HAVE QUESTIONS? WE GOT YOU.

Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions page, where we provide quick answers to common inquiries about our car parts, ordering process, shipping, and warranty policies. Whether you’re a mechanic, auto shop, or DIY enthusiast, you’ll find the information you need to keep your project moving smoothly.

What stroke will our pans clear?

All of our steel oil pans will clear a 4 1/8” stroke, depending on which rods are being used. We suggest to turn the motor over by hand to check for any interferrence.
What front oil pan seal does your pan use with the timing cover?

All our steel pans use the thick front seal. Our aluminum pans use silicone seals.
What should the clearance be between the pan and the oil pickup?

You can calculate the clearance by measuring the internal pan depth and measuring the distance from the block's pan rails to pickup bottom. The difference between the two measurements will provide the pickup to pan clearance. Gaskets will add some additional clearance. We recommend clearances for all our pans to be 1/2" - 5/8" depending on the thickness of the gasket used. Without the gasket, it should be around 3/8" off the bottom.
Why use a louvered windage tray?

Windage trays are louvered to reduce windage horsepower loss and to provide quicker drainback for oil thrown from crankshaft at high rpm. The louvered design allows oil thrown from rotating assembly to drain into sump without splashing back.
What is the drain plug size?

Our drain plugs use a 1/2-20.
What is the bigger hole on top of our kickout oil pans?

The bigger hole is for an oil temperature sending unit. It is a 1/2" NPT.
What gasket do you recommend?

All of our steel Small Block Chevrolet oil pans use the thick front seal gasket.

We recommend the following gaskets:

SBC 1957-1979 two piece rear main seal with left side dipstick: Fel-Pro 1803

SBC 1979-1985 two piece rear main seal with right side dipstick: Fel-Pro 1818

SBC 1986-2003 one piece rear main seal with right side dipstick : Fel-Pro 1886

Chevrolet LS1: Fel-Pro OS 30693 R

BBC Mark IV: Fel-Pro OS 30061-C-1

BBC Gen V and V1: Cometic C15077 for non-stroker engine or Cometic OP536-SP1 for stroker engine (need to call Cometic directly at 440-354-0777)

For all of our aluminum oil pans, we suggest you use RTV silicone in black or gray.
What studs would you recommend to use on your fabricated aluminum valve covers?

We recommend using:

- 1/4"-20 x 1-1/2" Hex Drive Cup Point Grade 18-8 Stainless Steel Socket Set Screw (Fastenal # 73264)

- 1/4"-20 Zinc Non-serrated Flange Nut (Fastenal # 11649-07122)
How much oil do I need?

All of our oil pan capacities are listed using a 1 quart filter. For example, if it says 8 quarts with filter, you will fill the oil pan up with 7 quarts. Then, check your dipstick. That will be your full line. Add oil to your oil filter. Run the motor. Recheck the dipstick and refill to full line if needed.
How does our pickup attach to the pump?

All of our Small Block Chevrolet and Big Block Chevrolet pickups are pressed and bolted on. Our Small Block Ford, Small Block Mopar and Chevrolet LS pickups are bolted on.

Here is a video of how to install pickup to pump on most applications: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOIhaI3eEog
Can I use your Big Block Chevrolet pickup if I'm using a standard volume pump?

Yes, but you will need to add a washer between the tab on the pickup and pump.
What is the shallowest wet sump oil pan for a SBC you offer?

The shallowest oil pans we offer are 6 1/2" deep as if we go any shallower, the pan will hit pump. We recommend our CP103 or CP106 series for asphalt race cars.
Wet sump vs. dry sump oil pan?

We manufacture both wet sump and dry sump oil pans. You may be wondering which is best for you? Please check out this article which explains the differences and which system would be best for you: https://www.dartheads.com/tech-blog/wet-sump-vs-dry-sump/?srsltid=AU7gw4WpfZc1CzjFoHZapzz_CqxHpHP4tQ1Gpky7-U-zuz23zoHaJEGo
Why use a louvered windage tray?
A louvered windage tray is an aluminum tray installed between the engine's spinning crankshaft and the oil pan sump to block flying oil and reduce internal resistance.

Why should you use a louvered windage tray?
- Reduces Horsepower Loss: At high speeds, the spinning crankshaft whips engine oil into a dense cloud or flings it into the air. The crank has to waste energy fighting through this mist, creating a drag known as windage. A tray blocks this interaction, which can free up real engine power.
- Prevents Oil Aeration: When the crankshaft violently beats against pooled oil, it whips air bubbles into the liquid. If the oil pump sucks in this foamy, aerated oil, it loses hydraulic pressure, which can damage critical engine bearings.
- Keeps Oil Away from the Crank: During hard acceleration, braking, or sharp cornering, oil in the pan sloshes around. The tray acts as a physical shield to keep that surging oil from splashing back up into the rotating counterweights.
- Helps Oil Return to the Sump: The slotted or louvred design catches oil dropping off the crank and safely directs it back down into the pan's bottom reservoir without letting the swirling air turbulence blow it back up.
Steel vs. Aluminum oil pan?
We manufacture both steel and aluminum wet and dry sump oil pans. Below are the differences between the two to help you decide which one you should purchase:
- Steel: Highly durable and bends rather than cracking when hitting road debris. However, it is heavier and prone to rust over time. More affordable than aluminum.
- Aluminum: Lightweight and dissipates heat much better than steel, helping to cool the oil. The downside is that it can crack or shatter upon heavy impact. More expensive than steel.
What do baffled oil pans and trap doors do?

