Engine: Oil pan?

[kmac530]

I am getting very close to my motor going back into Oscar. I got down to cleaning some of the last sheetmetal parts and painting them. I cleaned up my 289 oil pan but it was really bent on the bottom. So I pulled my 232 OP and it had some dents, but not nearly as crushed as the 289 OP.

I cleaned them both and tapped out the dents on the 232 OP. It looks decent and I decided I would use that one since I have the dip stick for that one and not for the 289. The only difference I see is that the 289 pan has a slight rolled groove on the front and rear arcs to help in sealing the curved gasket pieces.

Is that the only difference or is there something else I should also be concerned with?

Then second, I was sanding all down to paint it and the longer, one piece, dipstick tube on the 232 OP has freckles....never seen anything like it. I sanded down the sheetmetal tubing to bare metal and for some reason the steel tubing is covered in splatter of copper.
What would that be for?
Is it just something that randomly happened during assembly line process, or is it there for a reason like stiffening the tube?
It is definately not something that was splattered on there after the fact. It was there under the paint, and there is no piant under the splatter. Just has my curiosity very peaked as to what the reason would be for sprinkling or splattering a dipstick tube with copper would be. An anode of some sort?

[Warren Webb]

At least that copper part wont rust!

I'd use the later 289 oil pan if it was mine. Dents? So what. Nothing a good rosebud tip, hammer & dolly wouldnt cure.

[StudeRich]

Most of the dip stick tubes I have seen were solid Copper. You probably cleaned some of the zink or nickel plate off of it.

The '51 to '55 Oil pans were not used with the '56 and on Oil Pump. If you notice the sump is way longer on your '51, that is because it is a 6 Qt. Pan, the '56 and on are 5 Qt. (always add 1 more full Qt. for the Filter, on any Stude. with the correct Filter.)

[kmac530]

Rich,
So I can use my '51 oil pan and in the process I gain an extra qt. of oil....win/win.

As far as the dipstick tube being all copper, I don't think this one is. It was painted, and I was cleaning off the grease and grime on the pan with mineral spirits and just from rubbing with a rag and spirits the paint started coming off of the tube, the copper is actually small bumps, like welding spatter, or a texturing. The tube is definately a steel tube, I checked it after seeing your post this morning, it is magnetic. The copper is so cool looking, I masked it off when I painted the pan and I am going to clear coat over the tube and leave it expossed, why not? For me hot rods are all about little details, the rare bits in the right places, the right spot of color, a real vintage piece of equipment on it....little things make them interesting for me. A copper freckled oil dipstick tube seems cool to me. I was just curious if there was a reason why they would have done it. Stiffen it? Make it a bit less conductive/more conductive/grounded...

[SN-60]

To: kmac530,----- Yes, definitely a STEEL tube. Could the 'freckles' be soldering splatter where the steel tube is joined to the pan adapter fitting?

[Alan]

Kelly, The early oil pan is 1" shallower and will not fit with your later oil pump and pick up. The early pan will hit the pick up before it seats. You have to use the early pump and floating pick up. The tubes were silver soldered into the threaded bungs, that's where you get the color from. The little dingle berries are from where the solder didn't wet fully.

[kmac530]

Ahhh, thanks Alan and 60. I had not tried to install it yet. That soldiering thought seem perfectly likely as to where the freckles came from. I guess I will be straightening the 289 pan and painting that one. Can I use the one piece dip stick tube on the newer pan? I like teh look of the stick and the tube, but if the pan is shorter then maybe the tube and stick will be the wrong length and give a wrong reading.

[kmac530]

So I went out and checked my pans and pumps. I used a straight edge and tape measure....remember, I am a carpenter and I know how to use a tape and a square...lol, and my 232 pan is deeper than the 289 pan, and yes I compensated for the 289 being dented up, and I am sure I did not push the bottom of the 232 pan out too far, not substantially anyway.
My 289 pan measures about 8-1/2" and my 232 measure a solid 9". Then I went out and measures my oil pumps on both motors and the 289 with the fixed p/u measures right at 7-3/4" at its lowest point and the floating p/u on the 232 measure about 8" at the low setting and about 7" in the lifted position, it sure feels like it will work and that the gaps between pump and pan seem right, but please help me see it correctly if I am wrong.

[Alan]

If your measurements are right, things should fit. Over the years you could find any number of combinations tried, no telling what you might have.

[kmac530]

So my guess that there should be 1/2" to 1" between the pan and the pick up screen and if I am in that area it should be fine, correct?

[Alan]

I like 3/8". Check it with a hunk of clay.

[kmac530]

Good. Thanks for a number to reach for Alan. You are always very helpful.

[SN-60]

To: kmac530,--------- After thinking about this, I believe finding a good '56 up oil pan, (not a rarity), proper dipstick and tube to fit that pan, and using a late oil pump, is probably the best solution. (just My opinion)