costpenn

Bought one of the Thorton reproductions for a 72 455 A body (beautiful looking piece). Am replacing the oil pump while I'm at it with the Melling high volume model with the bolt on pick-up screen. When I go to test fit the pan, it doesnt seem to want to go all the way and have the pan flange rest on the block unless I firmly press down on it. I'm worried that there might be some interference going on between the pick up and the pan - anyone else had this problem or this the way it normally should feel/install?

DJS70cutlass

It should sit down flush with little or no pressure, somethings hitting it for sure.

64Rocket

Measure the height of the oil pick up from the pan rail. Then measure the depth of the oil pan to the rails of the pan. That should tell you what is going on.

Gene

507OLDS

It sounds like maybe you have a pickup for an aftermarket pan,which is longer,for a deeper pan.Take your original pump/pickup,and compare it with the new pieces.

Run to Rund

If the engine is stock and you are using the stock reproduction 4 qt. pan (5 qt. total in the system), the high volume pump may not be a good idea. I'd use the standard volume pump with that small a pan.

costpenn

Finally got around to installing the oil pan that I was having trouble with. It wasnt interfering with anything on the motor - I still had trouble test fitting it even without the oil pump being installed. It just needed to be gradually torqued down compressing the end gaskets (which seem to me excessively thick). The Thorton pan is made of heavy gauge steel and the rails remained dead straight as I was torqing it down.