Added a stock Milodon 4 qt oil pan and windage tray to my 440 installed in a 70 Superbird. Now, the steering center link rubs the pan. The pan is visibly a bit deeper versus the stock pan. Any thoughts here? Look at the motor mounts and they look ok...

-Dc

Aftermarket parts sometimes don't fit as well as factory parts.

A repop “402” pan from Mancini is probably a better fit.

Ugh. That's frustrating.

I'm planning to get it all the way on the ground and see what it looks like. It's on my friends chassis lift now. I know it wasn't hitting the stock dented pan when I started this clutch, oil pan, windage tray, trans, shock, rear main seal, Dana pinion/cover seal, plugs, valve cover job......LOL! Amazing what needs replaced once its visible and at eye level...LOL!

Tom at Milodon has been pretty helpful and having just talked to him, he mentioned a motivational apparatus....like a hammer....soo.., I guess we'll see....

Oh, also the rear of the engine is not being supported....so maybe some clearance will be gained when the trans goodies are reinstalled....TBD...


-DC

That was my first thought when you mentioned all the stuff you were changing and YES you must install the trans and crossmember before you worry about the pan hitting the centerlink..

Uumm....yeh.

Yep...Been laboring on this sucker for 2 weeks solo and needed to step back and think about it after last night....Yep...I'll get her squared away and report back...last pan I did I was on my back, in the grass and trans was installed.....and it never leaked.....LOL!!

I cannot wait to feel the new clutch/PP and not hear THROWOUT bearing to howl anymore!

-DC

If you don't have the transmission in the car then all bets are off. Check the oil pan clearance once you have the transmission installed on the correct mount and everything is torqued in place.

Agree with the above and would also add that once everything is together and if you still have interference, perhaps adjusting the steering box and idler to lower the center link can gain you clearance without bashing the pan.

Doing that for sure!

Thanks!

How is this done?

Steering box is easy, you shim it. Shim upper bolts to lower pitman, shim lower bolts to raise pitman.

The idler typically requires reaming or filing to slot the mounting hole to allow the idler to angle up or down. Once desired angle is achieved, you weld a washer to the bracket to lock the location in place.

I I am guessing the center link is the same as the early "B" center link (62-65). If so, do you have the center link in backwards? It is sort of shaped line a "U" with the bottom of the "U" which should be pointing forward. Changing it around gets you about a 1/4 to 3/8 inch.