Is a windage tray worth it? Does it hurt at all?

[blown74]

I'm going to replace my oil pan gasket. I have a Mildon 7qt pan and I was wondering if a windage tray would help or hurt anything?    Does it only off pros and no cons?[/color]

[71chally416]

It's purpose is to knock the oil off the swinging crank assembly. On a high RPM race engine that can be worth 35+ hp. On a street motor probably 10 to 15hp. The OEM small block trays are better than the big block trays simply because they wrap around the crank (The extended block design of the BB precludes that), but they work better with bigger louver openings than the stockers have. They have no "cons" unless it hits something. That's more of a problem with a stroker motor than a stocker. Best to check first by rotating the engine with it bolted up before bolting the pan up.     

[hemiken]

  accurate diagnoses indeed

[HP2]

I'd add that you start seeing marginal power increases as low as 3500 rpm. Granted these may only be a horse or two, and like above, only be worth 10-15hp on a street motor at 6500 rpm.

[73Chally]

They're cheap enough that the guy that built my motor puts them in every motor he builds, and there should not be any problems that having one would cause.

[moper]

 

with all of them...

[blown74]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I'm going to reinstall the one I have once I get a new gasket.

[Aussie Challenger]

  To answer the first part of your question, is it worth it, YES.   
  The secound part, does it hurt, NO.   
  Installed correctly it is a win win situation. We play with many things on, in & around the motor, the windage tray releases extra H.P. and is a safety devise by helping oil back into the sump and off of the crank for a small investment.   
  In the event that you decide to stir up the motor it is an added inbuilt safety devise.   

[Roppa440]

Except that a crank scraper is probably better than a windage tray.

[moper]

 

so long as the pan is deep, or it's used in conjunction with a windage tray. The scraper removes it, but I still want to have some buffer between the oil and rotating parts. Most big dollar oil systems use some sort of both.

[wally426ci]

make sure you check the clearance while you have the pan off. I had to space mine out due to the stroke....  if you dont check it may scrape with engine rotation and you'll hate that,  good luck! 

[blown74]

Got the gasket in today. It's a Milodon windage tray and it seems to fit fine for clearance. Was a bit tight around the oil pickup. Needed to make that hole a little bigger. Hoping that the weather is half decent so I can put it together this weekend.

[Aracer]

For drag racing I removed mine from the 340 because there are baffles in the Milodon Street 7 qt. oil pan. The stock tray leaves little room in the lovers for oil return and no room along the side. The Milodon oil pan alone, has run faster than with it. Like scrabbled eggs get lifted onto the fork, the oil is trapped over the tray in the way of the crank. The oil needs to get back to the sump in the case of a High Volume, high pressure oil pump faster than in a stock pan. On the 440 I use the stock tray with the 6 qt. hemi pan with baffles, because the tray is further away. I think the Milodon is expanded steel, so it is very porous, and I would try that one next. 

[71chally416]

they work better with bigger louver openings than the stockers have    

[ntstlgl1970]

here's stock vs. the milodon B/RB tray for reference