Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

[Mike Yager]

I am trying to install a new oli pan in my '64 327/300. I ordered a new pan from LICS to replace the well worn pan in the car. I dropped the idler arm for clearance and was able to remove the old pan. The problem is that I cannot seem to get the new pan in place. The internal metal portion near the bottom of the pan keeps getting hung up on the oil pick-up. If I pull the pan forward to clear the oil pick-up, the back of the pan gets hung up on the rear portion of the pick up.

Is there a trick to installing the pan? I am so close to getting it in put do not seem to have quite enough clearance.

Thanks.

Mike

[Loren L.]

Is this an actual Duplicate of

the original pan or one of Chevy's this "will cover the hole" pieces?

[Joe L.]

Re: Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

Mike-----

I don't know what LICS is currently selling as a replacement. The original oil pan, GM #3820000, and it's 1975-era replacement, GM #360866, are both discontinued and difficult/expensive to find NOS. If your original pan is configurd differently than the replacement (e.g. the depth and configuration of the rear sump is different and/or the oil drain is on the rea of your original and on the side of the replacement), then you will likely have to change your oil pick-up screen to use the new pan. If the new pan is identical to the old, then the pick-up should not need to be replaced.

Please advise as to the configurations of your old and new pans and I may be able to tell you what you need.

[Mike Yager]

Re: Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

Joe and Loren:

Thanks for your quick response. The oil pan that was on the car was I believe the older style oil pan with the drain hole at the bottom. It is my understanding that this was incorrect for my car.

The oil pan from LICS has the drain hole on the side. It is listed in their on-line catalog under section 38, if that helps. The old pan was a very tight fit under the steering linkage. It was not easy taking it out. In fact it appeared that someone may have put a depreesion in it to make it fit.

The new pan appears to have better clearance under the suspension. I do not know who manufactured it but it did come with a GM gasket set. The fact that the styles are different could explain the problems clearing the oil pick up.

Any help you can give regarding the correct oil pick-up is appreciated as I don't see how this pan can go on.

Mike

[Joe L.]

Re: Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

Mike----

If you have a pan with the drain hole on the bottom, then you have a C1 style pan. Usually, these pans will have a "three level" sump. They are incorrect for any C2 or later. It may have value to a C1 restorer IF it's a Corvette pan. Some early passenger car pans also had the bottom drain.

The pan that you have is likley GM #465221. This is the 75-79 L-48 pan. It will fit perfectly on your car, though, and function just fine, although it's not "correct". Likely, the oil pan gasket set that came with the pan is GM #14079399.

To use the above-referenced pan, you will need to change the oil pick-up screen to a GM #3855152 which is still available from your GM dealer. Many auto parts stores will carry an aftermarket version of this screen. If you wish to go this route, just ask them for a 75-79 Corvette pick-up screen and you'll get what you need. These screens were also used on many passenger car pans, so they're quite common.

For an accurate oil dipstick reading, you will have to do one of 2 things:

1) recalibrate your existing dipstick. To do this, fill with 4 quarts of oil after installing a new filter. Run the engine for a few minutes and shut down. Let it sit for an hour, or so, and then note the dipstick oil level. Use a chisel to mark this spot on the dipstick. This is the "1 quart low point". Then, add a quart of oil and let it sit for an hour, or so. Note the dipstick oil level and mark this point as the "full" level. You're done;

2) install new upper dipstick tube GM #3876870 and use dipstick GM #3951576. This set-up, with the pan you likely have, will give an accurate reading, as-is.

[Mike Yager]

Re: Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

Joe:

Thanks. You are a lifesaver on this. I spent a lot of time fooling with this trying to get it to fit. I will get the parts and finish it up. Even though the pan is not correct it does provide better clearance to the suspension and the side drain is easier to use.

Thanks.

Mike

[Craig S.]

Re: Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

Joe - LI was selling the 360866 pan about 2 years ago...I bought one (they had magic markered out the number, but I could still see it. They left the GM logo on the box. But, they may be out now...Craig

[Joe L.]

Re: Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

Craig-----

If Mike's new pan has a side oil drain, then it certainly couldn't be a 360866.

[Craig S.]

Re: Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

Joe - you are right, I wasn't reading carefully enough. Sometimes they offered replacement and GM correct, I don't recall if this was the case here or not...I believe when I bought mine, it was shortly after GM discontinued it...Craig

[Mike Yager]

Re: Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

Joe:

Just an update. My local parts store had the oil-pick up in stock and bought one yesterday. They did not have the dipstick tube and dipstick. I will probably replace the dipstick at another time. I am assuming this can be done without removing the pan? I put it in the new oil pick-up and the pan went in easily.

The old oil pick-up was actually spot welded in which I am assuming is not the correct method of installation. I hit it once with an air chisel and it came right out. It looked like someone had spot welded it because it was a little too small. I guess its what someone had laying around at the time. Other evidence of this is the metric-size heads on some of the bolts I ran into any.

Anyway, got it all put back together yesterday.

Thanks again for your help.

Mike

[Joe L.]

Re: Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

Mike----

Sometimes, folks tack-weld the pick-up tube to the pump body for "insurance" purposes. It's not a bad idea, either. However, it's no substitute for the proper interference fit of the tube into the pump cover. Sometimes folks ruin the interference fit by clumsy and inept attempts to install the tube into the pump. Or, they attempt to remove and re-use one of the tubes. The pick-up tubes are a "1 shot" sort of thing; once installed, the interference fit is "used up" and the tube cannot be removed and re-installed. In that case, tack welding is mandatory if the tube is to stay in place.

I figured that the auto parts store would have the pick-up screen you needed. If you had needed the screen originally used for 63-74 Corvette small blocks, they probably wouldn't have had it. That screen was unique to 63-74 Corvette small blocks and I doubt that many parts stores stock it. However, the 75-79 Corvette small block screen is the same as that used on many passenger car applications from the mid 60s onward. So, it's quite common; I'd be surprised if a parts store didn't carry it.

The tube and dipstick are not usually parts store items (except for "generic" types). You'll need to get them from a GM dealer. It is usually easier to remove the upper tube with the pan off. That way, you just tap on the lower dipstick tube and it pushes the upper tube out. However, the upper tube can usually be removed even with the pan installed.

I'd suggest trying the recalibration method I described, first. Upper dipstick tube replacement can be frustrating.

[Joe L.]

Addendum

I forgot to mention, metric-size cover bolts are used on all replacement GM small block oil pumps for the last 10-15 years. Many aftermarket pumps use them, too.

[Mike Yager]

Re: Need help '64 327/300 Oil Pan installation

Joe:

Yes I did recalibrate the dipstick. I put in four quarts, let the car sit over night and then checked the measurement. The measurement appears to be off by about a half a quart. At four quarts it measures halfway between the One quart low and Full level. At five quarts it looks to be about a half quart above the full mark.

The new dipstick will be a project for another day.