Improved Racing Oil Pan Baffle

**roadracetransam** · 07-23-2008, 03:11 PM

Along with all the other projects, I made some time to install the Improved Racing oil pan baffle. As a quick background, I have been over filling the pan with about a quart and a half oil to keep from sucking on air.
I received the baffle a few weeks ago. First impressions: nice brushed aluminum, clean, precise welds. I had an old LS1 pan sitting around. Test fit: perfect. Lines up nicely, bolt holes all line up on center.
I opted to install it with out pulling the motor. Went fairly quick and easy. I got the car on jackstands. Attached a cherry picker to the front of the engine. moved the alternator out of the way. Removed the long motor mount bolts. Lifted the engine about 2 inches. Disconnected the intermediate steering shaft. I have an alternate brake line routing, so I did not have to loosen the ABS module. Disconnected the oil level sensor. Slowly removed the 6 bolts holding the k-member to the body. The K-member dropped about 4-5 inches down. Keep in mind I still have the swaybar, ect attached.
Next I pulled the oil pan bolts and took the pan out. I pulled the OEM baffle from the pan, dropped the Improved Racing Baffle in, and installed on the car. The rest is the reverse of the disassembly.
Total time invested just over 3 hours. I didn't even remove the wheels. Tools needed are the usual suspects: #10,#13,#15,#18 socket wrench, jack, jack stand, cherry picker/hoist.
So that was my Thursday night.
Friday I headed to the track. Willow Springs. For those that are not familiar with Willow, there is a 450' radius 200 degree turn. Long sweeper that just takes forever to get thru, and is a good test for any baffle.
I filled the pan to the top of the full line. About 1.5 quarts below where I usually fill it. Sat my brother-in-law next to me with the sole responsibility of monitoring the oil pressure. Took the car out to multiple 20 min sessions. The baffle passed the test. The oil pressure held steady the whole weekend. Not even flinching in the turns.

Here are some pictures:
distance gained by just lifting the front of the block

k-member bolts, also the brake line bracket is loosened out of the way

k-member and pan dropped. The pan is not pulled out yet. Note the total distance dropped/raised at the motor mount.

the baffle test fitted in the pan

**570SX** · 07-25-2008, 03:38 PM

sweet. where did it come from? do the GTO and F-body share the same baffle in the pan?

and sorry in advance for the jack: is there some magical trick to not having the oil pan gasket leak when installed with the engine upright? i removed the pan to stop the leak at the back from when i first installed the pan. still leaks. i didn't replace the gasket, but it did clean the living heck out of it and cleaned the inside walls of the block, and then applied permatex ultra-gray to the corners where the end covers meet the block. i'm pretty sure i tightened the trans-to-pan bolts first, like directed, but not 100% sure. how tight should they be tightened before putting in the rest of the pan bolts?

**roadracetransam** · 07-25-2008, 07:05 PM

I am not sure about the GTO pan.
I always tighten the pan bolts first than the tranny to pan. No leaks that way.
A new gasket always helps too. They are not that bad $, Autozone stocks them, the quality felpro kind.
The RX7 guys with the LS1 conversions use this pan baffle as well.

**570SX** · 07-26-2008, 03:54 AM

yeah, that's because they use the F-body pan. i don't. the FC/FD is front-steer, so they can use rear sumps, where the S13/S14 is rear-steer, so we need front sumps.

i didn't change the gasket b/c it was all of a year old, and i only put 3k to 5k miles on it in that time. but next time i'm DEFINITELY changing it, just to be sure.

i'm pretty sure i tightened the pan bolts first. i mean, i threaded the trans bolts in just to make sure it lined up, but i left them super loose and torqued down the pan bolts first, then moved on to the trans bolts. i'm at a point where i almost want to remove the motor and turn it upside down while i change it, and leave it that way for a day so the RTV silicone seals up perfectly w/o oil on it.

BTW, props to you for road racing a car w/ solid rear axle.

and for fixing the LS1's crappy sump situation, of course.

**cm2papa** · 07-27-2008, 01:08 PM

Where did you get this Oil pan baffle? And I assume that this replaces the windage tray or am I wrong? I definitely need one. Steer me in the purchasing direction

Thanks

Jeff

**Mr. Luos** · 07-27-2008, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by cm2papa

Where did you get this Oil pan baffle? And I assume that this replaces the windage tray or am I wrong? I definitely need one. Steer me in the purchasing direction

Thanks

Jeff

It looks to me to sit down in the pan, still leaving the windage trey.
Keeps the oil from slooshing all over the place on higher HP straight line cars and autoX/road course cars.

**RaceDriver** · 07-28-2008, 08:48 AM

Yeah, it replaces the stock steel baffle but leaves the windage tray.

It's made by a company called Improved Racing. Search on Google. They're selling on Ebay for a pretty decent price right now too.