Extended Capacity Oil Pan
- Thread starter TTipe
- Start date
- Joined
- May 26, 2001
RJC mades a deep pan, and is the only source except for a custom, expensive oil pan for a Buick V-6. 
After having used and installed many of the RJC deep pans, we have never seen and gold material from the coating in the oil or pan?
After having used and installed many of the RJC deep pans, we have never seen and gold material from the coating in the oil or pan?
The pan had to be stripped and repainted. It was my friends pan. I have concerns about purchasing one of these pans thinking debris is going through my new engine.RJC mades a deep pan, and is the only source except for a custom, expensive oil pan for a Buick V-6.
After having used and installed many of the RJC deep pans, we have never seen and gold material from the coating in the oil or pan?
1KWIKSIX
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2007
I installed my RJC deep oil pan awhile ago....bought it used on this board from another member. He had modified it somewhat.
In an effort to eliminate any flaking, he media blasted all the gold coloured material off on the inside of the pan. Probably used aluminum oxide. Just be very diligent in making sure there are no traces of the media left & do a thorough job of cleaning & rinsing it out & you should be fine.
Mine was powder coated black on the outside too. The finish seems to be holding up well to the heat, etc....been installed over a year now without issue. I did have to machine up another spacer for the oil pick up though as it was too far away from the bottom of the oil pan for my liking. The position of the oil baffle had also been lowered very slightly & re-welded in, in order to gain some extra crank throw clearance. I'm glad that these modifications were done for me and am extremely happy with my purchase.
turbodave231
Moderator
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
Nick,
Not every RJC pan has the coating coming off. The quality of the coating is hit and miss. The pan in question here was flaking off. If you rubbed your fingernail on the inside coating, it would come off. We didn't want that in the oil.
I cut out the existing windage tray and blasted the inside with glass beads and welded in tabs that the old tray will then bolt into place (now removable for cleaning). The pickup extension was way too short. Ideally I wanted 1/4 to 3/8 between the pickup and the bottom of the pan. The stock pickup with the spacer put it 3/4" or better away from the bottom. Neither of the RJC aluminum spacers are the right dimension for their pan. I fabricated a longer pickup using a brand new one and a piece of steel tube.
I have done several pans this way. I like the RJC pan, just wish I didn't have to rework every one.
Not every RJC pan has the coating coming off. The quality of the coating is hit and miss. The pan in question here was flaking off. If you rubbed your fingernail on the inside coating, it would come off. We didn't want that in the oil.
I cut out the existing windage tray and blasted the inside with glass beads and welded in tabs that the old tray will then bolt into place (now removable for cleaning). The pickup extension was way too short. Ideally I wanted 1/4 to 3/8 between the pickup and the bottom of the pan. The stock pickup with the spacer put it 3/4" or better away from the bottom. Neither of the RJC aluminum spacers are the right dimension for their pan. I fabricated a longer pickup using a brand new one and a piece of steel tube.
I have done several pans this way. I like the RJC pan, just wish I didn't have to rework every one.
haywire4130
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2010
I have the rjc pan as well, I wish I had powdercoated it prior to install though... the plating on the outside is poor at best, my car is always garaged and never driven in rain and the coating is flaking off like it was exposed to winter driving. So far no traces of gold in my oil though. One plus is, just as promised, it is very easy to install the motor with the pan on despite the deeper sump.
turbo nasty
Turbo Dojo / MNTR
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2001
It must be hit or miss on the coating and windage tray welds.
Currently, I am running Dick Kerneys old 8 second 109 RJC pan that had the bottom end let go and it had a ton on dents and dings from the inside out from the bottom end scattering. I worked on the pan for a few hours getting windage tray back square and a hammer and dolly to get pan sides and bottom straight to drain properly. Long story short the coating still had perfect adhesion and windage tray spot welds that are sometimes iffy held up through the catastrophe.
