oil pan to pick up clearance

[305chevy c-10]

does any one know what the correct clearance between the pickup and the bottom of the oil pan .i  was test fitting a few things before i send it all to builder and i think i have about a 1/4 in or less from pick up to bottom of pan .its a 7qt drag pan with trap door,hv55 pump .the pan,pump and pickup came togather as a kit .im thinking as long  as it dont rest completely on the bottom i should be ok

[bd]

Melling recommends 3/8".

[305chevy c-10]

oh ok if i dont get 3/8 how do i fix it is there a really thick oil pan gasket or get a shorter pickup

[VileZambonie]

Don't worry about it, set it on there, put the pan on, take the pan back off & index it's relationship to the pump body with a sharpie. Reset it and repeat. Make sure your marks line up. Now you know where to set it plus the thickness of the pan gasket and you won't have any pan clearance issues.

[bd]

"A picture is worth a thousand words."  This will help clarify (watch the pickup screen install video)...

http://www.melling.com/Aftermarket/TechInfoVideos.aspx

The video is a guideline.  It illustrates a method very similar to what Vile described.  Don't worry about being exact.

[mattgood]

"A picture is worth a thousand words."  This will help clarify (watch the pickup screen install video)...

http://www.melling.com/Aftermarket/TechInfoVideos.aspx

The video is a guideline.  It illustrates a method very similar to what Vile described.  Don't worry about being exact.

Watched the video and it was very helpful as I could not quite picture it in my head. The guy in the vid is a little strange though haha. Thanks for posting that.... I know this isn't my thread but it was good to learn anyway.

[VileZambonie]

Not sure I agree with his technique or is his persona but it is what it is.

[werewolfx13]

I vote for a Vile demo video on something technical like this. God knows he can do anything related to one of these trucks, and has been a teacher to boot 

[VileZambonie]

I would gladly do it if I was building an engine right now. I'm going to help a student rebuild a 4L60 next week even though I'm technically not teaching anymore.

As for my comment on his recommendations, How many of you have a TIG welder raise your hand? lol How many of you want to remove and reinstall your oil pump, drive and screeen as many times as he did? How many of you think you should get your oil pump that hot without removing the cover and screen? How many of you have his special tool and jig for securing the pump?

I'd be happy to show some of the techniques that work really well. I will say that I put my faith in a bolt on pickup that fell off and caused me to have to rebuild my big block. Wasn't too happy about that so I do agree with tack welding the pick up assembly.

[werewolfx13]

Off topic, but, honestly, a video on rebuilding a 4l60 would do wonders for the confidence of the average Joe in need of a 700r4/4l60, or any automatic transmission rebuild. I was lucky enough my first exposure to a transmission in a form other than a fluid change, was with a guy who, for the better part of a decade, rebuilt automatic transmissions for a salvage yard to sell. Gale explained to me how each piece worked, what it affected, what happened if something went wrong, and what not to do while I watched. That alone, was enough information that, with the help of an atsg (or other reputable company) manual, I feel confident in tearing into an automatic transmission from virtually anything. Admittedly, the techniques of a guy who barely graduated high school and has spent more than half his life in a vodka bottle are probably not the best, just seeing HOW something works, explained in layman's terms, makes a WORLD of difference to the self-reliant individual.