Swapping stock oil pan gives more horsepower

[JimBowy]

Today I was looking at a Mustang for sale and this guy seemed to know his things about cars. Has anybody heard that putting on an aftermarket oil pan gains HP? This guy estimated ~15-20 hp, which seems awful high... If anything I was thinking ~5-7 hp.

Thanks,
- Jim

 

[5.0Droptop]

OH Yeah add some decals too and gain another 20-50 hp LOL

 

[IndyBlk5.0]

lol that guy is out of his mind! if you are going to buy this car off of him and he says all this different stuff about it, tell him to show you receipts, and parts, if not, dont pay too much for it becuase if he lied about that you dont know what he is lieing about..

 

[85 Coupe 5.0]

Pull out about 75% less than the guy wants for the car in cash and say, "take it or leave it."

He's and idiot.

 

[CobraGT87]

ahhh, dont forget the 4ft wing. LOL

 

[RickyB]

if anything he was talking about a windage tray which would show gains

 

[JimBowy]

Wow, quick replies... so you guys say no gains at all? He was making it to be some special racers secret. Anyhow, his car seems to be what he says... it ran a 13.2 @ 108 mph on street tires w/a 2.2 60 foot time. He's asking $3,200 but its probably still too much for the car (a 79 coupe with a floor that is pretty much rotted through....). Ex: When I pushed down on the drivers side seat w/force and looked under the car the whole floor flexed about an inch.

 

[5.0Droptop]

Well actually I was told by a reliable source that 4-7 hp gains are possible with a deeper oil pan. But not 25....... Were just having some fun with it.

 

[5.0Droptop]

Floors can be fixed prety easy. Thats not uncommon on the Fox platform just look over the suspension and stuff. Ask for reciepts if he has em. I bet you could talk him down to 2500 if you flash the cash and say this is all I got

 

[JimBowy]

The car would be a perfect donor for just the powertrain etc. that I could put into a very nice local roller around here. Sounds like a pretty good idea Droptop.

Anyhow, for anybody interested I did a little quick searching after Rick's suggestion it was probably about a Windage Tray.... Some companies advertise up to 12 hp gains by preventing the oil from sloshing around (especially at higher RPM).

Here's a post w/a guy considering one... http://www.clubcobra.com/t44515.html
Another... suggests for higher performance vehicles throwing one in http://www.merkurencyclopedia.com/Motor/windage_tray.html

 

[IndyBlk5.0]

"special racers secret" that just eats me up! that made my night! rofl!

 

[SHAGGY87]

I've heard that you do want to hit the track with ur stock
oil level (in a stock pan) at about 3/4 to 1 quart low, picks up about 3-4 hp due to less parasitic drag on the crankshaft.

 

[88stangmangt]

i have heard that too......... due to the fact that it has a windage tray installed and keeps the oil from splashing etc.... so yes power is gained but not 20!!! but hay if the company's said 5hp gain would you really pay the extra money????????

 

[larrendeuce]

MM&FF did an article on the oil pan and windage trays that are being offered. They show decent gains on a modified engine. It was more geared twards something you should consider on a race engine rather then a stock car. They also said you can gain up to 40 hp on boosted applications.
20 hp on a close to stock motor is

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

You dont make HP, but you'll free up HP, but that's because of a windage tray, and not so much the pan itself. You'd get the same effect if you put in a windage tray in a stock pan and drained about 2 quarts *only if you're sticking to the quarter*

 

[90mustangGT]

Here's another "racer's secret" from the same secret underground black book of racing:
Cut out the back of the right side of the driver's floor pan allowing the pedal to go down further, making the car go faster. Add a quart of Slick 50, as well as the Tornado, and you'll be unstoppable!!!

Seriously though, that's BS from the pan alone, now a windage tray maby 5-10rwhp under hard acceleration by preventing oil from splashing against the crank. Personally, I wouldn't buy from this idiot because either A) he doesn't know what he's talking about B) he's saying anything to sell you the car C) he's just plain stupid, or D) a little of A,B,and C.