Oil Pans, Drain Plugs & Dipsticks

There are two types of engine lubrication systems, dry sump and wet sump. A dry sump system has two oil pumps, one to circulate the lubricating oil through the engine and a second scavenging pump to pull oil from the engine’s sump and send it to an external storage reservoir. Dry sump systems are used on some performance cars, but most vehicles have a wet sump system, where oil collects and is stored in a reservoir beneath the engine called the oil pan.

In a wet sump system, the oil pump pickup tube screen is positioned low in the oil pan so it is always covered with oil. The oil pump draws oil from the pan through the pickup tube and sends it through the engine’s oil passages, where it lubricates and cools engine bearings and other moving parts. The oil then drains back into the oil pan. The oil pan is designed to hold enough oil for all anticipated operating conditions. At one time most oil pans were formed from stamped steel, but today many engines have sophisticated reservoirs of cast aluminum.

Their mounting position can make them vulnerable to getting bashed from road debris or exuberant off-road driving. Such contact can result in dents, cracks or even holes. If your oil pan suffers unfortunate damage, we have direct fit replacements for much less than you’d pay at the dealer. Our replacement oil pans are made to original equipment specifications, so you can be assured of perfect fit and function. With our oil pans, you can get back on the road and have cash left in your pocket. We also carry all the related oil pan components, like gaskets and drain plugs, so you only need to make one phone call to get everything to complete the job.

Racing and high-performance engines put demands on the oiling system that original equipment oil pans just can’t handle. High volume/high pressure pumps typically used on such engines can quickly suck a standard capacity pan dry at high RPMs. And under the quick acceleration of a drag racer or hard cornering of a road or circle track racer, the oil could slosh away from the sump on a factory pan, starving the engine of oil and causing severe damage. The performance oil pans we offer provide ample oil capacity along with the oil control you need for every application. We have oil pans for street & strip, drag racing, road racing, circle track, off-road, dry sump, and pans designed for engine swaps.

Creating more oil capacity and clearing crossmembers, steering linkage, and headers, while providing the necessary ground clearance, is no easy feat, especially on lowered vehicles. And clearance isn’t just an external issue; stroker motors need more room inside the pan. But no matter what your setup is, we have a pan for the job, even if you have a non-original engine/chassis combo. And unlike factory oil pans, which can allow oil to move away from the pickup tube during hard acceleration and cornering, resulting in loss of oil pressure, our performance pans have the baffles to control the oil and direct it to the pickup.