Baffled oil pans manage oil movement just like our louvered windage tray. Our wet sump oil pans use internal walls (baffles) and one-way hinged mechanical trap doors. Under hard cornering, braking, or acceleration, the trap doors swing shut to lock the oil inside a small chamber directly surrounding the oil pump pickup tube, preventing engine starvation.
Why do you use clear zinc plating for your oil pans?

We use clear zinc plating on our most of our steel oil pans because it provides the ultimate balance of sacrificial corrosion protection, high-end aesthetics, and exact dimensional precision. Because oil pans are subjected to brutal environments underneath the vehicle—facing road salt, moisture, and flying debris—bare steel or standard paint simply isn't enough.

Here is why clear zinc is our choice finish for these oil pans:

1. True Sacrificial (Galvanic) Corrosion Protection: Unlike powder coat or paint, which act only as a surface barrier, zinc protects the steel sacrifically. Zinc is more electrochemically active than steel, meaning it will willingly corrode and take the hit on behalf of the underlying metal. Even if a flying rock chips the pan or a bolt scratches the flange during installation, the surrounding zinc will dynamically protect the exposed steel from rusting.

2. High Resistance to Installation Scratching: Barrier coatings like paint or e-coat are prone to chipping when manually handled, torqued down, or bumped into chassis crossmembers during engine installation. Clear zinc electroplating creates a dense, continuous metallic bond that resists abrasion. It won't peel or flake off around the bolt holes when you torque the oil pan fasteners to spec.

3. Precision Fitment and Flat Sealing Rails: Oil pans require incredibly tight tolerances along the mounting rail to prevent leaks. Thick industrial coatings like powder coat or heavy zinc flakes can create uneven, wavy surfaces that compromise the gasket's seal. Clear zinc electroplating is exceptionally thin and uniform (typically measuring only microns thick), ensuring the pan rails stay perfectly flat and seal exactly as engineered.

4. Professional, Clean Aesthetics: The clear conversion passivate layer gives the oil pans a bright, premium silver-white appearance with a subtle, modern blue tint. It gives the product a clean, high-performance look that immediately communicates quality out of the box and matches other polished or metallic engine hardware.

5. Modern Environmental Compliance: Historically, automotive platings relied on hexavalent chromium (which has a distinct gold/yellow hue), but it carries heavy toxic regulations. Our clear zinc utilizes modern trivalent chromium passivation. This ensures the oil pans are fully RoHS and REACH compliant, making them safer to manufacture and environmentally friendly without sacrificing essential protection.
How do you install an oil pan?
Step 1: Due to the welding done on these pans, there is always a slight chance of warping. While our jigs are designed to greatly reduce the warping factor, you may encounter a slight “rocking” effect when laying the pan down. Once the pan is drawn down securely by bolts and the engine is ran, you will find that the pan will set into the straightened position. We have found that an initial “rock” of up to 3/16” on a new pan is completely acceptable.

Step 2: Be sure you are using the correct pickup with your oil pan (many of our oil pans take different pickups depending on the pump used). You need to measure from the block to the top of the pickup. The pickup should be ¼”- ½” off the pan bottom. Example: If the pan measures 7” deep, the pickup should measure between 6 ½” to 6 5/8” from the block to the top of the pickup box.

Step 3: Before final assembly, make sure all parts are thoroughly inspected and cleaned of any foreign debris, such as packing material, paper, stickers, etc. If the oil pan contains hinged trapdoor-style baffles, make sure they operate freely. It is advisable to reassemble the pan using Loc-tite on all nuts and bolts to help prevent them from loosening. Also, you should install the oil pan with the engine upright to ensure no trapdoors will be caught in an open position.

Step 4: Be sure to use OEM quality gaskets or equivalent. We recommend using a FEL-PRO gasket or equivalent for a drip-free installation. After you have installed the gaskets in the usual manner, install the oil pan.

Notes:
- Our Small Block Chevrolet two piece rear main rear pan bolts will measure 5 ¾” center to center and a one piece rear main will measure 6 ½” center to center on the rear bolts.
- Our steel Small Block Chevrolet oil pans use a thick front seal for the pan gasket.
- Our aluminum oil pans use RTV silicone in black or gray or thin side rail gaskets with silicone.
- All standard Small Block Chevrolet blocks measure 8 ½” center of rail, whereas Dart Small Block Chevrolet with spread rail blocks measure 9 ½” center of rail.

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