350 engine 4x4 question - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Elvis' Truck · 03-18-2013, 11:21 AM

Long time reader - first time poster. Have gotten lots of great info over the years. Sorry for the long first post.

To make a very long story short - I have just gained possestion of a 70 long bed 4x4. My Dad was restoring it for me and passed away suddenly. It was a daily driver for many years, but has since been disassembled and a slow restoration begun. (I stopped counting after 10 five gallon buckets of parts)After finding most of it's parts (and lots of extras) I have decided to first tackle the mechanical side and just primer it and get running. After I get it in good mechanical shape I will get the body work (not much) done and get it painted this summer. I'm going to haul it home in a few weeks and have a few engine questions first.

It does not have the original 350 - someone has replaced it with one that I was told was from a corvette. Yes, I ran the VIN and it came with a 350. It has a nice Eldebrock intake and carb and does not smoke much, considering it has set for a couple of years. Fires right up.

The problem: The oil pan sits on the front crossmember. It's shaped a little different than a regular oil pan. The front of the oil pan is a little thicker, so there is no clearance. The previous owner ran it like this for years, but it is wearing through. It also has a fair amount of JB weld on the back and needs replaced. It's not deep in the rear like a high capacity pan - the whole pan is a little thicker. I have a normal 350 pan to replace it that is in my large pile of parts along with new motor mounts - he has one side replaced and the other loose. Dad seemed to think he could just swap oil pans and it would work fine, but I wanted to check and see if his logic was sound and what experience or words of wisdom you folks had.

Questions:

Will a regular oil pan work?

What about the pick-up for the oil pump? If it's longer are those tough to replace/swap out?

Can I loosen the mounts and hoist up the engine a bit or am I going to have to pull the motor?

Any way to raise the engine without a hoist (I have lots of hydraulic jacks) enough to replace the pan?

Don't have a way or hoist to do this, but am trying to figure out the best way to tackle this and the most ecomonical way to spend as little time in someone elses garage ($)

No, I don't think I can remove the crossmember with the engine in.

Thanks in advance for all of the help and suggestions. You folks are great about sharing what you know. If the solution is not easy I'll try to post pictures when I get the truck after Easter.

**TBONE1964** · 03-18-2013, 12:06 PM

Answers to Questions:

Will a regular oil pan work?

Yes, get a 5 qt pan for a small block chevy. The corvette pans are 6 qts and will not work as you have already discovered.

What about the pick-up for the oil pump? If it's longer are those tough to replace/swap out?

Get a new one for the pan you use. If the pan is from a 72 chevy pick up with a 350 then get a pick up tube for a 72 Chevy pick up with a 350. I woud have someone help you with this that has done it before. It is tricky for the first time.

Can I loosen the mounts and hoist up the engine a bit or am I going to have to pull the motor?

You can but this is a pain in the butt. I suggest you rent a cherry picker if possible and get the engine out so you can work on it safely and comfortabely.

Any way to raise the engine without a hoist (I have lots of hydraulic jacks) enough to replace the pan?

See note above

Don't have a way or hoist to do this, but am trying to figure out the best way to tackle this and the most ecomonical way to spend as little time in someone elses garage ($)

See above.

No, I don't think I can remove the crossmember with the engine in.

You don't have to.

Elvis' Truck · 03-18-2013, 01:05 PM

Thanks for the reply.

I don't know if the new pan is specific for the truck, but I assume it is and will have to wait until I tear into it.

I'm going to see of I can just pull the engine. Might as well put a gasket kit in it while it's out. It's a 350 chevy, so it has a few other oil leaks..........

I assume there is a resource to run the numbers on the engine and find out what it was originally in? Does anyone know the place to look - both on the engine and online?

03-18-2013, 11:21 AM	#1
Elvis' Truck Registered User Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Waynesville, NC Posts: 8	350 engine 4x4 question Long time reader - first time poster. Have gotten lots of great info over the years. Sorry for the long first post. To make a very long story short - I have just gained possestion of a 70 long bed 4x4. My Dad was restoring it for me and passed away suddenly. It was a daily driver for many years, but has since been disassembled and a slow restoration begun. (I stopped counting after 10 five gallon buckets of parts)After finding most of it's parts (and lots of extras) I have decided to first tackle the mechanical side and just primer it and get running. After I get it in good mechanical shape I will get the body work (not much) done and get it painted this summer. I'm going to haul it home in a few weeks and have a few engine questions first. It does not have the original 350 - someone has replaced it with one that I was told was from a corvette. Yes, I ran the VIN and it came with a 350. It has a nice Eldebrock intake and carb and does not smoke much, considering it has set for a couple of years. Fires right up. The problem: The oil pan sits on the front crossmember. It's shaped a little different than a regular oil pan. The front of the oil pan is a little thicker, so there is no clearance. The previous owner ran it like this for years, but it is wearing through. It also has a fair amount of JB weld on the back and needs replaced. It's not deep in the rear like a high capacity pan - the whole pan is a little thicker. I have a normal 350 pan to replace it that is in my large pile of parts along with new motor mounts - he has one side replaced and the other loose. Dad seemed to think he could just swap oil pans and it would work fine, but I wanted to check and see if his logic was sound and what experience or words of wisdom you folks had. Questions: Will a regular oil pan work? What about the pick-up for the oil pump? If it's longer are those tough to replace/swap out? Can I loosen the mounts and hoist up the engine a bit or am I going to have to pull the motor? Any way to raise the engine without a hoist (I have lots of hydraulic jacks) enough to replace the pan? Don't have a way or hoist to do this, but am trying to figure out the best way to tackle this and the most ecomonical way to spend as little time in someone elses garage ($) No, I don't think I can remove the crossmember with the engine in. Thanks in advance for all of the help and suggestions. You folks are great about sharing what you know. If the solution is not easy I'll try to post pictures when I get the truck after Easter.

03-18-2013, 12:06 PM	#2
TBONE1964 Cluster King Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Junction City, OR Posts: 5,263	Re: 350 engine 4x4 question Answers to Questions: Will a regular oil pan work? Yes, get a 5 qt pan for a small block chevy. The corvette pans are 6 qts and will not work as you have already discovered. What about the pick-up for the oil pump? If it's longer are those tough to replace/swap out? Get a new one for the pan you use. If the pan is from a 72 chevy pick up with a 350 then get a pick up tube for a 72 Chevy pick up with a 350. I woud have someone help you with this that has done it before. It is tricky for the first time. Can I loosen the mounts and hoist up the engine a bit or am I going to have to pull the motor? You can but this is a pain in the butt. I suggest you rent a cherry picker if possible and get the engine out so you can work on it safely and comfortabely. Any way to raise the engine without a hoist (I have lots of hydraulic jacks) enough to replace the pan? See note above Don't have a way or hoist to do this, but am trying to figure out the best way to tackle this and the most ecomonical way to spend as little time in someone elses garage ($) See above. No, I don't think I can remove the crossmember with the engine in. You don't have to.

03-18-2013, 01:05 PM	#3
Elvis' Truck Registered User Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Waynesville, NC Posts: 8	Re: 350 engine 4x4 question Thanks for the reply. I don't know if the new pan is specific for the truck, but I assume it is and will have to wait until I tear into it. I'm going to see of I can just pull the engine. Might as well put a gasket kit in it while it's out. It's a 350 chevy, so it has a few other oil leaks.......... I assume there is a resource to run the numbers on the engine and find out what it was originally in? Does anyone know the place to look - both on the engine and online?



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