Dented oil pan/oil pickup question.

[Jonnyblaze]

Okay, so I've read that a dented oil pan can affect oil pickup and cause oil starvation. My question is, how big of a dent are we talking? I swapped out the auto in my s13 for a 5 speed and in the process, my friend tried jacking up the motor on the oil pan in order to tilt the motor back. He did dent it a little but we didn't think much of it.

So when we start the car up for the first time after the swap, we heard a faint rattling that gets progressively worse as it warms up. I don't believe I'm getting enough oil/oil pressure. The only thing I can think of that we may have affected is the oil pan. So how big of a dent does it have to be in order to block off oil pick up? The motor is a KA24DE, all stock. Thanks.

[Mitsubayati]

First of all, who ever came up with the idea to jack the motor up from a thin piece of metal probably shouldn't be near cars :P

Anyways. The reason you might not get enough oil pressure with a dented pan is because the area that usually dents is where your oil pickup is located. The pickup can only work when it's fully submerged in oil.

To give you an idea of what happens to the pickup when it's not submerged, picture yourself drinking some water through a straw with a slit in the straw above the water line. When you try to suck in the water, you get some water, but never a constant flow. If you increase the water level to above the slit point the flow will be constant.

so now picture your dented pan on the inside in an area where all the oil usually collects, there is now a hump, causing the oil to drain off to the sides of the hump. It could mean less of your oil pickup is submerged and be the cause of your low oil pressure.

Just change the pan and you are good to go again. Stop running your motor if you are hearing those sounds. And please don't let your friend touch your car.

About jacking up the motor: if you are only left with the option of jacking it from your pan, try to disperse the load to the edges or over a broader area.
Hope I helped

[garagelu]

KA oil pans arn't as prone to oil starvation from pan dents as the sr oil pans. But if it were me, I would still either take the oil pan off and knock the dent back or just buy a replacement since you probably can get a ka oil pan for next to nothing.

[steve shadows]

Okay, so I've read that a dented oil pan can affect oil pickup and cause oil starvation. My question is, how big of a dent are we talking? I swapped out the auto in my s13 for a 5 speed and in the process, my friend tried jacking up the motor on the oil pan in order to tilt the motor back. He did dent it a little but we didn't think much of it.

So when we start the car up for the first time after the swap, we heard a faint rattling that gets progressively worse as it warms up. I don't believe I'm getting enough oil/oil pressure. The only thing I can think of that we may have affected is the oil pan. So how big of a dent does it have to be in order to block off oil pick up? The motor is a KA24DE, all stock. Thanks.

A dent so small you cannot even see if with the naked eye. in some cases you cant even measure it with a flat edge...thats how serious it is (especially on the SR)

For the KA it is not a think of a margin of error, but jacking up a motor by that area is like trying to poop in a urinal it makes no sense.

[fliprayzin240sx]

The problem is if you pushed up the pan against the oil sump, itll have a hard time sucking oil thru it. Thats what causes your oiling issues. I would drop the pan and bang it out, I'd rather be safe than sorry...

Mitsubayati: Your logic didnt make no fucking sense. The oil sump will be submerged in oil no mater what, only way the sump wont be is if you dont have enough oil in the pan. Your logic that a dent on a pan will displace the oil away from the sump is simply stupid.

[Mitsubayati]

The problem is if you pushed up the pan against the oil sump, itll have a hard time sucking oil thru it. Thats what causes your oiling issues. I would drop the pan and bang it out, I'd rather be safe than sorry...

Mitsubayati: Your logic didnt make no fucking sense. The oil sump will be submerged in oil no mater what, only way the sump wont be is if you dont have enough oil in the pan. Your logic that a dent on a pan will displace the oil away from the sump is simply stupid.


Sorry . . . guess I'm stupid

[Jonnyblaze]

Alright guys, thanks. Are you sure banging the dent back out will work for sure? I would really hate to put the oil pan back on only to realize I have to take it back off again to replace it.

[Mitsubayati]

Just buy a new one. Why take all that time and do it wrong the first time?

Are you going to pull the pan off while the motor is in the car?

[ashtonroche]

every single SR motor i get from a jdm engine supplier i pull the lower pan, Doesnt matter if it looks dented or not.

On our motors, the pickup tube sits very very close to the bottom of the pan. Any dent upwards of the middle area of the pan will result in this. matter fact a buddy of mine tore apart his entire motor thinking the oil pump was bad and replaced everything with fresh and didnt check the pan and put the same pan back up and wondered why he still had 0 oil pressure.

I took one look and told him right off the bat what it was. The pan was all the way pressed into the pickup tube oval opening even putting an outline of the edges in the bottom of the pan. No kidding its not gonna get oil pressure.

Its a no brainer. If the middle section of the pan does not sit lower than the outer edges of the pan or come at least flush with it then pull the stupid pan. You will be surprised at how many people that do swaps that dont do this simple procedure. Its not hard and it doesnt take a lot of time.

Save yourself the hastle and just do it.