When loweing the sump on a pinto, how much can you lower the smaller part of the sump?

see here for details
http://www.rhocar.org.uk/buildtipz/021.shtml

I'd be very surprised if you need to shorten the shallow end - how low are you mounting your engine!?

The crankshaft will be flying around very close to that bit...

Tim's link to the Robin Hood site is excellent - I strongly recommend it.

David

The shallow end of the sump is above the level of the bellhousing so there's not much point making it even shallower as you will still belt the bellhousing on speed bumps.

You want to raise it to increase ground clearance. It is pointless raising it more than the level of the gearbox bellhousing as this will then become the first point of contact with any obstruction and will rip the gearbox and engine mounts if severe enough. the sump acts more as a skid and any contact can usually be heard before it is serious enough to cause damage. Mine is untouched and clears the floor by about 4" and has never hit anything with enough force to damage it.

[Edited on 16/3/04 by Peteff]

Rich, all you wanna do is chop an inch or so out of the deepest part of the sump and then a corresponding inch out of the oil pickup tube.

I've done a couple by various methods. The most straight forward was to make a steel 2/3mm plate and weld this over the bottom. I found it impossible to cure the leaks though and ended up brazing over the top.

The better option was to make a 'biscuit tin lid' that fitted the inside profile of the sump. I then sat the lid inside the sump so that the to exposed 'lips' could be butt welded together easily. This method seems to have made a good seal.

HTH,

James

a friend tigged mine for me, cos as james says its very hard to stop all the leaks. to date no leaks, but it hasnt been hot yet..

I cut 1 1/2" out of the sump, made a new base plate up for the full length of the sump and ran new walls to the front and migg'd it all up. I tested it with meths on the inside and talk on the outside (if there is a leak, meths will find it)
Rescued attachment Sump.jpg

...and pre fitting
Rescued attachment Sump2.jpg

The old Robin Hood site has gone, but you'll find the article Here.