Oil pan

[John Nickell]

My dad got an engine off of e-bay a couple of months ago and we are just now starting to look into the thing. We pulled the oil pan off after seeing a lot of “gunk” on the bottom of the dipstick. It looks like the oil pan was modified as shown in the attached pictures. The metal “shelf” in the oil pan looks as if it were cut with a torch at some point. Does anyone know why this was done or if it is okay to leave the oil pan as is? Thanks for you time looking forward to you answers.

[randroid]

John,

I don't know what it's for but I've had the same question for years and what I've comforted myself with is that it's in there for a reason. Obviously a baffle that WPC installed for some reason, and since they earped-up the added expense I can only think it was a good reason and I'd install something like it (unless you get more knowlegeale advise to the contrary). Thing is, WPC used a bunch of surplus WWII parts on our cars so maybe it doesn't have a purpose for civilian driving. In example, the drain plug on the gas tank of a P-15 was a special "tamper-proof" plug used on military vehicles to prevent the enemy from sneaking in and draining whatever the plug was, well, plugging.

I'm going to follow this thread 'cause I'd like to find out, too.

-Randy

[Jeff.P_46]

Must have been cut to clear the oil pick-up tube, probably torched it so they could drop the pan straight down. I would imagine it is there to keep air from being entrained near the oil pick-up tube and starving the engine of oil.

Jeff

[Guest Nile Limbaugh]

I'm wondering if the engine tossed a rod at once point and the tray was mangled so badly they just cut it out:confused: It's a windage tray to keep the oil under the pickup screen under hard acceleration or when climbing steep hills.

[Allan Faust]

Or maybe they purchased the wrong model oil pickup and had to modify the pan to fit it???

Allan

[bob westphal]

They may have had a big dent in the bottom of the pan and cut out the baffle to pound out the dent?

[John Nickell]

Thanks for all the info. I guess it is hard telling why the cut is there but from your posts I gather it isn't hurting anything. I guess we will findout for sure when we finally run the thing. Thanks again.