Oil pan baffels ?

[Ford Freak]

Hey Guys ! I am in the process of "de - sludging" a truck oil pan . I do not know the year . It does not have the big removable cleanout plate like some , but does have a baffle , like some others . If I were to remove this baffle by carefully cutting it out , I would be able to do an easier/better job cleaning it . Then I could tack weld it back in afterwards . My question (s) : Do I even need this baffle ? How come some truck pans have it , and some don't ? Thanks - F F

[Kube]

Yes you need the baffle. My first hand experience has proven that without it being in place you may lose pressure going around corners and hills.
I had repaired a 34 coupe a couple of years ago with just those issues. It had been to three shops prior to mine.
I checked everything 'easy" and after finding no issues, removed the pan.
Someone had removed it to install a "modern" oil pump.
I had welded in as much baffle as possible to each side of the new pump sump.
Problem fixed.

[Ford Freak]

Thanks Kube ! Any idea why some of these rear sump pans have a baffle , and some don't ?
Also , what do you mean by a " modern " pump ? - F F

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Ford Freak

Thanks Kube ! Any idea why some of these rear sump pans have a baffle , and some don't ?
Also , what do you mean by a " modern " pump ? - F F

I have no clue why rear sump sometimes have a baffle and some don't.

Often times guys install a Melling (or equivalent) high volume pump when working on the engine. That puts the sump in a very different place. It (sump) interferes with the baffle.
I've done this modification but instead of simply removing the entire baffle, I will remove only what is necessary to clear the (relocated) sump.

[JM 35 Sedan]

I'd suggest leaving that baffle alone and clean the pan with that inplace. It's there for a good reason. I've had oil pans that leaked at the spot welds because someone had cut the center section out, then bent what was left on the sides to get that out of the way....which wound up fracturing a weld unbeknownst to them. I had to eventually remove that oil pan to have that fractured weld repaired.

[Ford Freak]

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Thanks for the response & info , guys ! I found a local engine/machine shop today that can clean this pan for me in an steam oven or something like that . - F F

[Ggmac]

A lifetime ago , while tearing down some flatheads in the shop I was working at , I noticed all the stationary pump motors had no baffles in the pan , the 2 car/ truck engines did have the baffles . Usually we just tore down without regard to keeping oil pans and covers ( timing ) marked . This was different, boss said keep em matched .

[Ross F-1]

None of the 8BA truck pans ever had baffles, and the only 8BA Car pan I've seen them in was the Merc pan. I have one of those on my truck.

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by Ross F-1

None of the 8BA truck pans ever had baffles, and the only 8BA Car pan I've seen them in was the Merc pan. I have one of those on my truck.

Never thought of the horizontal plate in the Merc. pan as a 'baffle', but a 'windage tray' that keeps the crank assembly from churning up the oil.

[jimTN]

32-4 pans are long and straight. 35 up have more of a "sump" where the oil sets, some of them had sumps and some later may not have. Some even had a sump well arrangement where the pump intake was.

[34PKUP]

Originally Posted by jimTN

Some even had a sump well arrangement where the pump intake was.

?? The pump intake has to be located in the sump no matter where the sump is located or what shape it is.

[jimTN]

I was referring to a raised ring, well type construction where the pump pickup would go.