Does anyone have an RF89 oil pan?

[alangbaker]

Mine was lunched by my broken connecting rod...

[Roland V. Johnson]

I really hate to start this, but you might check with Jay Ivey.

[racerdad2]

[alangbaker]

I really hate to start this, but you might check with Jay Ivey.

Contrary to rumour, I have no strong negative feelings about Jay Ivey.

[gord leach]

I used to have a 89, BUT can't remember if the pan is specific or was a generic item. I might have one in the shop

[Mark Walthew]

Pegasus now carries an A.R.E. cast pan for Van Diemen. I am not sure if this will fit an RF-89. It looks close to an RF-85/86 pan but not quite.
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr...asp?RecID=5804

[alangbaker]

I used to have a 89, BUT can't remember if the pan is specific or was a generic item. I might have one in the shop

It seems to be specific, Gord. At least, I've not been able to find a single oil pan for sale online that looks like it would come close to fitting.

The pan for my RF89 is fabricated from the flange and about 1.5-2" of the vertical wall of the stock pan, and then "V"s inward to a trough about 1.25" wide. The front end of the trough is remove to slope it toward the centre-mounted oil-plug/pick-up point and I actually added a similar slope to the rear of the pan to make it a little easier to get the engine into the bay (it removed interference caused by the short crossmember between the lower longitudinal frame members).

I'll try to get Terry, my engine guy, to take a picture.

[alangbaker]

For reference, it is almost identical to this Elan dry sump pan:



Only the ends of the trough are both cut away on an angle to make getting the engine into the frame easier.

[teamwisconsin]

That's a pretty standard pan for all Ford based engines. Crossflows and non x-flow, Lotus T/C, most of the 105 engines like Formula Junior, FVA, FVC, BD series from BDA thru BDX...

Call Jay to get one, then notch the ends accordingly to make your installation work as you described. Easy peasy.

[alangbaker]

That's a pretty standard pan for all Ford based engines. Crossflows and non x-flow, Lotus T/C, most of the 105 engines like Formula Junior, FVA, FVC, BD series from BDA thru BDX...

Call Jay to get one, then notch the ends accordingly to make your installation work as you described. Easy peasy.

Cool!

Thanks, Ethan!

[BURKY]

I think Bat has standard pans in stock. http://www.batinc.net/fford.htm

[alangbaker]

I think Bat has standard pans in stock. http://www.batinc.net/fford.htm

I'll give them a call or email, but their catalog lists it as "DISC"

[Brian]

The most common pan anywhere, so you should have good luck. If all else fails a couple of nights with your shear and your tig welder and and a stock pan, and Bob's your uncle... the 85/86 and some other VD of that vintage used the pan as a stressed member of the engine mounting system, and to mount the rear of the car.

Brian

[alangbaker]

The most common pan anywhere, so you should have good luck. If all else fails a couple of nights with your shear and your tig welder and and a stock pan, and Bob's your uncle... the 85/86 and some other VD of that vintage used the pan as a stressed member of the engine mounting system, and to mount the rear of the car.

Brian

Yes... ...well.

I suppose some day my welding skills might be up to it...

But I can't weld at all right now...

...and don't have a welder...

...or a shear.

[racerdad2]

JB Weld !

Seriously, happy hunting for your new parts ! I missed a 1-2 shift & over reved me Pinto. Too busy watching my mirrors, stunned that I was leading the pack I've re-learned much on this thread. Thx for posting.

[alangbaker]

So I've done a lot of checking...

It appears that the fabricated pan my RF89 uses is what was a reasonably common pattern for dry sump pans as used in Lotus Elans, with Cosworth BDAs...

...this pan essentially:



But the guy who fabbed that one said he really doesn't do them anymore, and anyway, he's in Australia, so he wouldn't be my first choice for speedy and inexpensive delivery.

But then I found Dave Bean Engineeering, and he can supply the pan shown in the attached photos... ...for a lot less than the cast pans are selling for.

I'll still need to do some rework to relieve the end of the trough to allow me to get the engine into the engine bay, but I think this is the answer.