Oil Pan - Pickup Fitment

[Mike B.]

I am building up a 283 engine and am unsure about where to set the oil pump pickup height for a 1961 car. The books say about 3/8" from the bottom of the pan. But when I set it at this height (about 7-3/4") the pickup head is nowhere near parallel. Is a special pickup required? I am using a GM repo three-step oil pan. It is definitely deeper than the more popular sloped oil pan used on other SBCs. I have a standard volume pump with a pressed in pickup tube. The pickup head is brazed in place and is non adjustable.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Mike M.]

Re: Oil Pan - Pickup Fitment

since you state the pickup arm is brazed to the pump, i assume the pump and arm are used(never bought a pump with arm brazed to pump but i always braze them together after i adjust the arm to the pan). suggest you get a new pump and arm, adjust and weld them together. pump in aftermarket not all that expensive. good luck, mike

[Joe L.]

Re: Oil Pan - Pickup Fitment

Mike------

The problem with purchasing most oil pumps with an "already attached" pick-up screen is that the screen is usually a "generic" variety or, more often, a screen designed for use with the "most popular" applications. Corvette does not fall into the latter classification. As a matter of fact, most (but not all) Corvette oil pump pick-up screens were unique to the Corvette applications and, in a few cases, to some other very limited-use applications. You are VERY unlikely to find an oil pump with pre-installed screen that's right for a Corvette. There are a few, though. Once-upon-time a pump was available for L-88 with a pre-installed screen (now discontinued) and the pump for ZL-1 applications has a pre-installed screen.

Anyway, you need oil pump pick-up screen GM #3764113. It's still available from GM for about 18 bucks, GM list. As Mike suggests, it may be best to obtain another pump and install the correct screen.

I know that it's very convenient to purchase a pump with a pre-installed screen considering the hassle that's usually involved in installing one of these things. But, for most Corvette applications, it's what you have to do. Of course, if you happen to have a ZL-1, you get lucky on this.

[Mike McKown]

I don't know how deep your sump is but

NAPA (Melling) sells a pickup for '61-'62 Corvette. I'm not sure but I believe the pan sump on this engine was about as deep as Corvettes got. They're about $10-$12 at NAPA. The pickup doesn't have to be parallel to the bottom of the pan. Just needs to have the screen section lower than the rest of the pickup within reason.

You can make a simple tool to drive the pickup into the pump. Get a piece of pipe or conduit, using a grinder, cut the side out of it where it will wrap the pickup tube and butt on the shoulder of the pickup tube. You now have a driver that will drive the pickup tube in the pump without damage. Tack weld or braze your new pickup on like your old one.

[Mike B.]

Re: Oil Pan - Pickup Fitment

Fellas,

Thanks for the tips. Perhaps I was not clear but the pickup is not pre-attached to the pump. It is press fit (or more correctly hammer in). I have a tool fashioned as Mike describes. But before I drove the pickup home I took a few measurements to find that the pickup head would have to be about 20 degrees from parallel to the block with the front edge higher. The head is brazed to the connecting pipe so that will not swivel to best accomodate the fit. I am using the standard Melling M-55 low volume pump and matching Melling 55-S1 pickup assembly. I think I will take Joe's advice and order the correct Corvette pickup and dispatch the one I have now to my growing pile of spare parts. I now have a spare non-Corvette pan (which is about one inch more shallow) and a like new matching pickup. This is more fodder for the someday mother of all ebay garage sales!

[Mike B.]

Re: Oil Pan - Pickup Fitment

Follow up.

I double checked a number stamped on the oil pan and it is not the GM replacement number as provided by Joe. I recently got this pan from Corvette Central who claimed it was the GM repop. It sure looks like it. Can anyone identify it? Number 359127. Thanks, Mike

[Joe L.]

Re: Oil Pan - Pickup Fitment

Mike-----

The part number for the 57-62 GM SERVICE pan is GM #359937. However, this is the part number for the KIT which includes a pan + a gasket set. The part number for the pan, itself, is likely different and may well be 359127. I've never seen a part number stamped on these pans but, recently, I think that a lot of GM SERVICE pans are starting to exhibit this feature (it's about time; they should have done this YEARS ago).

Anyway, 359127 is not a SERVICE part number. So, that would mean that it could be an internal number for the pan, itself.

A picture of the pan would aid in its identification, but I suspect that you have the correct pan.

[Mike B.]

Re: Oil Pan - Pickup Fitment

Joe,

As usual your explaination makes a lot of sense. I had checked on the GM "Kit" and it includes the gaskets and drain plug but never thought that was how the part number was described. Tomorrow I will order the correct pickup assembly. Thanks again.

Mike