Oil Pan / Crank Scraper Question

[Craig Henry]

My question is for my FF Kent engine, but I think it is general enough for the "formula car discursion" thread.

My new to me FF Kent engine came with a Swift oil pan, but it did not fit in my car. Sold it and replaced it with an ARE pan. The Swift pan's mounting surface was machined (notched) the thickness of the crank scrapper to allow it to be flush. Seems like a good idea to help seal the pan to block thus preventing leaks.

Before I duplicate this on the ARE pan, I thought I'd check to see if this is a common practice, and does it help prevent dreaded leaks? Some good ideas never work out as planned...

Thanks in advance for the help.

Craig

[SteveG]

My question is for my FF Kent engine, but I think it is general enough for the "formula car discursion" thread.

My new to me FF Kent engine came with a Swift oil pan, but it did not fit in my car. Sold it and replaced it with an ARE pan. The Swift pan's mounting surface was machined (notched) the thickness of the crank scrapper to allow it to be flush. Seems like a good idea to help seal the pan to block thus preventing leaks.

Before I duplicate this on the ARE pan, I thought I'd check to see if this is a common practice, and does it help prevent dreaded leaks? Some good ideas never work out as planned...

Thanks in advance for the help.

Craig

All Swift pans are load bearing, being connected to the chassis and the suspension. They DO NOT use a pan gasket for a better mechanical coupling to the engine hence the machining. If your car is comparable to the Swift load bearing, machine it, otherwise maybe machining would offer better sealing on the gasket.

Steve

[Roland V. Johnson]

We normally do not use a gasket with an aluminum pan. If you can, mill the slot, use RTV and the cork pieces at both ends. Have a lot less leaks that way.

[EACIII]

I use RTV where the scrapper is and the gasket on the rest of the pan to even things out. I would have milled the slot but I had already located the rear holes where the pan mounts to the transaxle when I thought of it and didn't want to have to redo or enlarge those.

Maybe that is why I had to add a brace under the pan to keep things straight.

Ed