Triumph Sports Cars

engine swaps and other performance upgrades, plus "factory" V8s (Stag and TR8)

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Martin
Martin Stevens

(8 posts)

Registered:
03/27/2008 10:25PM

Main British Car:
1973 TR6 To Be Determined

Oil pan below chassis tolerance
Posted by: Martin
Date: March 27, 2008 10:53PM

Hi Everyone,

I'm attempting to plan out a V8 conversion for my TR6. I haven't decided on an engine yet, but am leaning toward an EFI V8. I've measured a number of different engines at the local salvage yards.

One of my biggest concern so far has been engine height. A lot of the engines seem to be rather tall. I'd really prefer not to cut my hood, though I notice that Ken H. did with his GM V8, as have a number of others.

Way I see it, if the hood is going to fit over the engine, then the engine is going to sit low and the oil pan is going to stick down.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what an acceptable measurement is for an oil pan coming below the chassis?

Thanks to everyone on this site for their pics and info! --Martin


v869tr6
Ed Olson

(81 posts)

Registered:
10/25/2007 09:54PM

Main British Car:
69 TR6 487 CI Pontiac

Re: Oil pan below chassis tolerance
Posted by: v869tr6
Date: March 28, 2008 10:04PM

One way to reduce total engine height would be to set the engine up to run a dry sump system.


cooks 7
Jon Cook
St. Louis, Mo
(28 posts)

Registered:
03/03/2008 02:05PM

Main British Car:
1969 Triumph Gt6 GM Ls1

Re: Oil pan below chassis tolerance
Posted by: cooks 7
Date: April 01, 2008 09:32AM

The main goal in my project was not to cut into the hood which i was able to do, after I got my engine to fit, my oil pan hangs down abot 3/4 inch below the frame rails toward the front of the engine, I think this is perfectly acceptable as it's also pretty much centered with the front wheels so speed bumps and normal even hazards will raise the car before contact, I guess I just have to worry about large rocks and other things small enough to straddle but tall enough to hit, If you are that worried about it, you could rig up some sort of skid plate to protect the pan, it might cost you some ground clearance but save your pan/engine. Dry sumps are awesome but that's a lot of plumbing to fit and expense to handle.
Good luck!


V6 Midget
Bill Young
Kansas City, MO
(1337 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 09:23AM

Main British Car:
'73 MG Midget V6 , '59 MGA I6 2.8 GM, 4.0 Jeep

authors avatar
Re: Oil pan below chassis tolerance
Posted by: V6 Midget
Date: April 01, 2008 10:37AM

Martin, engine centerline height is most usually determined more by the clearance for the transmission than the oil pan or hood. To keep from hacking up the frame too much try to center the transmission well, then set the engine angle and work out the clearances from there. I like to keep the oil pan nearly level with the bottom of the frame, but if you have to drop lower consider bulding a good skid plate to protect the sump. It might jar your teeth if you hit something, but at least you'll still be able to drive home. You didn't say what engine you're planning on using, but on some the intake manifolds may be able to be machined a bit to lower the height and not affect performance too much. A lot of the guys using Ford 302s in MGBs have milled the intake runner assembly for hood clearance as well as some of the guys running the Rover V8s. Start getting into the later GMs with the plastic intakes and there's not much you can do, although most of those are pretty low already.


Martin
Martin Stevens

(8 posts)

Registered:
03/27/2008 10:25PM

Main British Car:
1973 TR6 To Be Determined

Re: Oil pan below chassis tolerance
Posted by: Martin
Date: April 10, 2008 11:45PM

Hi Guys,

I was away for a while and just got a chance to read the replies. Thanks.

I'm still planning, but I can deal with 3/4" below the chassis. You'd really have to straddle something big. The skid plate ideas are a great insurance policy though!


V6 Midget
Bill Young
Kansas City, MO
(1337 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 09:23AM

Main British Car:
'73 MG Midget V6 , '59 MGA I6 2.8 GM, 4.0 Jeep

authors avatar
Re: Oil pan below chassis tolerance
Posted by: V6 Midget
Date: April 11, 2008 02:24PM

Martin, better safe than sorry with the oil pan. My car is an MG Midget which is probably lower than your TR to begin with but I had an occurance a few years ago that made me a beliver in skid plates. I was driving in town when I ran into a section of the road where the road crew had stripped the asphalt ready to repave. I was following another car (not British) and suddenly when he cleared I saw a man hole cover that was standing proud of the road surface by at least 2". Thankfuly the car behind me was far enough back that when I slammed on the brakes he didn't hit me. I went up on the cover and had to reverse off. Fortunately the only damage was a scrape on the front sway bar and front crossemember. If I'd gone another 8" or so I'd have been buying an new oil pan and a tow job. You just never know what you might confront on the road.


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