Oil Pan baffles - help

[Bryan]

I tried to use the search engine but get muffler baffles, I'm baffled, etc.   The oil pan from my D24 48 Dodge engine has baffles, but the 1953 D46 block that I bought has an oil pan without baffles.  No weld marks I can tell of. Did Dodge stop doing this?   Another less important item, the D24 pan has slots cut out at the front and back where the seal lips go. The front slot shows up on engine diagrams. Don't know about the rear. They look rough.  Bryan

[FarmerJon]

The baffles are likely spot welded in. Untill the pan is clean, they can be difficult to see. Didn't you say your D24 engine was rebuilt or replaced at some point? 

Who knows if pan was swapped or modified at that time. I had assumed that all the stock pans were just wide open. Baffles are better. 

 

If years are correct, I wonder if they were dropped to increase profit on a aging motor, especially as the new Hemis became the performance option. 

As far as the slots, I would think they were intended to help oil drain back away from the crank seals.

If I get my car on the lift this weekend, I hope to drop the pan and will take a picture.

[Bryan]

9 minutes ago, FarmerJon said:

The baffles are likely spot welded in. Until the pan is clean, they can be difficult to see.

Here's a picture of the other pan off the D46. Doesn't have baffles. I would prefer to not have them so I can be sure no hidden grit is under them, but just being careful.

[Bryan]

Anyone?   Or am I still in exile?

[Young Ed]

I've seen them both ways too. Personally I'd use the baffle pan after thoroughly cleaning. 

[Sniper]

I think the baffles and the floating pickup was used for the same reason, crappy roads.  The thought was to keep the oil around the pickup.  As the roads improved, the baffles went away.  JMHO

[FarmerJon]

I wonder if early hemi pans have baffles?

[Cannuck]

Don't forget to clean the pickup pan while you have it apart. I for one didn't know to do it until I read it on this forum.

[Booger]

the baffle thing had me baffled. But a clean pan is a happy motor (Ive never seen it before)

[Dodgeb4ya]

On 1/27/2022 at 10:38 AM, FarmerJon said:

I wonder if early hemi pans have baffles?

1951-52 Hemi's were not baffled.

1953-54 were baffled.

[Dartgame]

Hot rodders will often add baffles to help control oil from slopping out of the sump when braking etc. I'd use the baffled pan before a non-baffled pan.

[FarmerJon]

I didn't get a chance to pull my oil pan today, but did see the sides of the pan have dimples where it is welded in. Also my service manual has a picture of a pan that has baffles.

[Bryan]

If the baffles aren't welded at the bottom, I might pry them up a little with a wedge, clean out from under them, and tap them back down.

[thebeebe5]

Bryan,

 

When I drilled the spot welds out to remove the baffles I did find quite a bit of hardened sludge clinging to the undersides.  If you’re handy with a TIG it’s not a bad way to go just to be sure.