Engine: Help with Oil Pan Interference - small block Chevy in 62 Lark

[Dougie]

I have discovered that the center steering arm hits the driver's side front of the oil pan on the 327 Chevy I am installing in my 62 Lark. I am using Chevybaker frame mounts and stock SBC motor mounts and a stock oil pan. I added 3/8" shims between the motor mounts and block but now the bolts on the bottom of the motor mount to the frame mount don't line up and would require further elongation to put the bolt in. In addition, I found it still hits at about 3/4 of the way to full turn.

I am now thinking I will have to remove the oil pan to "massage" it into shape. I am concerned about clearance to the crankshaft. Any thoughts, ideas or experiences before I lift the engine and remove the oil pan? Thanks.

[sweetolbob]

Dougie

IIRC there are a couple of iterations of the SBC motor mounts. Take yours to your FLAPS and see if you can't find the ones that mount the engine slightly higher.

The other thing to do is check and be sure the steering arm is as low on the bell crank as it can get. I'd be surprised if this was an issue as the pinch bolt locates the arm.

Other than that, I'm out of thoughts.

Bob

[Dougie]

If the part of the steering arm that rises upward were only about an inch or so further out it wouldn't be an issue.

[53hardtop]

Do you have a picture? I am not an expert by any means, but I put a 350 in my 53 and none of the steering is anywhere near the oil pan. It took some figuring to make the steering and the exhaust get along, but no problems with the oil pan. I am just having a hard time picturing where your interence is and I do want to help.

[Dougie]

I'll take one tonight and post it.

[Dick Steinkamp]

There are several SBC oil pans. I couldn't tell you which one works, but I know I had to try 2 on the Chevy in my 63 Daytona. The interference for me was in the front of the pan with the bell crank.

[Dougie]

That is exactly where it is. If there is another pan that works, it means it has to come off anyways. So I think I'll pull it and see if I can't massage it a little. It doesnt need much. If that doesn't work I'll look for a different one. I don't want to use higher mounts because it will screw up my driveline angle whihc I just set because I can't raise the trans to match becsue it's tight with the Hurst linkage.

[candbstudebakers]

Studebaker put the SBC in the 65-66 cars and had not problem hitting the steering but did us a special pan because they came with only single exhaust and had a cross over pipe so the pan was flatter up front where the pipe crossed, mount must be wrong or the frame supports are in the wrong place.

[53hardtop]

There are several SBC oil pans. I couldn't tell you which one works, but I know I had to try 2 on the Chevy in my 63 Daytona. The interference for me was in the front of the pan with the bell crank.

If it helps, my 350 is a 1990 2 bolt main from a Chevy Van. The oil pan is very shallow at the front. Basically the front half is only a few inches deep. I don't have any pictures, but it looks something like the one shown here:

http://www.jegs.com/i/Spectre/865/5503/10002/-1

[Dougie]

If it helps, my 350 is a 1990 2 bolt main from a Chevy Van. The oil pan is very shallow at the front. Basically the front half is only a few inches deep. I don't have any pictures, but it looks something like the one shown here:

http://www.jegs.com/i/Spectre/865/5503/10002/-1

I think that's the same pan I have. It's fine under the pan wherer the steering arm mounts to the frame. The interference is at 3/4 turn when the arm goes back toward the engine. It hits the side of the pan near the front bottom. I have the right frame mounts in the right place and I am using stock motor mounts. I think a little tweaking (maybe 1/2") to the side of the pan will do it, but I need to remove it to be sure how much space there is to the crank and do a good job. Too hard to work on it when it's in car.

[53hardtop]

I think that's the same pan I have. It's fine under the pan wherer the steering arm mounts to the frame. The interference is at 3/4 turn when the arm goes back toward the engine. It hits the side of the pan near the front bottom. I have the right frame mounts in the right place and I am using stock motor mounts. I think a little tweaking (maybe 1/2") to the side of the pan will do it, but I need to remove it to be sure how much space there is to the crank and do a good job. Too hard to work on it when it's in car.

I still don't get where the interference is. These shots were during setup on my 53 w/ 350. No pan clearance issues. Motor is shifted about 1/2 inch to passenger side. Your motor must sit alot lower than mine.
Is it possible you put something together wrong on the steering? Should look something like this. You don't have power steering do you?

[1962larksedan]

Weird. I too have a SBC 350 in my 1962 Lark and the pan seems to clear nicely. Maybe since it was out of a 1974 Chevelle? I did use 1965 Chevy Impala 283 motor mounts with 1965-66 pedestals (thanks Vern! )

[sweetolbob]

Weird. I too have a SBC 350 in my 1962 Lark and the pan seems to clear nicely. Maybe since it was out of a 1974 Chevelle? I did use 1965 Chevy Impala 283 motor mounts with 1965-66 pedestals (thanks Vern! )

Dougie

Here are a couple of shots of my SBC in an 83 Avanti. As you know, the Avanti used a Lark frame. I'm posting these to be sure we are discussing the same thing. As 62LS said above, if this is your setup it should fit.

Engine mounting.



Here is a shot of an oil pan that fits. For reference the harmonic balancer is an 8" unit.



I went with a small crank pulley to be sure I could replace the fan belt on the road as it comes close to the top of the bellcrank.

Bob

[Dick Steinkamp]

Here's the Chevy in my '63. Looks just like Bob's.





(BTW, there is a fuel pump block off plate in the top pic, but I ended up running a stock Chevy Truck pump)

[candbstudebakers]

Here's the Chevy in my '63. Looks just like Bob's.





(BTW, there is a fuel pump block off plate in the top pic, but I ended up running a stock Chevy Truck pump)

Dick did you have to drill the holes for the mounts? or were the holes already there? my 64 has a set of holes up higher than the stock Studebaker ones , maybe Studebaker know well advance that the last cars would be having the SBC engine and drilled them for either , about ready to pull the old stock ones and clean the lower area, all the sheet metal has been blasted and worked and primed ready to move ahead, my trunk came out super was a Daytona trunk but I removed all chrome except the block letters, also getting rid of all the side trim and of course it will have the single head lights like the 66's, my version of what they should have built in 66 and beyond.