Engine Splash Pans

J

johnsor

Senior Member
I am removing my steering gear for rebuilding from out through the bottom but will have to also remove the left side splash pan to do so then re-install. Gets me to wondering, are these splash pans worth the trouble? Should I bother re-installing it again? I know they might be somewhat functional in keeping the engine cleaner and providing an electrical ground path, but many "A" don't have them. Any comments?
 
The answer is "yes" to both of your questions. They help keep the engine compartment cooler.
 
If you remove the pedals,you can remove the column from the top & leave the splash pan in place.6 of 1, 1/2 dozen of the other I suppose.
 
Sounds like more work to get the pedals out than just popping off the splash pans. I run them on customer cars but have never had them on my car. Never really noticed a difference.
 
I posted this justification for engine pans in the past but will redo again to remind everyone that there is a value to them.

Believe it was in 1994 when we were coming home from the MAFCA meet in Tacoma we were traveling between Idaho Falls and Arco, ID when we got into a torrential rain storm. The asphalt pavement had deep grooves from the truck traffic in the hot summers there and they accumulated water which wouldn't run off. One of the cars, a '29 RPU started in missing and stumbling but would always clear up for a few minutes. Since it was raining so hard we decided not to stop and wait until we got out of the storm. After 10-15 miles we did and ended up stopping near Arco. The car didn't have engine pans and there was water on the distributor and throughout the engine compartment leading us to believe that the water splashing up from the wheels was causing the missing, etc. The other two cars had engine pans and never missed a beat. Once we got out of the rain the RPU ran flawlessly the rest of the way home. So I am a fan of engine pans for this reason and the others expressed here!
 
To make installation easier, you could run a 5/16" tap in the holes in the frame without even drilling them! Then use the 5/16" x 1/2" bolt and you can do it yourself..
 
I removed a seven tooth gear from a 29 roadster thru the engine compartment without removing the splash pan. I did by following the directions given in Les Andrews book with a modification.

Les said to remove the steering wheel, floorboards, and starter. I also removed the horn. In the case of the horn, don't unhook the wire, just stand the horn on end behind the radiator. Then pull the gear up and forward while letting the column drop down onto (nearly) the pedals. There is a triangular area formed by the headlight bar, the radiator, and the fender. Pull the gear through this triangle. My wife was inside the car to guide the column. She also had to slightly press the brake pedal so the throttle rod would clear. After the column clears the cowl, you can back the gear out of the triangle and remove the unit over the fender. Replacement is the reverse.
 
The item not mentioned regarding the need for the engine pans is the electrical connection they make for the ignition system. Remember the engine mounts are sitting on rubber and springs. If you remove the pans it is best to run a heavy wire from the block to the frame to restore the ground.
 
Depends on what Model A model you have. I pulled the column out from the inside of my 29' Tudor without taking the pedals off.
 
Jeff/Illinois said:
......of the '30 to see if the head lites are even ON. Both cars running 32/32 CP bulbs....
That has made a believer out of me for splash pans!! I'm sure the '28 is grounded a lot better than the '30 with 'em.
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Hey Jeff why are are you grounding your headlights only through the engine? Do you only have a ground cable from battery to engine and then a cable from engine to chassis? Surely it's more reliable to ground the battery to chassis and then also ground the engine to chassis.
Just to be perverse I run my Tudor without pans and my Phaeton with. the Tudor engine bay isn't any muckier than the Phaeton. Never had a problem with water drowning the ignition without pans. Pans do save me crawling under the car when I drop a wrench. Make sure you have a good ground whether you go for pans or not.
 
I'm a little leary of exactly what kind of a ground you can get with engine pans. Mine are powder coated and thusly would provide insulation to ground anyway. I do have the engine grounded thru a cable fastened to the frame on one end and the transmission on the other end. I have only had the pans on the engine for about an hour's worth of running, so can't really attest to anything one way or another. I only put them on because I had them, and they look good once on. They are a PITA when working on the engine, probably the reason why they weren't there when I bought the PU 3 years ago.
 
Jeff/Illinois said:
That, plus our '28 has engine splash pans the '30 does not. The headlights on the '28 will burn your retinas out, those buggers are BRIGHT, has original silvered reflectors (as do both cars) . The headlites on the '30 are so dim at night you can't see squat!! You literally have to walk out in front of the '30 to see if the head lites are even ON. Both cars running 32/32 CP bulbs.

That has made a believer out of me for splash pans!! I'm sure the '28 is grounded a lot better than the '30 with 'em.
Click to expand...

:confused::confused::eek::confused::confused:

definitely use the engine pans for many reasons,,, but have yet to see a difference in headlight intensity from not using them. headlights are grounded through the frame via battery
 
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