Cast iron aftermarket oil pan for Ford 3 cyl tractors...any experience?

[Andy4600]

Anyone have any experience with the aftermarket cast iron oil pans to replace the stamped steel oil pans?

This is what I am talking about:

S.60754 OIL PAN, CAST IRON, C9NN6675A

And this is a comparison of the two types:

Search results for: 'C9NN6675A'

 

[RickB]

No experience with that pan here. I don't see any advantage for the extra $$$$ Let us know............

 

[flusher]

Stamped steel oil pans are just covers--only have to support the weight of the oil in the pan.

My MF135 has a very heavy cast iron (or cast steel) oil pan that's part of the tractor's load bearing structure. So it's more than just a cover for the bottom of the crankcase.

Don't know why you would want to replace an inexpensive stamped steel oil pan for an expensive, heavy cast iron equivalent.

 

[Andy4600]

Don't know why you would want to replace an inexpensive stamped steel oil pan for an expensive, heavy cast iron equivalent.

To prevent bending up/poking a hole in the oil pan, which is why I am replacing the pan in the first place. Changing out the pan is going to take me some time. I hope to not have to do it again.

 

[RickB]

I'm a long ways from convinced that a new aftermarket cast iron part from "the land of almost right" that nobody here has experience with will be more durable than a replacement mild steel pan. And I sure wouldn't bet $100 ( the difference in price) on it being so.

 

[Andy4600]

Yes, I have questioned durability myself, as cast iron has a tendancy to crack catistrophically instead of bend like a pressed steel pan. I'll probably stick with the pressed steel pan design, but hoped to gain some more knowledge along the way.

 

[Andy4600]

I wanted to follow up on this thread. I ended up going with the cast iron pan. The thing is a beast. Very thick, as would be expected for cast iron. It takes a normal oil pan gasket, the same one used for the stamped pans. The pan did require a bit of fitting, as well as the tractor to make it work. I had to do the following:

1) Install longer oil pan bolts. (Easy)
2) Grind out a slight amount of metal on the inside of the pan where the engine oil pump sits. (easy)
3) Grind the edges of the front of the pan for clearance with the axle. (Medium)
4) Thin the front lip of the pan where it goes between the engine and axle. (medium)
5) Thin the heads on the front 2 oil pan bolts (easy)
6) Take some metal off of the axle for clearance. (Hard because I had to remove the front wheels several times to do this and get the fit right)

Oil level on the dipstick was also affected. After putting in the specified amount of oil, oil level shows high, above the full mark. I have left it that way with no issues, although I was a little nervous the first time I fired it back up. I thought the high level might be due to the new oil filter, and that it would refill and lower the level, but that was not the case. I think it must a difference in the oil pan geometry and thickness.

All in all, the project took longer than expected, and a lot more "machining" than I would have hoped. But, the new oil pan sure does look good, and I don't think I'll ever have a problem with dinging this pan up.

 

[Soundguy]

Explain where you removed metal for clearance for the 'oil pump'?

 

[Andy4600]

Explain where you removed metal for clearance for the 'oil pump'?

The top corner of the oil pan, adjacent to where the oil pump bolts to the engine. There was an ever so slight amount of contact there that was pushing my new oil pan to the side, causing a very slight misalignment of the mounting bolts. All it took was a few thousands off with a grinder to fit up with no contact.

The pan is about 1/2" thick (estimate), and machined flat at the gasket surface. This left a very square corner on the inside of the pan. I just needed to make it a little less square at the location of the oil pump mount. I could have just filed a little off the oil pump mounting flange, but I didn't want to risk any filings in the engine. That, and I value the oil pump more than the oil pan.