I'm still working on my 3800SC and I decided to use the cast aluminum oil pan instead of the stamped steel one. I'm having trouble screwing the Oil Level Probe into the new oil pan. The threads on the probe & both pans are straight treads (no taper) and the oil probe is plastic. An O-ring butts against the pan to make the seal against a boss. The threads in both pans seem to be the same but when trying to screw it into the aluminum pan it binds right away.
Does anyone know the thread size of the oil level probe? It's metric for sure and I don't have any metric taps that big. See pics below.
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
Thanks for that info. I'll see if I can find a thread chaser or tap.
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
Another problem that you may run into with the oil level sensor is that there is no dashboard light available to hook it to.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Another problem that you may run into with the oil level sensor is that there is no dashboard light available to hook it to.
Hey Dennis how you been? For the moment I don't plan to hook it to anything. Once everything is up and running I'll go to the drawing board and see if I can modify it to be an oil temp sensor, something like a transmission temp sensor my Jeep has as factory. Then I'll add a gauge.
Plan "B" would be to use it as intended and I'd have to add a light to one of the empty dash sockets. Something like I did with my digital cruise modification.
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
Hey Dennis how you been? For the moment I don't plan to hook it to anything. Once everything is up and running I'll go to the drawing board and see if I can modify it to be an oil temp sensor, something like a transmission temp sensor my Jeep has as factory. Then I'll add a gauge.
Plan "B" would be to use it as intended and I'd have to add a light to one of the empty dash sockets. Something like I did with my digital cruise modification.
Thanks for asking. Doing OK Charlie and getting the ragtop finished. Hope all is good on your end and hope to see your 3800 at Carlisle this June. Knowing the way you work its got to be one neat install. As for that oil level sensor; we had a discussion here on that a while back, and its basically just an on-off switch. Low oil level just trips it on. I believe the 4T65eHD has an internal oil temperature sensor as it shows up on my scan tool. The increase in performance over the 2.8L is dramatic. You slam that pedal all the way down and the boost comes on instantly.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Wanted to see what the difference was myself. Standard motor products makes the sensor, part number "SLF14" and the interchange is broad, something like '92-'07. Listed as correct for an '01 Bonneville, which I see with an aluminum pan. Still not certain which 3800 came with aluminum versus stamped, but I wound up buying the stamped replacement pan for my personal swap.
I don't currently intend to use the sensor, but I could see it being nice to have
Ran into some trouble today. I got the thread chaser and it screwed in by hand with no problem, so the threads are good. The threads on the oil sensor are good. It seems like the tip of the sensor is touching the windage tray in the pan right at the point where the 1st thread wants to start biting.
The tray on the aluminum pan is attached down inside of the pan (see pic) . The tray on a stamped pan is integral to the pan gasket and perhaps sits a bit higher and clears the oil sensor. So it would seem that the oil sensor for the cast aluminum pan has to be about 3/4 of an inch shorter. I'm checking into this.
GM 12587389 OIL PAN / Fits 2000-2005 Buick Park Avenue Ultra, Pontiac Bonneville , and many more.
The aluminum pan does not use a gasket. Recommended special RTV for GM oil pans. See pics. I also had to trim a little metal off of Rodgers front engine mount to clear the fins on the new pan.
I'll do a followup on this subject.
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
Hopefully I'm not too late, but I wanted to use the aluminum pan for my swap but had to switch to the steel pan as the square aluminum one would not fit around the cradle/motor mount. This is in my 88 car.
Hopefully I'm not too late, but I wanted to use the aluminum pan for my swap but had to switch to the steel pan as the square aluminum one would not fit around the cradle/motor mount. This is in my 88 car.
hopefully this helps
The 88 cradle must be a bit tighter for clearance. I only had to trim 'Rogers" front engine mount to clear the fins on the pan. As far as my oil level sensor, it's on hold for now and I'm committed to the aluminum pan.
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
Sorry to pitch in and hyjack this thread, but does the aluminium pan (with baffles, looking at the photo?) help with oil starvation in hard cornering? I sometimes see my oil pressure drop à little round very hard corners on the track. They are available through Rock Auto and can be shipped to Europe. Wondering if it's worth the investment or I just modify my steel pan? Thanks for any information from the hardcore 3800 Fiero guys! Regards, Rafe
Sorry to pitch in and hyjack this thread, but does the aluminium pan (with baffles, looking at the photo?) help with oil starvation in hard cornering? I sometimes see my oil pressure drop à little round very hard corners on the track. They are available through Rock Auto and can be shipped to Europe. Wondering if it's worth the investment or I just modify my steel pan? Thanks for any information from the hardcore 3800 Fiero guys! Regards, Rafe
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
Here's the update on the aluminum oil pan. The threaded hole for the oil level sensor is not in the same position as the stamped pan so the sensor is hitting the oil pump pickup tube. This makes me believe there is a different length sensor for the aluminum pan.
The other issue I discovered with the aluminum pan is it blocks the traditional exhaust path. One of the "humps" on the cradle is blocked by the pan. This isn't a big deal if your running the 3800 exhaust out under the trunk like most do. I'm determined to run my exhaust the conventional way so the aluminum pan will be in the auction section once I clean it up.
Lesson learned.......
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
Here's the update on the aluminum oil pan. The threaded hole for the oil level sensor is not in the same position as the stamped pan so the sensor is hitting the oil pump pickup tube. This makes me believe there is a different length sensor for the aluminum pan.
The other issue I discovered with the aluminum pan is it blocks the traditional exhaust path. One of the "humps" on the cradle is blocked by the pan. This isn't a big deal if your running the 3800 exhaust out under the trunk like most do. I'm determined to run my exhaust the conventional way so the aluminum pan will be in the auction section once I clean it up.
Lesson learned.......
Spoon
My 87 had the aluminum pan when I bought it. I will probably be using the the pan from the Camaro when I put the engine back together so I can run the exhaust from the cat back in the factory location.
