I am getting ready to in istall my freshly rebuilt 396 engine in my 67 SS. I had started to install it a couple weeks back and found that my oil pan was hitting the crossmember. Now I have another oil pan but my oil pickup sits a little higher out of the sump. What is the max distance you can have it from the bottom of the sump.Without it causing a problem? Is 3/4" too much? My pickup tube is welded into the pump too.
Thanks, Gary

Maybe someone else will chime in here, but my "rule of thumb" has been in the 1/8" to 1/4" range - favoring closer.

I also positively verify this using the old PlayDough trick.

I've always shot for 3/8".

I always use a 3/8" nut placed on the high side of the pickup and then very carefully installed my pan w/o a gasket.

Then pulled the pan back off and made sure to REMOVE the nut and then set the pickup solid so it wouldn't move. then finished installing the pan like normal and was done with it!!

pdq67

1/4" to 3/8" is the proper range. :D

so would 3/4" be excessive?

It might be okay, but don't ever run the engine low on oil!

mg,
3/4" is probably pushing it. You would be amazed at how much oil is NOT in the pan, especially during hard running. Just think about how easy it will be to fix it now rather than having to pull it out and fix much more ( $$$$$ ) later.

thanks I agree with that!

i'm with bill, you're lucky if you have more than a quart in the pan when your at speed, hence the popularity of deep sump and hi capacity pans, on the flip side, you might be surprised at the amount of power robbed if your crank has to fight through a pool or even suspended oil particles, windage trays rock...i shoot for a 1/4 inch

what if the clearance is tighter? Like 1/8? My pan is dented at the bottom
(up about an 1/8) Pressure seems to be fine but should install a new pan?

You can always pound the dent out:)

pulling the engine to get the pan off is a PITA!! If I have to go through all that trouble I put on a new pan.. I have a NOS gm pan in my parts cab.