Fwd oil pan on SC block

F

fasterthanyou

Registered User
Has anyone used a windstar oil pan on a rwd 3.8 motor? I want to use it because it is stamped steel versus the cast aluminum rwd 3.8 pan. I will need to modify any pan that I use because of my 4 bolt main caps with a main girdle that connects the 4 caps. Steel is easier to cut n weld than cast aluminum which is why I'm asking about the fwd pans. K-member clearance isn't much of an issue. Going into a truck. Just wondering if it will physically bolt to the SC block.
 
fasterthanyou said:
Has anyone used a windstar oil pan on a rwd 3.8 motor? I want to use it because it is stamped steel versus the cast aluminum rwd 3.8 pan. I will need to modify any pan that I use because of my 4 bolt main caps with a main girdle that connects the 4 caps. Steel is easier to cut n weld than cast aluminum which is why I'm asking about the fwd pans. K-member clearance isn't much of an issue. Going into a truck. Just wondering if it will physically bolt to the SC block.
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I have not heard of anyone using one. I do know that our cast aluminum pan was designed in such a way to add strength to our engines. You will not get that type of added strength from a stamped steel pan. I would however believe your 4 bolt main caps would more than compensate for the loss of the cast aluminum pan.
 
90sc35thann said:
I have not heard of anyone using one. I do know that our cast aluminum pan was designed in such a way to add strength to our engines. You will not get that type of added strength from a stamped steel pan. I would however believe your 4 bolt main caps would more than compensate for the loss of the cast aluminum pan.
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I don't know the truth behind the theory that the pan adds strength most people don't know the real answer but I doubt it will make much of a difference with the 4 bolt mains the girdle and filling the block. I'm just going to spend the 30 bucks and try it. if anything i'll box it back up and say its the wrong one and pick up a rwd steel thunderbird oil pan from an 82-88 3.8.
 
fasterthanyou said:
I don't know the truth behind the theory that the pan adds strength most people don't know the real answer but I doubt it will make much of a difference with the 4 bolt mains the girdle and filling the block. I'm just going to spend the 30 bucks and try it. if anything i'll box it back up and say its the wrong one and pick up a rwd steel thunderbird oil pan from an 82-88 3.8.
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Cast aluminum pans definitely add some rigidity. In our engines specifically we achieved another added benefit of bolting our pans to the bell housing which added more strength as well.
 
Thats interesting. Keep us posted on if it fits because this would be something I'd consider.
 
the 4 bolt main caps will not work in that block. need a 99-04 mustang block. i read that you ordered the caps from pro-gram and that you expected them in a week. if so then they are probably shipping the ones they made wrong for me. it took 12 weeks just to make the first set. the first set of caps would not have worked properly without shimming up the girdle quite a bit. and they drilled the holes the wrong size. and for the price you say you got them for i would definately say they tried to unload the caps to you. even their in stock 2 bolt caps for the sc blocks are 700.00
 
When you tear a motor down, what are some signs of crank walk? Would etching in the block where the main caps bolt down be a sign?
 
Etching as in...
 

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Kevin Leitem said:
the 4 bolt main caps will not work in that block. need a 99-04 mustang block. i read that you ordered the caps from pro-gram and that you expected them in a week. if so then they are probably shipping the ones they made wrong for me. it took 12 weeks just to make the first set. the first set of caps would not have worked properly without shimming up the girdle quite a bit. and they drilled the holes the wrong size. and for the price you say you got them for i would definately say they tried to unload the caps to you. even their in stock 2 bolt caps for the sc blocks are 700.00
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I asked the guy SEVERAL times if the 4 bolt main caps that I bought would work in the SC block. he said the blocks are identical to the n/a 3.8 block which we know isn't true. I told him that the blocks were different but he said the caps were different but with machine work the 4 bolt main caps he has will work. I have the main caps, they arrived last week But I never laid them on my block. I figured the block and caps would require a lot of machine work so I wouldn't even bother setting them on the block to see if they looked remotely close.

I asked the guy if they're the same ones that kevin leitem was running and he said no, you wanted a special design and created your own and sent them the specs you wanted.

just wondering, why wont these caps work that I have now?
 
fasterthanyou said:
I asked the guy SEVERAL times if the 4 bolt main caps that I bought would work in the SC block. he said the blocks are identical to the n/a 3.8 block which we know isn't true. I told him that the blocks were different but he said the caps were different but with machine work the 4 bolt main caps he has will work. I have the main caps, they arrived last week But I never laid them on my block. I figured the block and caps would require a lot of machine work so I wouldn't even bother setting them on the block to see if they looked remotely close.

I asked the guy if they're the same ones that kevin leitem was running and he said no, you wanted a special design and created your own and sent them the specs you wanted.

just wondering, why wont these caps work that I have now?
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I may be wrong, but I believe its because the main webbing outside the stock cap area is thicker on the newer blocks. You can kinda see it in the pics JT posted.
 
I am sure your caps are not flat across the top? They are rounded. Which is the design of the stock mustang caps. They will work on a mustang block, but will make fitting the morana girdle a pain. I mine designed to be taller and flat across for rod clearance and making the girdle easier to mount.

The SC blocks do not have enough material in the main web to drill and tap the extra bolts.
http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showpost.php?p=976253&postcount=43
 
Well this sucks.. Wish the guys at pro-gram would have given me the heads up before shipping them to me. Well since I'll need to get an 01-04 block anyways, I'll keep them and buy their billet front and rear main caps too. Kevin, which year block did you end up going with? And what size thread did you use for your main studs? I heard ford went to 11mm in the later blocks. Did you stay with 11mm and did you use a bolt or a stud for the splayed main bolts? Phil on v6p used grade 8 bolts for the splayed mains, was wondering what you decided to use.
 
fasterthanyou said:
Well this sucks.. Wish the guys at pro-gram would have given me the heads up before shipping them to me. Well since I'll need to get an 01-04 block anyways, I'll keep them and buy their billet front and rear main caps too. Kevin, which year block did you end up going with? And what size thread did you use for your main studs? I heard ford went to 11mm in the later blocks. Did you stay with 11mm and did you use a bolt or a stud for the splayed main bolts? Phil on v6p used grade 8 bolts for the splayed mains, was wondering what you decided to use.
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That explains why you I thought you got them cheap. I thought you got all of them. Not just the center two. You can still use them just won't have the splayed bolts. The mustang block does not have the bolt bosses needed to mount the crank sensor. You would either have to switch to edis, aftermarket ecu, you Fab your own crank sensor bracket. Head bolts are different length, and yes the mains are 11 mm now. I am going to 1/2 mains and heads. I am building a 2001.

As for program not knowing, I would have been more shocked if they did now the differences in the blocks. I now they haven't sold many.
 
I was on the phone for a couple hours with tom at super six when deciding what to do for my motor build. he kept telling me that the center 4 bolt mains are the only ones needed. that, along with a girdle should hold up to anything that has been done to these motors so far. I was expecting to use the supercoupe block and main caps and the main caps on the SC are stronger than the ones on the n/a block. wait I just thought of something. will the supercoupe front and rear main caps fit in the 01-04 block? I ask because the rear main cap from pro-gram is 400 and change and the front main cap is 300 and change. saving 700 bucks for a guy like me is a lot of coin. I could use that 700 towards the proefi128 or bullseye 88mm turbo I plan to run.

so far the heads are done, I've got almost everything needed to build the block. once I get an 01 block and figure out what will fit and what wont fit, i'll be ready for machine work and assembly.
 
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