The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 261 oil pan

Hi,

I located a beautiful complete 261 in an old school bus at the local salvage yard. Yesterday, when I went to clean up the block to get the casting numbers and date, I found a hole the size of Cleveland in the side of the block!

Very frustrated, I set out to find another. I found another but it was missing the oil pan. So, can I use an oil pan from a 235? I can't use the oil pan from the first 261 because it is bent where the hole is blown through the lower block.

Any and all input appreciated.
Steve

Depends on the 235 and the 261. The 53-55 235 pans are totally different from 55-62 235 pans and wont fit the later 235 engines. There is also a differance in the internal baffles between 55-58 and 59-62 235 oil pans. Some massaging of the oil pan floor was needed to make a 57 pan work with my 58-62 oil pickup. 261 engines may have similar pan differances.

My 59 261 has an oil pan from a 56 235 car engine, fit on no problem in my case.Most 261's have a swiveling oil pick up, be safe and check the clearance of the pick up from the oil pan floor.Mine is about 1/2 inch clearance, works just dandy.

The swiveling oil pump pickup was used on the 55-57 235 engines. I had to massage the 57 'swivel' pan to work with the '60 fixed style 235 oil pump pickup