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Aluminium Pan

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Bob_Spidell

Bob_Spidell

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Anyone running one? Any noticeable effect on engine cooling?

My old steel pan is getting pretty beat up; considering an Al pan, probably from DW. My concern would be fracturing if I high-centered or hit a rock; anyone had that happen? DW also sells a 'low profile' version; anyone know if that affects capacity?

TIA,
Bob
 
Bob--

If I read it correctly according to this aluminum is more heat conductive than steel:

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html

I have successfully taken some dents out of steel sumps that would probably have caused fractures had they been made of AL.

I doubt there would be a big difference in oil temperature. It would certainly lighten the car a little and your wallet a lot.
 
I would stick to steel . Although the alluminium pans are more heat conducting especially if you use one of the finned ones they are more fragile than steel . Steel is more forgiving if you hit something ....kerb ,protruding rock when driving over a car show field etc . Steel just bends/dents unless you hit something really sharp . Alluminium will crack and be a lot more difficult to repair . Take the old one off beat out the dents braze any weak spots repaint and your good to go . A few dents just add a little Healey Patina to the old girl .

if you install a low profile one how would that affect the oil pump pick up would you need to install a "low profile" oil pump as well ?
 
I've been running aluminum pans first in Alfas then in my Healey for 40 years and have hit rocks a couple of times without cracking the pans. Knocked chips out of some fins, though. Supposedly they also stiffen the crank area of the engine.

They're not that fragile.
 
I was told by more than one person is that they do fracture easily. That's not good because if they get cracked and leak you got a real problem if it happens on the road. I do t think there's a steel oil pan without cents in the bottom of it.
 
Patrick67BJ8 said:
I was told by more than one person is that they do fracture easily. That's not good because if they get cracked and leak you got a real problem if it happens on the road. I do t think there's a steel oil pan without cents in the bottom of it.
Click to expand...

Wonder if any of them actually owned and fractured an aluminum pan.
 
Aluminum is cast and is highly susceptible to fracturing but users with the AL pans seem to not have a chronic problem.

Aluminum is about as conductive thermally as it is electrically when compared to steel.

OH! Bob:
There was a guy and his son on Amazon or E-Bay that restored the metal pans to like new on an exchange basis do not know if they still advertise.
 
Fitted an Aluminium pan a few months ago, mainly because the original was beat up and a suspected crack around the drain plug. Good job I did as found some po had mixed two of the big end caps, so checked clearances and installed new shells and replacement oil pump which I had to modify by taking about 10mm off the pick up tube for the Aluminium pan.
A little difficult to line up and fit a lift or ramp recommended. Slight difference in running temp, but my oil pressure is a lot better now (nothing to do with the pan!) engine seems a bit quieter now but will take heed about comments on grounding out.
 
Personally, I have only seen one (1) Healey engine oil pan that wasn't caved in in the front and/or bottom, that was the NOS one (1) purchased for the 100/6 Longbridge engine I built for the car Jim (aka healey blue) restored.

Even my own car, which has lived a relatively sheltered life since 1986__daily driver up until then__has a dented pan; when in the hoot did that happen?!?! I had straightened and taken all the dents out the last time I went through and replaced the bearings and rings (annually when I was autocrossing it in the 80s). Okay, with 195/65 tires, it rides a little lower than most, but I can't remember hitting anything (except the muffler, all I have to do is take the corner near our house exuberantly to scrape that...).

If it was free, would I put an aluminum sump on my car? Probably not. It would sure look gorgeous fitted to an engine on a stand in the shop though!

:cheers:
 
I run a DW aluminum pan on the race car. I have had no issues. It does have a slightly lower profile than a stock steel pan. Th DW low profile pan is the same pan with the mounting flange just being shaved down. Therefore not worth doing.
 
Keoke said:
OH! Bob:
There was a guy and his son on Amazon or E-Bay that restored the metal pans to like new on an exchange basis do not know if they still advertise.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I recall that too. IIRC, it was the son of Tom (don't recall last name--Monaco, maybe?), the owner of the parts house in the northwest (British Car Parts Northwest, maybe?). He cut the bottom off the pan and welded a new/fabbed one on.
 
Bob_Spidell said:
Yeah, I recall that too. IIRC, it was the son of Tom (don't recall last name--Monaco, maybe?), the owner of the parts house in the northwest (British Car Parts Northwest, maybe?). He cut the bottom off the pan and welded a new/fabbed one on.
Click to expand...

Don't know about the pan repair, but Tom Monaco is the owner of Tom's Import Toys.
 
I have a DW aluminum pan and have worried that it would fracture, but it hasn't. I've unintentionally whacked it pretty good a few times too.
 
Hi Bob, I don't think I would want a cast oil pan on my motor . Steel might get dented and event torn or sliced in an extreme case but cast could break and cause a massive leak quick . Keep the faith and stick with steel .
BobbyR
 
I own a BJ7

I have a DW ali pan fitted along with a high output oil pump - no problems so far and I do not intend to take it into areas where there are huge bolders or up onto kerbs where you can possibly damage the sump.

Having said all that, I found that contrary to expectations I did not have to trim anything off the dip stick and also the sump holds 1 imperial gallon to bring the oil up to the mark on the stick. I originally pushed the 12 pints in after the rebuild but on the oil change and after talking to Bill Rawles and others I dropped back to 8 pints
and I have had no problems to-date.

:cheers:

Bob
 
Bob Hughes said:
I own a BJ7 ...

Having said all that, I found that contrary to expectations I did not have to trim anything off the dip stick and also the sump holds 1 imperial gallon to bring the oil up to the mark on the stick. I originally pushed the 12 pints in after the rebuild but on the oil change and after talking to Bill Rawles and others I dropped back to 8 pints
and I have had no problems to-date.

:cheers:

Bob
Click to expand...

Hmm ... My BJ8--same engine, I believe--takes about 7.5 US quarts to fill to the mark on the dip stick. That's almost 2 US gallons, almost 1.6 imperial gallons or about 15 pints. I don't think I'd be comfortable running on a little more than half that.
 
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