LS 6.0 oil pan fitment question...

[riz]

Will an LQ4 6.0 LS from a Chevy Express van with a stock oil pan fit in an 81 C-10 fit with no issues or will I have to use a different oil pan on the LQ4 ?

RIZ

[v30crewcab]

same pan as a 5.3

[riz]

so it will fit my 81 C10 no problem then ???

[kipps]

There's several different routes you can go on the oil pans. Engine placement is key, and should be decided first.

Stock engine placement puts the LS rear-block-face in exactly the same spot as where the SBC rear-block-face sat. The transmission doesn't move at all. The truck pan will hang excessively low in this position. If you use this position, it would be better to switch to a F-body pan or one of the aftermarket pans, particularly for a lowered truck.

The other popular placement is to move the engine forward three inches and up an inch. This brings the truck pan(same as van, as far as I know) up level with the crossmember. The crossmember on a c10 will hit any obstacles before the pan does, if the engine is in this modified position. This modified position also allows you to use the 10S17F low-mount AC compressor, which is a better option than any of the other retrofit AC compressors.

This modified position is achieved with Tejas Steelworks engine mounts. They have a freebie squarebody ls-swap guide on their website that details a bunch of this stuff. https://tejassteelworks.com/wp-conte...uide-73_87.pdf

[Street Smart]

That pan should fit depending on your mount location. I originally used the GM muscle car pan set up in my 67Suburban, its cheap and come with everything. (bolts, gasket, windage tray and dipstick).
That truck is lowered about 4" and that pan has scraped once or twice. When I pulled the engine to upgrade I swapped in a Holley pan. Better ground clearance.
Here`s a link, if you scroll down it gives you all the comparisons of the different pans.


https://www.dirtydingo.com/shop/page...path=4_6&pID=8

[Street Smart]

https://www.dirtydingo.com/images/content/302-1.jpg

pic of the GM pan vs. holley

[Mathew21]

You can get a knock off Holley pan pretty reasonable on Amazon or eBay.

[Duck1]

You only have to switch pans if you're lower. Not a popular concept, but Truck =truck pan🤷*♀️🤷*♂️🤷

[LS short box]

I wouldn't run the truck pan. It hangs below the cross member. The LS pan will not dent if you hit something with it that is fairly solid it will break.
A buddy of mind bought a super low mileage 6.0 with a broken oil pan from a local salvage yard. He put it in a 71 Nova with a swap LS1 type oil pump and when he started it he had an oil leak from the back of the block. Thought it was a main seal. In went a new main seal but it still leaked. Engine comes back out and upon closer inspection the block was cracked right thru an oil passage in the back of the block. The back bolts in the oil pan run real close to an oil passage.
The salvage yard bought him a new block.

[Accelo]

Not a single salvage yard around here would have done a thing to make that right.
Good for him/them.
A friend of my had his LS3 (Aluminum) block crack in the same place. Pulled the motor twice to get it welded. Eventually got it to quit leaking. I understand with the cast block this would have been almost impossible.

[LS short box]

I know the local salvage yard owner and he is a car guy and a very stand up guy. I've bought 4-5 LS engines from him. I bought a 2002 LS1 engine with 40K miles from him. On used engines I always have a local engine shop take a look at it inside to see if there are any issues. The engine shop said not 40K but maybe 140K or many more. I had the salvage yard owner speak with the engine shop and he agreed. The salvage yard guy paid for new pistons and bearings. Yes he is a stand up guy. Still running great in 98 Wrangler LS swap after over 14 years.