2020/04/25 - Oil Pan Swap

So, if you ever wonder "can I use an oil pan that ISN'T the batwing from the C5?" to yourself, the answer is: No. Don't do it.

This is the clearance with the car resting on its wheels with the Holley 302-1 oil pan. Nope.

Fun fact, you CAN change the oil pan with the engine still in the car, just need to make some Official GTM Engine Spacers (TM). There's barely not enough room to remove the old oilpan and pickup tube without this little bit of extra clearance. New matching pickup tube needed, windage tray okay to leave.

Oh, but you have to pull the transaxle if you have it installed, like I did.

Official GTM Engine Spacer (TM)
Official Application of the Official GTM Engine Spacers (TM)
Much better

Then, reassemble.

With the appropriate oil pan, this thing barely sits below the frame. The added skids I'll be placing under means that the oil pan will no longer be the lowest point on the car. That's a good thing.

I also swapped out the old oil filter adapter that came with the C5 pan. The pan itself was new, but I bought it off ebay and it looks like the guy put an old oil filter adapter in there. It was rusty. Surface rust, sure, but COMPLETELY coated in it and there is NO way the oil filter will be giving my engine rusty oil. The Wix 57060, ACDelco PF48 (apparently, according to internet forums, the PF48e is an inferior filter. Take that for what it's worth) will be used.

Estimated time: 16 hours