Aviad oil pan???
 

Anyone care to comment on how good these pans are. I have the Canton race pan now, but came across a good deal on the Aviad. Curious whether there is any performance (better oiling) gain.

Bill,
I know they cost more than most and maybe they are a better design.
I had a Canton pan on my old engine and the pan cracked right across the bottom. I did not hit anything, a crack just appeared along with the oil on my garage floor. We rewelded the pan and reinforced it and it didn't crack again until I put a rod thru it.
Aviad pans have a good reputation but I don't know if they work better.

RD

I have the Aviad road Race pan on my Windsor, had several trap doors, and side kickouts, plus several drain plugs or oiling accesses. Steel, i have never had oil move away from the pickup even with slicks No leaks, very high quality, seals up tight.

I think they are a fine pan.

thanks guys.

How good a deal.. I just ordered one.. It was $575. The principal benefit to this and any other steel pan is that when you hit something it shouldn't crack.. From a performance standpoint it holds 9qts.. But so does the Canton.. Of course the Aviaid pan was THE pan Shelby used for the 427's as well as the Datona and Le Mans cars..

OK, thanks Michael. Deal was for $350. Its one of those things that you already have a good pan--hard to justify changing--but hey, it looks very cool.

aviad pan
 

It's probably one of the better basic pans, but I know 2 people that see or have seen their oil pressure go to zero in hard cornering (in one direction) with slicks using the Aviad pan.

Better lift if that happens..

What is an example of a non basic pan?

pan
 

My reference as a basic pan means a high volume production piece intended mostly for performance street and historic race cars, as opposed to something state-of-the-art incorporating the almost 40 years of technology learned since the Aviad was designed.

Is the part # 55410 for the FE blocks??

I'm not trying to be obtuse but have you looked at an Aviaid oil pan? If so fine.. I don't understand the reference, nor would I be able to come up with an example of a more advanced pan for an enthusiast or weekend racer, or even a professional. I have tried.

My biggest objection to this point over owning this pan was price. California residents can have a pan from Aviaid for $587. plus 8.75% and $20 s/h.. Thats $659. which includes the windage tray and oil pick up. I got mine at www.gessford.com for $595. delivered $575, and $20 to plug the oil return line ports. No shipping, no tax.


The old grouch (for what it's worth) as well as many professional racers in NASCAR, NHRA, NHBA, and SCCA use this pan on their race engines of which a $35k Shelby Aluminum FE is the least expensive.. As for being a "high volume production piece" I ordered mine 3 weeks ago.. I think it will be here in mid March as it had to be made..

Don't misunderstand I never wanted an Aviaid oil pan. I have an aluminum pan on my 428.. By many standards, perhaps yours too, a baffeled aluminum pan is a technological improvement over steel. It's lighter, cools better and looks really cool..

It will also fracture well before a steel pan.. I found as the budget for the engine it is going on grew exponentially so did my concern over keeping the oil where it belonged. The answer I kept coming up with was the same.. So if you know of a better more advanced pan let us know.. Obviously they exist in certain forms, exotic alloys, billet pieces and one of a kinds.. But what else is there?

http://www.gessford.com/cobraparts/i...idpanpicsc.gif



http://www.gessford.com/cobraparts/i...aidpanpics.gif

I ran my Aviad pan at the Pantera Club, Willow Springs this weekend.

The engine is a 65-289" in a ERA 289 FIA car.

I think a big factor in how any pan works is HOW MUCH OIL is in the PAN.

NOT...the oil in the cooler and lines, which is always there...but if you filled your remote filter at the change...(a vertically mounted filter in my case, Fram HP that holds about 3/4's quart.)...the pan ended up with about 7.25 quarts, (I used two gallon bottles)......so after I thought about it, there was only 7.25 in the PAN>, not 8.

OOPS!

Anyway, everything was fineallday Saturday, and then I saw drops from 65 to 55lbs oil psi in turn #2, the long rigth hand sweeper at Willow Springs, CA... this after 40 laps of Saturday burn off .

So I added one quart, the problem went away.

Hmmmm.

I think the Aviad needs about 8 minumum IN THE PAN, 10 would be better...due to the width, doubt if that would be an overfill.

Be very carefull...think about how much oil is in the pan vs. total system capacity when trying to evaluate a system.

My ignorant thoughts, really!

I learned a little this weekend!

Hey...if you run and KNOW Aviad, post the correct oil amount!!!! for a small block 289/302.

Thanks,

Pete

Don't know capacity for the 289 version, but my 427 Aviaid variety held 9 quarts in the pan, with a total of 13 in the system with remote oil cooler, remote filter and the lines.

Al

Make sure and inspect it very closely. I had two pin holes in the welds that would seep oil. Both were where the dipstick tube was welded to the pan. I can probably find the pictures if you want.

Other than that, the pan has been very good, I run an average of 15-20 degrees cooler as compared to using a 7 qt. pan.