383 guys: stock oil pan interference issues?

[Daveo91Burb]

So it was late so I didn't spend much time investigating but i had the pan on, was turning the crank to check TDC on new balancer and I heard a light scraping noise. I think one of the counterweights is hitting the pan somewhere. I googled 383 stroker pan clearance issues and got a lot of hits but also a lot of people saying stock pan should work. Any experience from you guys one way or the other? It's an eagle cast crank, external balance, stock 5.7 rods and stock 350 oil pan from a '90 v2500 burb.

 

[yevgenievich]

Are you sure pan not bent a bit? I just finished working on one that got bent a bit.

 

[gpmorgan]

You probably need a stroker oil pan. Have the oil pan rails on the block been clearanced ?

 

[shiftpro]

Hopefully Dave is only hearing the crank or a rod touching the pan. Could possibly hammer out the sides of the pan just over the gasket rail.

Another critical place to loom out for, the rod nuts touching the side of the block. It can be very imperceptible to hear or feel, specially if the heads are on and the valve lash set.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

Hopefully Dave is only hearing the crank or a rod touching the pan. Could possibly hammer out the sides of the pan just over the gasket rail.

Another critical place to loom out for, the rod nuts touching the side of the block. It can be very imperceptible to hear or feel, specially if the heads are on and the valve lash set.

Thanks for the comments, guys. Pretty sure I found the problem - tiny edge of the one piece fel-pro gasket was interfering with the rear counterweight. A little bit of trimming and I'm not hearing the noise any more, even after installing the pan and tightening some of the bolts enough to get it flush all around. Shiftpro: I've been watching with pan off for what you're talking about and, though it's close, I think I'm good. Thanks!

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[shiftpro]

Right on Dave. Now I want to hear your mill sing as much as you do.

Stroking these old iron blocks is such a bonus imo. And these days, if you know what you want and aren't in a big hurry,
it's not too difficult to find these parts for sale cheap... there's always guys selling broken dreams and unfinished projects.

 

[Guardian]

The pan should not be an issue unless it is bent. The depth of the pan is determined by the clearance issue of the vehicle. The block should be milled for clearance of the rods and that is a known issue with the build you are doing.

 

[Daveo91Burb]

Right on Dave. Now I want to hear your mill sing as much as you do.

Stroking these old iron blocks is such a bonus imo. And these days, if you know what you want and aren't in a big hurry,
it's not too difficult to find these parts for sale cheap... there's always guys selling broken dreams and unfinished projects.

Thanks for the help and kind words. I'm still happy with the decision to go old school and build a 383 instead of an LS. I know LS are way better in many ways, but I just know the SBC and think it'll be a good fit for my burb. Getting excited to finish putting this beast together!

The pan should not be an issue unless it is bent. The depth of the pan is determined by the clearance issue of the vehicle. The block should be milled for clearance of the rods and that is a known issue with the build you are doing.

Thanks - my block was clearanced for 383 conversion by my machinist. The whole rotating ass'y is together now and I'm pretty confident everything is good in that department.