Hi guys,  I would like to know if somebodys would like to get aluminum engine oil pan?   Maybe I'm gonna make somes or at least one for my truck to give a try!!    I'll try to take pictures when building for buyers if interested.....

Possibly ....... more details ;) 

Good, it's gonna be maybe for this summer. At this time I need to rebuild my transmission and work on other things..  I'll test it on my truck first and I'll take pictures when the product will be finished!

Just curious but what spawned this on?  Weight reduction or heat dissipation or looks?

heat dissipation and durability!  I know if you live where salty winter,aluminum can corroded but I think it would be better than stock steel oil pan.  

Hmmm..... I dont think I've ever heard of anyone having problems with the stock steel pan.   Still interested to see what you create though.

Thanks I'll post pictures in the futur!!!

From what I know that oil temperature follows coolant temperatures pretty close. So most people in the winter have issues with Cummins engine even getting warm enough to produce heat in the cab. Personally I would expect a bigger following from folks in the southern states. Now if you got a talent for aluminum and welding I would add blow tubes there the bottom edge of the pan so air could blow through cooling the oil. Like what some of the deep pans for transmissions do.

I haven't monitored the engine oil temp.  Do many members?  Not saying its not an important variable but just curious as to who keeps an eye on those temps.

I understand what you mean!  I'm a professional welder and I have a tig welding machine. I would like to simply do like a stock oil pan. Aluminum cause the stock ones looks little cheap, rust easy and on my truck my pan begin to rust. It got a big ding where the drain plug, think some one jack the truck right there!!  I'll take time to do it during I dont have the trans. in place..  I'll try my pan on my truck first and if it's good I'll make some for interested!!

Me too, would like to see normal oil temp.!!    I know at some point less heat is better for the internal parts of engine..  durability!              For aluminum it can absorb much heat than steel but like I said it's not my first reason for building the pan.

Yes, generally less heat is better for internals but engine oil running too cold is as equally damaging.  Engines have to run at specified temperatures and engine oil should run at around 190* - 210* F range otherwise the oil will retain moisture from the combustion process creating acid which will eat up bearings, cause the bearings to drag from lack of lubrication, and force the rings to plow through thick oil.  If your aluminum oil pan dissipates so much heat that oil temps cant maintain optimal levels then you're doing harm.....

Valid point...

Yes that's a good point!  I'll put it to the test to see what's happen. difference with stock and Alu. pan!!

Cool project... lots of work though.  

 

As a thought, an engine oil heater in the pan would be cool.  I would worry about water condensing in engine oil in the winter under short trip driving conditions compared to a steel pan.  

 

Fins like on a bd trans pan will be vastly superior to a through hole... the holes are typically for a tie rod or steering rack, not for cooling.  Holes and excessive length fins also fill with dirt and crap.  

Yes thanks..   Mike are talking about like the derale transmission oil pan for 47re ....         I was thinking of fabricating a aluminum heat exchanger welded on the pan to pass antifreeze, trans.oil..    Maybe help for winter???    Was just in my mind!!   I know in winter aluminum will not be best to help oil , here I am we have good cold winter so it's gonna be experimental!!

2 hours ago, CSM said:

Fins like on a bd trans pan will be vastly superior to a through hole... the holes are typically for a tie rod or steering rack, not for cooling.  Holes and excessive length fins also fill with dirt and crap.

 

Valid point...

6 hours ago, KATOOM said:

I haven't monitored the engine oil temp.  Do many members?  Not saying its not an important variable but just curious as to who keeps an eye on those temps.

I got my tranny temp guage in the oil port and it's usually pretty close to water temp maybe 10 degrees higher 

24 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

I got my tranny temp guage in the oil port and it's usually pretty close to water temp maybe 10 degrees higher 

 

Like my truck the only time I break above 195*F for any length of time is towing in the summer time with temp in the 100*F range. Other than that typically hold close to 195*F. So cooling factor really isn't an issue at least for me.

19 hours ago, Frankstein said:

Yes thanks..   Mike are talking about like the derale transmission oil pan for 47re ....         I was thinking of fabricating a aluminum heat exchanger welded on the pan to pass antifreeze, trans.oil..    Maybe help for winter???    Was just in my mind!!   I know in winter aluminum will not be best to help oil , here I am we have good cold winter so it's gonna be experimental!!

 

I like your ingenuity but this would be vastly over complicated.  Plus there is already an oil cooler on the engine which utilizes engine coolant to warm and cool the engine oil, just like the transmission heat exchanger.  So I would say if you're concerned about cold weather running with an aluminum oil pan then you could simply run a pan blanket during the winter.

Yeah good idea!!   I'll try the oil pan alone and see what's happen with oil temps.  I'll monitoring in summer and winter to see difference.

Hi guys some update about the oil pan!!!   I have some pics but it's not complete.  I need to finish welding!  It's a hard work with some basic tools.            I'll try to post pics, I think the size is too big

 

Edited April 29, 20168 yr by Frankstein