Oil pan

[Goldday]

My sons oil pan hangs really low. Put new struts all around but the pan hits on high bumps.
Just replaced the pan last week and he knocked a hole in the. New pan last night.
We have lots of bad roads.
Could my springs be bad; they were tough to compress when I replaced the struts.
Should I wield an oil pan cover plate?
87 2.5 non turbo

[jordensk]

Common prob w/all these cars. If u can fab a skid plate it will help but best advice is 2 b more careful. Its not a truck, dont drive it like 1. Sounds like ur son may need a good truck if ur roads r that bad. I drive my glh all over the farm but rough equals slooow. In my opinion

[Goldday]

Was driving some friends around. Offensive lineman the weigh 250+ at 16 yr old. Not fat either. Lol
Looking at spring boosters but the spaces between the springs are pretty large. One inch spacers were too small. Looking at the rubber spacers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jordensk Common prob w/all these cars. If u can fab a skid plate it will help but best advice is 2 b more careful. Its not a truck, dont drive it like 1. Sounds like ur son may need a good truck if ur roads r that bad. I drive my glh all over the farm but rough equals slooow. In my opinion

[4 L-bodies]

I would suggest some higher rate springs. Look for some off a Shelby Z daytona or ES turbo car as they will have a bit higher rate spring than normally aspirated cars. MP also offered a rally spring (not autocross spring) that raised vehicle about an inch or so. Do a little diggin, and I'll bet you could find a new set of these still.
Usually the rears are what sags first...

[Dr. Johny Dodge]

you'll wanna watch out for wheel lift style tow trucks too when the car is being towed

make sure the truck driver lifts the arm of the wheel lift enough to raise the car considerabley - they usually like to tow the car as low as possiable but that causes the cross bar of the wheel lift to hit the oil pan

raiseing the car moves the crossbar away from the pan

dosen't help with the current problem but avoids another

[jordensk]

I drove an 89 omni 2.2 na n high school n busted a cpl oil pans followin 4x4s around on back country n farm roads. Definately need stiffer springs. I jumped a bridge n a 87 yorker n well it bent the pan so bad it broke the oil pickup tube. Buy him a dakota or ram. Or if he wants better mileage look for a ram 50 or jeep commanche. The jeeps r pretty tuff from my experience.

[Goldday]

Thanks will watch that.
The car appears to have good clearance and the springs look fine but guess they are way too soft. Purchased a set of adjustable spring boosters; actually a little excited to raise the front of the car. Thought the new struts and shocks would have cured the softness ,, not!
Also going to wield a small skid plate over the oil pan. Hope I can find a good mounting spot for the skid plate
My son is pretty safe but he does have friends who live on country roads. Better off doing some prevention mods rather than him trying to dodge holes at night. He has the silver star headlights but I'm not impressed with them at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Johny Dodge you'll wanna watch out for wheel lift style tow trucks too when the car is being towed make sure the truck driver lifts the arm of the wheel lift enough to raise the car considerabley - they usually like to tow the car as low as possiable but that causes the cross bar of the wheel lift to hit the oil pan raiseing the car moves the crossbar away from the pan dosen't help with the current problem but avoids another

[Goldday]

We had a power wagon but sold it when brother went to college for better gas milage. Brother is pissed because he ended up a Corpus Christi A&M; Drive on beaches. He Tells me he misses his truck every time he goes to the beach. Lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by jordensk I drove an 89 omni 2.2 na n high school n busted a cpl oil pans followin 4x4s around on back country n farm roads. Definately need stiffer springs. I jumped a bridge n a 87 yorker n well it bent the pan so bad it broke the oil pickup tube. Buy him a dakota or ram. Or if he wants better mileage look for a ram 50 or jeep commanche. The jeeps r pretty tuff from my experience.

[Goldday]

Are the turbo springs the same height as mine. I Would not mind going up an inch but defiantly don't want to go any lower.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4 L-bodies I would suggest some higher rate springs. Look for some off a Shelby Z daytona or ES turbo car as they will have a bit higher rate spring than normally aspirated cars. MP also offered a rally spring (not autocross spring) that raised vehicle about an inch or so. Do a little diggin, and I'll bet you could find a new set of these still. Usually the rears are what sags first...

[Dr. Johny Dodge]

I doubt shelby z springs will help the issue any
a shelby z sits at about the same height as a base daytona

any increase in the spring rate will prob be a ways up the spring (in the coils) where the spring will already have compressed before it got to the stiffer portion of the coils

shelby z's sit more like base daytona's and more like the earlier 84-6 daytona turbo's
a turbo z is a diff model and the turbo z's sit lower than base , daytona turbo and shelby z

check the pic below
the blue 86 has 86 springs in the back - fronts are 87 shelby z - note space between top of tires and fender lip

what size tires are you useing ?
taller ones may help

telling your son to change his own pans may well slow the rate of needed repair too - don't ask how I know lol

[Goldday]

Changed the pan. Hate the fitment of the aftermarket pans. Suggest to get all the bolts in loosely then start to tighten. You will have to bend some areas of the pan to get the holes to line- up. Also have to grind out additional room where the pan goes around the pump. Put some metal coil boosters in the coil springs. Lifted the front and gave much better ride.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Johny Dodge I doubt shelby z springs will help the issue any a shelby z sits at about the same height as a base daytona any increase in the spring rate will prob be a ways up the spring (in the coils) where the spring will already have compressed before it got to the stiffer portion of the coils shelby z's sit more like base daytona's and more like the earlier 84-6 daytona turbo's a turbo z is a diff model and the turbo z's sit lower than base , daytona turbo and shelby z check the pic below the blue 86 has 86 springs in the back - fronts are 87 shelby z - note space between top of tires and fender lip what size tires are you useing ? taller ones may help telling your son to change his own pans may well slow the rate of needed repair too - don't ask how I know lol