To illustrate the benefits...
To illustrate the benefits of improving the factory oil system, we installed a Mildon windage tray and oil pan on our stroker. Installation was straightforward and began with removal and replacement of the factory main bolts on caps two and four (for our rear-sump Fox application).
Pro Comp also supplied the oil pump, 8mm plug wires, and a complete gasket set (though we installed Fel Pro 1011-2 head gaskets with ARP head studs). The 347 features flat-top pistons with valve reliefs designed for use with Trick Flow Specialties Twisted Wedge heads. Though a number of offerings are available for the 5.0L (ranging from the 170cc Twisted Wedge heads to CNC-ported R-series heads), we selected Trick Flow Twisted Wedge Track Heat 185 cylinder heads (CNC-ported). The CNC-ported heads flow just over the magic 300-cfm mark, or more than enough to tax the stock oiling system when combined with the proper intake and cam profile. Trick Flow Specialties also supplied the matching bumpstick in the form of part number TFS-51402002 cam. The hydraulic roller profile offered a 0.574/0.595 lift split, a 236/248 duration split at 0.050, and a 110-degree lobe separation angle. We finished up the test motor with an Edelbrock Performer RPM air-gap and Holley 750 HP carburetor.
The plan was to run the 347 stroker first with the stock pan and then of course with the Milodon pan and windage tray upgrade. Having first performed (and photographed) the installation on the engine stand, swapping the components on the dyno was fast and easy.
The factory main bolts were...
The factory main bolts were replaced by the supplied Milodon main studs designed to both mount the oil pump pick up and the windage tray.
Run on the dyno with the stock oil pan full (five quarts) of 5W-30 Lucas synthetic oil, the 347 produced 475 hp at 6,600 rpm and 422 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm. Back up runs at a constant water temperature revealed the power numbers were very repeatable.
Next we installed the Milodon oil pan and windage tray. Equipped with the Milodon upgrades, (keeping oil and water temps constant), the 347 produced peak numbers of 486 hp at 6,600 rpm and 426 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. The oiling system upgrades were worth as much as 12 hp and 9 lb-ft of torque!
With our studs in place, we...
With our studs in place, we installed the oil pump pick up. The pick up mount was positioned under the main stud retaining nuts (main cap four). At this point, we left the oil pump-to-pick mounting nuts loose to facilitate installation of the windage tray.
With the main studs torqued...
With the main studs torqued in place (65 lb-ft), we installed the supplied nuts designed to locate the windage tray.
The height of the windage...
The height of the windage tray above the rotating crankshaft is critical. Milodon supplied required measurements for our 302-based application (3 1/8 inches above the oil pan rail). The heights of all four mounting nuts should be the same to eliminate any rocking of the tray.
With our locating nuts installed...
With our locating nuts installed at the proper height, we installed the windage tray, tightened the retaining nuts, and rotated the motor to check for any interference. Ours fit perfectly the first time and required no changes in the height of the tray for clearance on our 347 stroker application.
Though the pan, pick up and...
Though the pan, pick up and windage tray were designed to work together, it is always a good idea to check the position of the pick up relative to the bottom of the oil pan. Do this by laying a straight edge across the pick up and taking a measurement from the straight edge down to pan rail. Compare this measurement to depth of the pan (from the pan rail to the bottom of the sump). The difference will be the clearance from the pick up to the bottom of the pan. Alternately, you can place modeling clay on the pick up, install the pan and measure the thickness of the clay.
The installation photos were...
The installation photos were performed on the engine stand, but testing was performed on the dyno. Replacing the stock pan with the Milodon pan and windage tray was worth a solid 9-11 hp. What the dyno did not show was the improvement in oil control offered by the new pan. The extra power offered by the windage tray is one thing, but ensuring the motor always has plenty of oil (even under hard cornering or acceleration) is even more important.