Currently, I am running Dick Kerneys old 8 second 109 RJC pan that had the bottom end let go and it had a ton on dents and dings from the inside out from the bottom end scattering. I worked on the pan for a few hours getting windage tray back square and a hammer and dolly to get pan sides and bottom straight to drain properly. Long story short the coating still had perfect adhesion and windage tray spot welds that are sometimes iffy held up through the catastrophe.
Dave its likely that chemistry (engine oil byproducts, oil detergents etc) is part of the issue. "The quality of the coating is hit and miss". Most suppliers at this level don't have the analytic tools nor an established validation plan to protect themselves and the consumer. Cost would be astronomical (based on low volume and tooling) and not justifiable in the customer's eyes. It stinks when something "unpredictable" like this happens and the racer took every known precaution and wonders why they need a new shortblock.
Wayne Sherman
Just thought this coating may be vulnerable to alcohol.
- Joined
- May 26, 2001
That is a good thought as none of the pans local are on alky, but a couple newer builds including mine are using e-85?
I have an RJC pan on the shelf and will put some e-85 in it and see what happens?
Haywire4130 your occurrance sounds like an "improper" application in the coating process.
The more I look at this the more it could be poor electroplating (ie dirty electrodes etc.)
turbodave231
Moderator
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
I have seen the coating poorly adhered on brand new pans......not a post application reaction in my opinion.
I just don't like the coating - period.
I'd prefer to buy the pan with NO coating and let the customer decide how to handle the paint/powder coat process. The interior of the pan doesn't need a coating. That would make the product cheaper to manufacture and eliminate the problem......not everybody likes gold colored oil pans (looks kinda 80's to me).
I just don't like the coating - period.
I'd prefer to buy the pan with NO coating and let the customer decide how to handle the paint/powder coat process. The interior of the pan doesn't need a coating. That would make the product cheaper to manufacture and eliminate the problem......not everybody likes gold colored oil pans (looks kinda 80's to me).
turbogn_231
Member
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2006
Ok. Now I'm freaking out.
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1KWIKSIX
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2007
x2
I totally agree with you on this subject.
It's a great product, just needs a little tweaking to make it perfect!
dave
haywire4130
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2010
In my opinion its a pretty lousy coating in general... I have never seen a gold cad plated bolt or nut hold up more than a year on a car or truck (I live in the northeast fwiw). I expected the coating not to last on bolts etc on my plow mounts but expected a lot longer life my garaged and babied buick. Cad plating may have its place but it aint buick oil pans haha give me powdercoat or bare steel-
buickGN3:16
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2012
i know guys who are using the spray stuff thats like rhino linning on the outside of the oil pans cuz it can take a beating & looks pretty cool too.
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Here is the deal on the coating. it is very difficult to get the coating on the inside of the pan in the sump area. on the first batch of pans we plated the inside of the pan did not coat well. Soooo the plater took it upon himself to paint them gold. yes this paint did not hold up in an all oil inviroment that well. Depending on how the inside of the pan was prepped it sometimes dissolved in the oil slightly, causing discoloration of the oil. There is no detrimental effect on the oil. So it was actually the paint that was coming off not the plating. On this last batch. (the batch i have been selling for about the last 2 years) we left the inside bare.
we have never seen where the plating has actually came off, only the paint dissolving.
we have never seen where the plating has actually came off, only the paint dissolving.
totally kidding, we will look into doing them black.
We were just trying to get the best most durable coating out there. Electroplating Gold Zink seemed to be very popular with moroso and many others so we just followed suite. We live in a very harsh enviroment here in UT and these pans have held up very well to the conditions here. in the winter they get a constant salt spray.
note: we DO NOT recommend sand blasting the inside of the pans. this is very difficult to remove every little grain and unlike a few dissolved paint particles it will cause issues.
We were just trying to get the best most durable coating out there. Electroplating Gold Zink seemed to be very popular with moroso and many others so we just followed suite. We live in a very harsh enviroment here in UT and these pans have held up very well to the conditions here. in the winter they get a constant salt spray.
note: we DO NOT recommend sand blasting the inside of the pans. this is very difficult to remove every little grain and unlike a few dissolved paint particles it will cause issues.
