I recently purchased a 383 forged blueprint engine for my gta after installation I realized that the driver side exhaust from the header has no room between the crossmember and oil pan. Have any of you come across this and if so how did you run your exhaust. I'm assuming you changed the oil pan anybody out there have any recommendations?

 

Or is it okay to swap my l98 oil pan onto the 383? I believe the courts of oil is the same correct me if I'm wrong

 

Before changing oil pans I would check with blueprint on voiding the warranty if anything is changed or swapped. I know when I got my 383 blueprint engine for my 69 camaro I was so worried about doing anything to void my warranty thet I even left the branded blueprint valve covers on it till I was out of warranty. I even used the spark plugs they recommended, the oil they suggested and exact timing they wanted. The other option that might worth checking into is running true dual exhaust on it. Which honestly wouldn't be that bad of an idea given that those 383 crate engines start at 430HP trying to push that much air out of a 2-1/2" or even a 3" intermediate pipe would be choking that engine down. I have always been told by old school engine builders that you want 1" of diameter pipe for every 100hp you have. Maybe its just old mechanics tale but it has worked for me the last 25 years.

As for the blueprint engine itself it has been awesome! you made a great choice. I have since purchased a second blueprint 350 crate engine for my wifes 56 Belair

 

Yes you will need to change the oil pan.

Whether you can use your stock one depends on what block the 383 is built out of. If it's a 638 or 880 (modern 1-pc rear main seal 4.000" bore) then your stock L98 pan will work fine on it.

Unfortunately it's kinda a major witch with a capital B to change that out with the motor already in the chassis; butt at a certain level, you just gotta do what ya gotta do, with what ya got ta do it with, when ya gotta do it.

 

Unfortunately True dual dosent fit on the ta. I immediately changed the valve covers as I didn't want to be a walking advertisement for blueprint and got off the phone with blueprint today and they were suggesting other oil pans so I don't believe it will affect the warranty.

 

blueprint suggested a Canton race oil pan

(15-244T Small Block Chevy F Body Road Race Pan 1 Piece Seal)

a little shocking when I saw it was $600 plus needing the pickup. That's when I thought about using the stock one but that racing pan will give me an extra quart of oil ,worth it? More oil cant hurt.... can you confirm that the Canton pan will work for this trans am application and that blueprint is correct in suggesting it. Thanks

 

You have 2 options. Change the oil pan or fab up an exhaust section that goes from the headers back and merge behind the trans. The LS conversions do it all the time. They use X members w areas for the exhaust to pass through.

your 3in exhaust is fine for a 383. I had a 430hp/tg w a 3in. It was fine. I went to 3.5 when i put a blower on.

 

Thanks for the reply, yeah when looking at it today the only option would be to run the driver side from the header and turn right at the converter but then the exhaust would have to go towards the front of the car for a few inches to make it into the y pipe. Which would be kind of silly I guess I'm getting an oil pan. Do you have any experience or knowledge with the Canton racing oil pan?

 

well that’s all good stuff to know. Then I would just swap out your L98 pan on the new blueprint engine andgo for it. I know my 383 was built using a seasoned 1pc rear main seal block and the L98s are the 1pc rear main. My new blueprint 350 in the wife’s bel air is actually a new 1pc rear main block, not sure on the more current 383s?

 

Yes mine is also a one piece. I was contemplating the Canton oil pan as it gives me an extra quart of oil but the $600 price tag is hard to swallow. On the other hand if I'm doing all this work maybe I should at least get the upgrade of an extra quart out of it.

 

$600 for an extra quart of oil in a street-driven car...

*consults financial adviser*

Canton makes good stuff, butt I'm struggling with the cost/benefit ratio here, compared to your old pan.

 

An extra quart would have what benefit? Nothing really. I have that same pan (albeit the 2-piece RMS version) and the intent behind it is oil control in the sump. It has the lateral kickouts and trap doors to keep the oil surrounding the pickup. The scraper/windage screen is also a benefit.
The additional quart...not so much. That's my opinion anyway.
There is another advantage to having the added capacity. In the ultimate chase for reducing windage losses caused by the crank whipping the oil into a froth is that you can run just the 5 quarts and lower the oil level. The sump is still submerged and the lower level keeps the oil away from the rotating assembly and reduces the HP lost due to windage.

Personally, while I the like the Canton pan (and in my modest drag racing it keeps the oil where it needs to be at the launch) I could race as I do with a stock pan. In your case, I'd then take that savings and invest it a proper set of headers and a custom y-pipe.

Again, my 2 cents. 1.45 cents really after the CDN/US exchange rate.

 

Hard to beat this logic.

 

Keep in my mind what was mentioned above. To change the pan, the engine has to come out. Or very nearly so.

 

Sounds like the pan needs to be changed either way unless I'm reading it wrong. So pull it, put on the stock pan, then put that $600 towards getting a y-pipe/headers as you suggested and make sure it all fits before fully re-installing the engine.

 

Unless there's chassis interference, I would think that the BP pan could stay. Then some mid-length headers (like the Headman model I have) and a fabbed y-pipe to what ever cat back setup you have now.

Sort of like this:



That's a couple of chassis' ago but the idea is the same.
Headman headers. Fabbed y-pipe (could be in mild steel rather than stainless) and a Magnaflow or Flowmaster merge.
It's difficult to see (and I have better pictures) but the oil pan doesn't come close to headers. And I went with a mini-starter (OEM style ) for added clearance.

 

It might be more than you're willing to get involved in although you did buy an aftermarket engine!

Here's a better view.

 

what car is that on? I don't have the same room down the driver's side on my 88 gta.
I am currently using Doug's shorty headers and y pipe. The drivers side crosses over to passenger side between the oil pan and cross member. The drivers side runs out of room for exhaust just past stall converter.

 

Can any of you confirm the clearance is ok on the stock pan with the 383? I'm seeing some posts that talk about using a hammer to gain clearance on a 383. Id rather change the pan then adjust clearance on a new motor with a hammer. Any other options in pans?

 

The same exhaust has been on a couple of 86 Camaro chassis'.
I would think that the floor plans and engine fitment would be the same with an 88 Firebird.
The cat back portion is an old 3" Flowmaster that was built for any 3rd gen.
What room on the driver's side are you referring to?. The cat back runs down the passenger side between the driveshaft and floor pan. The same cat back was originally on an earlier Camaro with a catalytic converter and Edelbrock shorty headers and y-pipe in the traditional sense. Just as what you're dealing with. I tossed all of that. The forward part of the Flowmaster intermediate pipe was cut off and adapted to the custom y-pipe.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/FLO-17233

 

Your stock pan will work w a 1 piece rear main seal. Id be really surprised of you couldn't do an exhaust like what has been posted in the pics w any pan.

 

I thought the floor pan was different, I will have to look again,

 

when I was under the car today there was no room to put the exhaust on the driver side unless it was fully below frame of car.

 

I also have a 700r4 trans, so the brace bar (torque arm)is also in the way, no?

 

I run a canton rr pan, don't forget to order correct oilpump pickup and plugs that don't come with it

 

it worked on this car and numerous others like it. If you look, theres plenty of room around the oil pan. This car could get even better clearance w an x member w recesses in it for the exhaust.

this isn't the best execution but you get the idea.

 

thanks, it's tough to tell but is that exhaust out below the oil pan, my car is lowered (only a inch) but I also live in NY. So ground clearance worries me, as my taxes go to everything other than paving the roads🙄. I will have to take a look with myself under the car while viewing this picture thank you

 

yes I noticed on their site that it said you needed the pickup and the plug thank you. Is one of the reasons you're using their pan for the exhaust as well?