Howdy once again all!

I've started the buildup on my 74 351W. After several hangups I installed my hi-volume oilpump and pick up. The problem is that my pickup will not work with the doublesump oilpan I have. I've called summit and jegs and they cannot sell me just the pickup I need unless I buy another oilpan. Summit tells me that If I run the stock oilpan with a hi-volume oilpump that I will run it dry on an extended run. So I decided to call ford and they told me that they had no ford guru's that could tell me if that would happen they only deal in stock replacements. That was annoying. So if anyone can help me before I destroy the ford service department.........

 

That is a hard one. Did you buy an aftermarket pan or is it an original? If it is an aftermarket can you go back to the manufacturer of the pan and get a new pickup? You could also get a pickup made if you need to. I do know one thing this is not an area I would be playing with an easy way to riun an engine if it is starving for oil.

 

If you can find a copy of the Ford Motorsport Catalog they have a help line listed. Maybe you can get a better answer there.

I have the Motorsport oil pan that is used when you install a 351W into a Mustang.

Chuck

 

If it is a stock double sump pan, I would run the stock pickup. As I remember, the pickup only goes into the larger of the sumps. That pickup ought to be available still.

 

Happy,

I'm not a "professional" engine builder as such, but have built 100+ engines, mostly for street & drag racing, as well as a few circle track engines, so take this for what it's worth (hey, it's free!). A couple of things to consider...

1) Per your question, "Will the pump run the pan dry?", I don't think you will get a definitive answer, to be honest. You need to know the flow rate of the pump (which many so-called "high volume" pumps don't list). Beyond that, you need to know the return flow rate to the pan, which is almost impossible to calculate for a amateur; also, the rate will be reduced from a stationary engine as opposed to one installed in a moving vehicle. Even if you do the standard tricks to increase oil return to the sump, depending on the pump, bearing clearances, upper-end oil requirements (for ex. does the engine use solid lifters? Roller rockers? Does it have special valve spring cooling requirements? Etc., etc., etc.), intended use of the engine, & so forth, the odds are reasonably high that you may indeed run the pan dry, or low enough to cause oil starvation while cornering. Most engine builders wouldn't commit themselves to giving you a definitive answer.

2) All that being said, this is why most pan manufacturers specify a particular pickup, and frequently a particular pump as well. As Scot mentioned, likely you could get a stock pickup for your existing pan (I'm assuming it's a stock Ford) and it might even be the same diameter as your HV pickup (although it may not flow as well, depending on length, bends, etc.). However, there's no guarantee that the pump won't empty the pan.

3) My opinion, which will likely be shot to pieces, is that HV pumps are WAAAAY overrated & overused for many (NOT ALL) applications. Many times in the past, engine builders would open up the rod/main clearances in the belief that it would help keep engines together; to be fair, motor oils were not as good as they are now. So with the wide clearances, guys would run 50 or 60 weight oil (or 20W50, later on) to keep the pressure up, & a HV pump to feed these massive internal leaks. Nowadays, NASCAR engine builders run very tight clearances & 5W30 oil, & if this isn't one of the toughest environments for an engine, what is? Not trying to lecture you, just suggesting that maybe you don't really need anything more than the stock setup for a street vehicle. However, if you want or need to keep the HV pump, I think you will probably have to bite the bullet & get a better pan & pickup. The alternative would be to try & determine if the pump will run the stock pan dry....difficult, & possibly fatal, depending. If you are going to test it by actual experiment, I'd suggest running the oil level 1 quart high during the experiment time only, for a little extra margin.

Lastly, if possible, you might check with the manufacturer of the pump, although my guess is that they will play it safe & recommend a bigger pan.

Incidentally, I've used stock pumps for years for drag racing & street...never had an oil system-related failure. I do always use new, completely checked & properly clearanced pumps, aftermarker HD drives, and reworked pickups (welding slag cleaned out & screens/baffles inspected). Hope this helps.....