rods. I guess I could remove the pick-up, put the tray on and then reinstall the pick-up, but that prohibits me from sealing the tray to the pan first and then installing both and that seems like a better strategy to prevent oil leaks. I am also not sure if I can get the combined pan + tray past the rods and over the cross member. It's a bit of a PITA with just the pan only. Has anyone done this on a CSX car? Advice? Oh, and to make it fun, I am doing all of this on my back since I don't have a lift.

If I pull the pan off for any reason, to take another crack at the windage tray for example, then I definitely want to upgrade to the road race pan. But I am not sure I want to go through all of that again if the windage tray won't fit for sure, unless of course I am taking a big risk going to the track with this pan on the car.

What do you think?

[ERA Chas]

By all means get the RR pan. If you track the car without it you will watch the oil pressure gauge wiggle and bury itself on '0'.

Don't know why your tray won't fit but you can modify it with a grinder to get the needed clearance. I have the same set-up with no issues.

[dcdoug]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

By all means get the RR pan. If you track the car without it you will watch the oil pressure gauge wiggle and bury itself on '0'.

Don't know why your tray won't fit but you can modify it with a grinder to get the needed clearance. I have the same set-up with no issues.

OK, I will get the RR pan. One difference - you have an ERA and the frame cross member isn't a problem, right?

Maybe it will fit better with the different pick-up that I need for the RR pan.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by dcdoug

OK, I will get the RR pan. One difference - you have an ERA and the frame cross member isn't a problem, right?

There's just not much to get in the way on an ERA.

[FUNFER2]

I agree, as I have the same pan, and it even helps when "more than cruising" those twisty and fun curves.

Make sure with the windage tray has a large enough hold for the dip stick. Mine did not and it broke the first stick. Easy to do with a cut off wheel.
Also, add all the oil and let it sit for a while. Find the oil level then mark the dip stick.