Windage tray question - warped?

#1

So this is mostly a sanity check, but y’all know everything about these cars so it’s the best place to ask.

I ordered a windage tray for my car, since the previous owner decided to - inexplicably - NOT put one in the car when he rebuilt the bottom end. That logic escapes me, but whatever.

It’s the Ireland part, from a reputable source. Showed up yesterday and it’s…well…wobbly. Perhaps even a little bit warped. But not outright bent. I’m not too worried about it, as gentle pressure makes it lie flat, so I take that to mean that once it’s in the car it will assume the proper position. Still, is it something that should concern me enough that I should take the 3# sledge to it and try to get it as even as possible?

TIA

#2

If this is what you mean I wouldn’t worry about it. http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/E30-engine/m20optray.html The important thing is that the the crank doesn’t hit it and the bent section doesn’t allow the oil pan to leak once it’s fastened up. A little bit of bend will be pressed flat once installed so no big deal.

You might want to go do a little better oil oil control tho. A windage tray isn’t a baffle, and this is certainly the time to install the baffle. There’s several good solutions in this subforum.

Of the various windage trays available, the IE design is the weakest of the bunch. Take a look at it compared to the I-J and MM designs in this subforum. The IE design is essentially half of the I-J design.

#3

Thanks, Scott. I’m strongly considering a baffle, probably the TC Motorsports as it seems to fit best for my cheap bastard tendencies, but I’m enamored with the VAC unit as well. Oh, and the PO also said he didn’t remember if they put a baffle in when they rebuilt the bottom end. Which, again, baffles me.

I’m about a two weeks out from the job, so I have a little bit of time to decide. Having gone through the threads here leaves me with one question:

[li]Is there a unit from a known/reputable company that one should avoid altogether?[/li]
Again, thanks :slight_smile:

#4

I don’t recall any windage tray or baffle design that should be avoided. Each have their strengths and weaknesses. The best baffle designs are the ones that include a little door on the driver’s side. That door allows oil to come to the oil pump pickup from the driver’s side of the pan during left turns.

This is also a good time to put a bung on the oil pan (driver’s side) in order to thread in an oil temp sensor.

#5

Again, thanks.

The ‘door’ issue makes it sound like the VAC (or similar) is preferable.

#6

There’s a number of ways to get the door. DIY, VAC, Metric Mechanic, Hard Motorsports, Paul Poore, etc. Rich Bratton and I’ve made a number of them also.

This is my baffle. It’s in the normal place for passenger side baffles but it has no hole for the (deleted) oil pressure relief valve. No hole means it seals much better. The baffle is held in place by JB Weld which is highly resistant to petroleum products. What looks like a flat piece of AL in the pic is actually L shaped so there’s lots of surface area for the epoxy.

The last couple oil pans I set up used the OEM part for the door and then used JB Weld to fasten a passenger side baffle nice and low on the pan…call it an inch lower than all the other baffles. Imagine my baffle above but an inch lower. I think that a low baffle like that is more effective for keeping the oil pump’s pickup submerged and it also allows a person to keep the oil pressure relief valve if the choose to.

#7

What, exactly, do you mean by this? I’ve got the tray in place and there’s some pretty tight clearances in there. It looks like the ‘peaks’ (for the want of knowing the correct term) rest against the main caps and the crank & rods will slide through the valleys.

Any ideas on how to tell if there is unwanted contact? I’ve turned the crank a few times with a big-ass wrench and don’t hear anything that sounds like the tray is being impacted by the rod/crank.

And another thing…why are the damned gaskets so bloody difficult to keep lined up??? :angry:

#8

If the crank comes really really close to the windage tray, just grind a little material off. Of the windage tray, not the crank . For the windage tray to do it’s job, it does not have to be so close to the crank lobes that it’s spooky.

Do the baffle too tho.

This is all easier with the engine on a stand so the engine can be upside down. If the engine is in place and you’re working from below, then you put some goobage on the tray and then fasten it in place with 20-30 oil pan bolts overnight. The next day you remove the bolts and the scraper will stay in place instead of dropping on your face. Then more goobage or an oil pan gasket and put the pan in place.

#9

I installed the IE scraper with no gasket. My brother swears the ford motorcraft 7.3 diesel rtv that comes in a half size caulk tube is the strongest stuff on earth so I used that between the block and scraper. I put rtv between the scraper and block and bolted the pan on loosely. Wait a week and then remove the pan and put regular copper rtv between the pan and the scraper.

#10

Both of those are good ideas for getting the windage tray in place. Thanks.

As for the clearance issue. Looks like it’ll be okay. Everything is back together at this point, fingers crossed I did’t screw anything up. :slight_smile: