Oil System

have had several 351 Cleveland rebuilt for street use and currently have 6 cars that have 351 Clevelands all built for street use.  I have asked all kinds of questions to many different "Engine Experts" specifically 351 Cleveland experts and I am told that the only oil issue with the Cleveland is when you get into the real high revving performance engines and that there is no real need for modifications to the oiling system for a street engine. The issue has to do with oil starvation at real high revs and if needed there is a simple rerouting kit you can pick up on Ebay that attaches to the oil pug just above the oil filter and fuel pump and connects to the back of the block where the oil pressure  sensor mounts.  I don't think an oil cooler  would address the oil starvation issue if in fact you would be having the oil starvation issue with your engine setup.  I just had a 1972 351 Cleveland Cobra Jet rebuilt with a new Lunati cam, new higher performance springs, roller rockers
and high volume oil pump.  I was told no need for further modifications to the oiling system.

the original lifters from Ford didn't flow a ton of oil to the top, aftermarket lifters flow much more than Ford designed for, some more than others. agree that the stock system is fine for 90% of builds as is, & pan volume is a big help. stock HO Clevelands came with a baffled pan & a dipstick that read full with 6 quarts in the same pan as base model 5 quart Cleveland. under hard use that extra quart is 'in limbo' draining back to the pan.

Edited by Rockatansky - 01-August-2010 at 6:17PM

what's wrong with your stock pan? good replacements aren't cheap, cheap ones aren't good and chrome leaks. the cheap chrome pans are less than 5 quarts.  i'd rather fix a stock pan than use new junk. actually strip duty might not be as bad as the open road for pumping the pan dry, you can keep your foot down a lot longer on the interstate. something to check is the oil return drains from the head at the head gasket. i found that the gasket doesn't always line up right and significantly blocks off the return hole in the block, i haven't checked if the head lines up with the gasket yet

Edited by Rockatansky - 02-August-2010 at 4:41AM

My stock pan is very rusty and there sre small leaks around the top edge. Before I buy a new one I am going to drop the pan, sand it and coat it with soe POR-15 and also replace the gasket, I am thinking the gasket is the culprit. I didnt know they made chrome pans, seems kind of stupid as nobody looks under the car LOL. I will start a new thread on the cams in the 72-76 forum because I want broad responses from people with different engines. Thanks Rockatansky, SquireCJ and MTburger

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MOR-20557/

I found this to be ideal for my 500HP + build & fits my 72" chassis.

According to the spec it holds 6 quarts. I originally purchased the 8 quart Milodon but when I dropped the engine into place the pan interfered with the cross member. This Moroso was not only less money
but is shaped almost exactly like the original. Unfortunately, I was poised to install yesterdat but ran into another issue with the B&M torque converter that I selected. Once again, according to Summit was the correct part. However, my original flex plate & torque converter are an eight bolt pattern & the B&M is a 4 bolt pattern. As for the dipstick, even though I still have the original I had purchased a Milodon to accomidate the deep pan. It was $50.00 and decided to keep it because it is cool. Billit aluminum & SS braided. The dipstick issue ought to be easy to get around so long as it seats properly.

No good on the fit to stock as the bolt diameter is off by about 2".
I went to the B&M site and found out that a new flexplate is required.

May as well since just about every part has been refurbished from crank pulley to tailshaft housing.

I needed longer header bolts anyway as I am using Stinger exhaust port plates, so it's not like I could have fired it up anyway.

I was running through the conversations and was wondering if the stock 351c 4v cobra jet oil pan takes 5 or 6 qts of oil?

i think the pans are all the same at 5 qt's but the dipstick on some engines, Boss & HO? were calibrated for a 6 qt full mark

Edited by Rockatansky - 13-May-2011 at 5:06PM

i got some pics of my pan with 4 & 5 quarts in it. 4 qts put the level about 5 3/4" down from the top, with 5 qts it was 5 1/4" down from the top, rough estimate the crank is about 3 1/2" down into the pan

Edited by BackInBlack - 05-February-2012 at 12:09AM

Andy if your just looking for a quick fix and not a motor rebuild with bushings and cam restrictors; you can prolly just do a mechanical cam with oil restrictors in the push rods just to give you a little extra confidence that you wont break it if you push it hard.   This alone will help keep more oil in the bottom end instead delivering it to the valve train.

Good post !

Edited by BackInBlack - 04-February-2012 at 12:33PM

I stand corrected about the external line....

Its seems to me that at a minimum the bushings should be installed in the lifter bores and the cam bearings replaced with those you suggested.  Anything else is a stop gap measure.