engine pans?

[Napa Skip]

I run engine pans; (a) they came with the car originally, (b) they appear to help with the cooling, and (c) if I took them off I'd just have to find a place to store them

A little off-topic: some time ago there was a Tiny Tip in either The Restorer or The Model A News mentioning that - for the non-purist - the frame mounting holes could be tapped for 5/16" bolts, making engine pan removal (for those of us who work solo and don't have really long arms) easier. I do. I did. It works.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Napa Skip

...A little off-topic: some time ago there was a Tiny Tip in either The Restorer or The Model A News mentioning that - for the non-purist - the frame mounting holes could be tapped for 5/16" bolts, making engine pan removal (for those of us who work solo and don't have really long arms) easier. I do. I did. It works.

I tapped the holes the same as the pan bolts, works like a charm.

[ericr]

I hear what everyone is saying, but my only question is, why were so many of them discarded off cars over the years?

[1crosscut]

Originally Posted by ericr

I hear what everyone is saying, but my only question is, why were so many of them discarded off cars over the years?

Once taken off they are a pain for one person to put back on.

[SeaSlugs]

plus from what ive heard is ya gotta remember the roads back then were mainly rock and mud. im sure they got banged up alot. and yea they usually got in the way for repairs. its kinda like bothering to put the hubcap/centercap back on your spare tire rim after you just got done changing it on the side of the road. throw the flat tire, wrench, jack and hubcap in the trunk and go to wherever you were going. im sure after getting annoyed the pans were there after a few roadside fixes and seem to just get in the way, in the backseat and eventually scrap pile they went

[Purdy Swoft]

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I've never found one with the engine pans still in place.

[Skeezixx]

With them you don't have to reach as far for a dropped wrench or nut/bolt.

[jr-41ford]

Two weeks ago, I removed the 4-blade fan and installed a new 2-blade aluminum fan. Afterwards, I installed a set of reproduction splash pans on my 1928 Tudor.

The splash pans were very easy to put on by myself, I did put duct tape on the bolt heads before I raised it upon the lift to install the pans.

I've never had any temperature problems with the Tudor, but I do notice the engine fumes are now completely gone.

[Mafman]

I also have the original pans, as they were on my Tudor when I bought it 33 years ago. I agree that they do seem to help with the cooling, as I've had other Model As over the years that didn't and they did seem to run hotter under similar conditions.

And similar pans were used into the '30s and '40s, at least on the V8s. I have the pans for my '39 Deluxe as well.

[lookin-backtexas]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

I've never found one with the engine pans still in place.

My '30 Tudor Sedan still had them on it when I bought it in 1972 and my '31 AA Stakebed had them on it when I bought it in 1982.

Fred

[Tom Endy]

Originally Posted by ericr

I hear what everyone is saying, but my only question is, why were so many of them discarded off cars over the years?

A lot of them were removed by small shops that did not want to spend the time and effort to re-install them. They probably figured the owner would never know the difference. I have a feeling a lot of shock dog-bones showed up on cars for the same reason. The mechanic did not want to spend time and effort replacing the original shock links.

Most suppliers carry engine pans that have been powder coated. I am not a fan of powder coating, but this is an area where it makes sense. There is no way you will keep fuel off the right side pan.

Most reproduction pans will eventually break at the two tabs on each side that bolt to the oil pan. You will know it when it happens. A loud resonating vibration sound will occur when the engine is spooling down.

I made up a stepped bracket for a number of installations. You need four. The step over laps the tabs and gives greater support. If you know someone with a mill they can make them in one piece. Otherwise fashion them out of 1\8" aluminum and screw two pieces together for each bracket. You will need a longer engine pan bolt to accommodate the bracket

Tom Endy

[montanajohn]

Tom -- Can you provide photos, or a sketch, or maybe a more detailed verbal description? I just finished threading the frame holes for 5/16 NF bolts, and am wondering about the tabs and bolts on the engine side. Thinking maybe washers inserted to level-out the tabs to engine indent, but that was never "factory," I'm sure.

[Tom Endy]

Originally Posted by montanajohn

Tom -- Can you provide photos, or a sketch, or maybe a more detailed verbal description? I just finished threading the frame holes for 5/16 NF bolts, and am wondering about the tabs and bolts on the engine side. Thinking maybe washers inserted to level-out the tabs to engine indent, but that was never "factory," I'm sure.

The photo is shot from the bottom, the two screws hold the step piece in place. I glued some thin cork on the upper surfaces to give it some padding. There is nothing magic about the dimensions. The trick is to have the bracket over ride the tabs and provide some added length. the step is needed because there is an off set. The aluminum is 1\8" thick. You will need pan bolts 1\4" longer.

I added the brackets after the tabs broke off.

Tom Endy

[Bruce,Upstate NY]

I the '60s I had a '29 leatherback with 30,000 + miles. It had pans with square nuts on the bottom, each with a cotter pin. Smoothest engine I ever had.

[Pat Martone]

My engine pan tabs were broken too, so I made a similar mod to what Tom Endy did, but his fix is more professional and elegant than mine. I bought large "fender washers" at a hardware store, then cut off a bit off of opposing sides so that I now had "oblong" or rectangular washers, and used those to span or cover the broken tabs. I won't supply a photo, because my home made oblong washers are not pretty, but they are effective.

[Bob-A]

Pans?!? I love pans, both my Model-A's have engine pans, plus the '29 Chevy too. And, I even have an extra set of "A" pans that somebody long ago "chrome" plated! Why I even ride a PANhead Harley-Davidson.........

Sorry, to much caffeine this morning I guess...

Bob-A

[Ron/IA]

Tom - Are the two screws drilled and tapped into the engine pan? Also, is it necessary to use the two screws?

The reason I asked is the gentleman who used the fender washers I am guessing did not use two screws to hold the step piece.

Ron/IA

[bhiland]

The tabs are broke on 1 that I got. Thanks for some ideas.