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Nylon windage trays good or not?

"A Word Of Caution" :praying: - on ANY "Windage Tray..." Back in 1967. and 1968, The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) 440 engine cars had windage trays, (and years beyond that), for many 440 Police engines. There was an issue, with some of the cars, being brought to the Plymouth Dealers, with "spun" rod bearings! :( Bill Binko Chrysler-Plymouth, in Ft. Lauderdale, surmised that many of the issues resulted in the windage tray - not allowing the oil to return to the pan quickly enough, causing oil starvation. Their solution (under the OEM Factory Warranty-covered FHP cars), was to remove the windage tray's... "Problem Solved!" YES! (of course), there may have been cars in service, that were low on oil. As any informed engine guy knows, the windage trays are designed to help eliminate (read: "Lessen"), the "dynamic-drag" when the crankshaft journals "turn-through" the oil in the pan. This results in a small horsepower increase...Make certain that you keep the oil level at the "full mark" - and not to let the engine be a quart lower than the normal capacity. I used a Mopar Steel Windage Tray, from a 440 police car, on my former '65 Plymouth Belvedere I Bracket Race car w/a 383, when I built the engine, and had no leaks, & no issues. On a street car, there isn't a necessity to use the windage tray...PERIOD! You can also drill small holes (which I did), in the "closed" part of the tray, to help oil return to the pan quicker. Yes, you can use a larger pan, to increase oil availability, etc. and remember...while an engine is running, at least one (1)-quart of oil, is circulating throughout the engine, leaving four (4), or less quarts in the pan. In the end...it's your car...your ride, and your decision... CHEERS! AL
P.S. I ALSO "REVERSED" the pistons when I assembled that 383. I took piston's, & rods from cylinders on the left bank, turned the piston's 180 degrees, and installed them in the right bank, and vice-versa - for the other side. The "notches" on the piston tops (that indicated "face-forward'), in the block...now all faced the rear (backwards). Does anyone know why this helped the overall performance?!?:steering::thankyou::thumbsup:
 
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I have had one hanging on the wall for awhile. My pan gasket started leaking a bit so I may try it.
It took me 3 years but I swapped mine in late last year. NO leaks!
I pounded out the dent in the pan and repainted it too.
oil pan 4.jpg


It first worried me the thin drainage slots:
Windage 1.jpg
Windage 2.jpg


The slots turned out to be bigger than the steel tray had.
 
"A Word Of Caution" :praying: - on ANY "Windage Tray..." Back in 1967. and 1968, The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) 440 engine cars had windage trays, (and years beyond that), for many 440 Police engines. There was an issue, with some of the cars, being brought to the Plymouth Dealers, with "spun" rod bearings! :( Bill Binko Chrysler-Plymouth, in Ft. Lauderdale, surmised that many of the issues resulted in the windage tray - not allowing the oil to return to the pan quickly enough, causing oil starvation. Their solution (under the OEM Factory Warranty-covered FHP cars), was to remove the windage tray's... "Problem Solved!" YES! (of course), there may have been cars in service, that were low on oil. As any informed engine guy knows, the windage trays are designed to help eliminate (read: "Lessen"), the "dynamic-drag" when the crankshaft journals "turn-through" the oil in the pan. This results in a small horsepower increase...Make certain that you keep the oil level at the "full mark" - and not to let the engine be a quart lower than the normal capacity. I used a Mopar Steel Windage Tray, from a 440 police car, on my former '65 Plymouth Belvedere I Bracket Race car w/a 383, when I built the engine, and had no leaks, & no issues. On a street car, there isn't a necessity to use the windage tray...PERIOD! You can also drill small holes (which I did), in the "closed" part of the tray, to help oil return to the pan quicker. Yes, you can use a larger pan, to increase oil availability, etc. and remember...while an engine is running, at least one (1)-quart of oil, is circulating throughout the engine, leaving four (4), or less quarts in the pan. In the end...it's your car...your ride, and your decision... CHEERS! AL
P.S. I ALSO "REVERSED" the pistons when I assembled that 383. I took piston's, & rods from cylinders on the left bank, turned the piston's 180 degrees, and installed them in the right bank, and vice-versa - for the other side. The "notches" on the piston tops (that indicated "face-forward'), in the block...now all faced the rear (backwards). Does anyone know why this helped the overall performance?!?:steering::thankyou::thumbsup:
The piston pins are offset in factory pistons to reduce piston slap. Reversing the piston lessens the angle reducing friction so it will rev faster. I was always told that’s a good way to break a rod if u switched them from bank to bank. Not true. Kim
 
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The piston pins are offset in factory pistons to reduce piston slap. Reversing the piston lessens the angle reducing friction so it will rev faster. I was always told that’s a good way to break a rod. Not true. Kim
:thumbsup: Kim: You are correct sir, in reference to the offset wrist pin bushings...By swapping, & reversing the pistons, the piston goes higher-up in the block (deck height), and gives you wee-bit more compression. Along with a camshaft change, & more lift (critical with the older cylinder heads with more compression, & domed piston's), it was "ALWAYS" a good idea to check piston-to-valve clearance, when assembling a "B" block..."But, of course..."

