flathead oil pan differences...

[Randy]

I'm replacing the oil pan on the '40 flattie in my '33. The one I removed, which is unuseable, had a baffle about mid-pan, just in front of the oil pickup.

I had several extra pans, none of which are exactly the same. I had a spare '40 engine that is bad, so I took the pan off of it and it is different as well. It looks like the same pan, but does not have the baffle.

I guess that baffle helps hold oil around the oil pump pickup. I'm thinking about drilling the spot welds out on the destroyed pan and welding it into this pan. Is that worth doing?

I have an extra 59AB pan and it does not have the baffle either.

It seems like the baffle makes good sense, why would they have left it off the later pans that I have? Is it a body style difference? Any ideas?

Thanks, Randy

 

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

I've built alot of those early engines with the baffel. I use the M-19 oil pump and the truck pickup. The baffel is right in the way. I just cut it out. Unless it a stock car engine I wouldn't worry about it. Walt

 

[ford1]

the baffel is there to keep the oil from surging out of the sump and and hold it there so the pump wont suck air on quick stops or going down long steep hills, its added insurance for long engine life, its worth installing, i all ways use one, but what the heck , im old