whoa.. the pressure

[SCOBRAC]

As many of you know I am in the process of fixing (restoring? ) a Contemporary I found abandoned in a crack house.. Ok, not exactly abandoned, but it was a crack house getting foreclosed on..

The car was built in 1988. It last ran in 1997 when the engine was scattered. The engine was replaced but the guy (you know who you are Paul Bennett) doing the work cut some corners.. No, not to save money, you would think from the invoices we were talking about European import parts for the marque that has a prancing horse on the hood (note I didn't say Ferrari)..

I have been cleaning up this car and one of the short cuts the guy took was that he installed an OEM style chrome oil pan.. Did I mention I hate chrome.. He also decided against a windage tray.. I decided that one way to clean up the look and cure some oil leaks was to lose the chrome pan and while I was down there put in a windage tray (one of the few things Ford Racing still has for an FE motor)

One thing that had been bothering me about this car was the oil pressure. I had been getting 45-48 cold with 35-37 hot.. Idle or 3500 rpm it really didn't change much. It seemed odd to me there wasn't more pressure for one, and more of a spread between hot and cold.. and at various rpm. I decided I would also change the oil pump also while I was in the crankcase.

Guess what.. Installing a Melling High Volume oil pump M-57HV I got 65 psi at idle, 75 psi at 2300 rpm.. (it was late when I finished and I didn't want turk to know what I was up to) I will let you know what I get at speed on a future installment..

Oh the oil pan? What can I say I opted for the finned aluminum retro look.. Sorry George.. Pictures are up in my gallery if you care to look..

Regards,

[GEORGE ANDERSON]

Hi...very happy to hear the good news about the oil pressure....the new pump did the trick.....Congrats!
On the pan....watch the bumps and the oil pressure....
Burn some rubber in front of Turk's House for me!
George

[Turk]

SCOBRAC
Wasn't there a few posts regarding the cast finned oil pans. It seems they would hit something and break. Am I mistaken?

George,
You are a trouble maker. There are two cops living within a block of my house, and they both seem to keep an eye on me as it is. I don't want to get blamed for the tire tracks by some other Cobra belonging to a guy from the other side of the tracks.

TURK

[bmalone]

Michael:

Congrats on your "find". Nice pics, wish you all the best in finishing her up.

Bill

[SCOBRAC]

Porsche, Ferrari, Lancia, SAAB, Lotus, Mc laren, Acura, every 175 mph motorcycle, Michael Strunk and the Space Shuttle all use aluminum oil pans.. Ok I made the part up about the space shuttle..

Look.. I drive a car made of spun glass glued together and bolted to a way too short chassis, pushed by a way too big engine.. Do you really think I am most worried about the oil pan getting torn off? I'm thinking a roll bar would keep my head from getting torn off too, but then where would the excitement be in that...

Besides.. I think you know how cool it looks and now you want one.. Ok.. Truth be told I have always wanted that pan.. Now I have it..


By the by hot pressure at idle after racing past Turks house was 50-55 psi and at 3500 was 63-68.. Still not much variance but 30-50% better oil pressure/flow.. Capacity is 10 quarts total.. including twin filters.

(photo's are now up of the pan installation 4/29)

Regards,