How to Choose a Replacement Oil Pan for Your Vehicle
As much as most enthusiasts gravitate toward engine upgrades that offer instant results, all the output in the world is meaningless if its not reliable. An oil pan, being the lifeblood of an internal combustion engine, its important for it to be up to the task, otherwise, the chances of mechanical failure go up astronomically. The Cummins brand offers a number of options to fit multiple vehicle brands and types.
What Are the Factors to Consider When Selecting an Oil Pan?
- What type of engine and what brand block: Aftermarket blocks or blocks that weren’t originally part of your vehicle’s applications may contain different provisions than the OEM block it’s replacing. Knowing the specific details of the block you’re using for the build is a critical factor.
- What kind of car is the engine going in: Before you order a pan, you should find out what kind of car the engine is going in and does it have any abnormal chassis constraints. There is quite a number of aftermarket front ends out there all of which have different clearances that need accounting for. A pan that will fit a lifted four-wheel drive truck may not be ideal for a street car with lowered suspension and minimal ground clearance.
- What are you using it for: Oil pans are as specific to the application as the type of driving that the car will be doing. Each one is for a specific type of car or truck. However, there are some engine oil pans that cross in between.
- Stroke Clearance: Oil control is important to both engine life as well as power output maximization by reducing parasitic loss through windage. Cummins pans set up using good features, and some of those features separate the crank from the oil in the pan, so stroke clearance is important to consider.
How Can I Replace an Oil Pan Gasket?
Gaskets are what keep the oil from leaking out of your vehicle. To ensure that you have the correct engine oil levels (confirm using a dipstick), always check the gaskets.
- Raise the car using a floor jack: Use the correct lifting capacity for your car.
- Drain the oil: First, remove the oil filters then and then remove release the drain plug. Check the oil if it has fuel, diesel or gasoline, fuel dilutes the oil, ensure that your injectors are working properly.
- Remove the oil pan: Remove the oil pan bolts, leaving one at each corner loosely in place. Be careful not to damage the oil pan pickup tube.
- Install the new gasket: Remove the old gasket parts from the pan and install the new gasket. Reinstall the pan and then refill it with oil.
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