Long-before there was a "DIRECT CONNECTION", and when I was stationed @ N.A.S. Barber's Point, Oahu, HI - in the U.S.N. (April-to August 1966), I sent-away for "B-Block Engine Tip's" - which came in the mail, with just mimeographed papers, stapled together - direct from Chrysler Corporation. This is where I first read about swapping the piston's. It also read, that Balancing any RB, or LB Mopar engine form the RB 1958 350 - all the LB engines- to the RB's 413's, & 426 Wedges - wasn't necessary; as they... (the "EXPERT'S") at MOPAR - felt that Factory Balancing, was adequate. The new Race Hemi debuted in February, 1964, & the Street Hemi, in 1966. I don't recall if that piston swapping applied to the Street Hemi, as they were still quite new. There are many that know about the poor quality control, & issues with the 426 Street Hemi...I didn't need to check piston-to-valve clearance in the 383 that I used in the bracket car i built in 1985 (with a hydraulic Cam Dynamics Enforcer), 286 Degree Duration/.470 Lift, Fair Idle (Mid-Range-2,500 to 5,500 - Top-End Power), as I had the late 440 low compression heads, and flat-top pistons. I had 4:88's in a Dana 60, with a Torqueflite (should have been a 4:30 Ratio), and the tach read over 7,300 RPM - through the lights, in the 1/4 mile...:steering:

Years later, I sold the Belvedere I but eventually got the 383 back. I had this in my 3rd '65 Satellite, and it saw street duty for a year, albeit w/3:23 Gears. The guy that bought the engine, removed the Tarantula Single-Plane aluminum intake, & asked me about the piston notches facing the rear after he removed a cylinder head. He also discovered the intake had aluminum foil inside the heat riser's in the manifold, and had no idea what that was for, either...?!? (stops exhaust heat), from getting into the intake plenum. You can also block-off the heads with a piece of the old aluminum intake gasket cut to size, but the aluminum foil is better. Less-chance of a vacuum leak...Yeah...Old School for certain! :thankyou:
CHEERS! AL :usflag:
 
My question would be, can the nylon tray be used with a stroker crank? If yes, how BIG a stroke?
 
I had one in my 440/493. It cleared fine but leaked because the outer rails of the Milodon pan were narrower than a stock pan and the windage tray sealing ribs didn't line up.
 
I have a nylon windage tray, had to cut a small hole for the oil pickup. I also found some info from an old Direct connection book to open up the holes for the oil a bit.
Everything installed it has worked good this year and doesnt leak. (Stock stroke)
 
I have one on mine and have 2 complaints.

1 Because of where they located the rubber seals they tend to intersect with the dimples in the pan.

2 If you apply any RTV to areas where there may be a leak (rear main, timing chain cover) the RTV will rip the seal right out of the tray next time you remove it.

Other than that it's been fine.
 
Got at 4 3/8 with Chevy rod journals. Guess I'll stick with my 440 source stroker tray.

If you are using a girdle, it will probably clear the std stroke windage tray.
 
I have one on mine and have 2 complaints.

1 Because of where they located the rubber seals they tend to intersect with the dimples in the pan.

2 If you apply any RTV to areas where there may be a leak (rear main, timing chain cover) the RTV will rip the seal right out of the tray next time you remove it.

Other than that it's been fine.
They do say that you need to have a flat rail pan, I filled the dimples in my pan rail with jb weld, sanded smooth .. no leaks after 10 years. I did put a touch of sealer at both sides of timing cover and rear main.
Also gave a super light coat of clean oil to both sides of the tray.
 
They do say that you need to have a flat rail pan, I filled the dimples in my pan rail with jb weld, sanded smooth .. no leaks after 10 years. I did put a touch of sealer at both sides of timing cover and rear main.
Also gave a super light coat of clean oil to both sides of the tray.
Just jinxed yourself. :poke:
 
I used one & put sealer on it , also drilled holes in it for oil drain back.
 
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