350 Valley Pan?

by Jeff73SS Fri Nov 02, 2018 8:58 am

I have a 1973 Chevelle SS with the original 350 engine. During disassembly I found there was no valley pan under the intake manifold. Did these engines have them from the factory? I am planning to install a Performer RPM. Should I get a valley pan if it was supposed to have one or not worry about it. I am going to keep the stock EGR manifold in case someone someday wants to take the car back to original.

by Joe73 Fri Nov 02, 2018 11:37 am

No valley pans on a sbc.

by Mcarlo77 Fri Nov 02, 2018 7:58 pm

You sure about that, Joe? I pulled this carb/intake/pan A$$'y off a '75 Laguna S-3 w/350-4bbl. Numbers confirm they are for a '75...and, it sure didn't look like this engine had ever been messed with.

And, all cleaned up and painted...ready for install:

by Joe73 Fri Nov 02, 2018 8:29 pm

My stock 73 manifold has has that as well. It is attached to the intake itself. Not something that is normally replaced and aftermarket manifolds dont use them. I believe it keeps hot oil off the crossover area of a stock manifold.

When I hear valley pan I refer back to the Olds and Buick which use a valley pan gasket which is a separate piece installed under the manifold along with the gaskets. These are part of the gaskets when installing manifolds on these engines.

Like these https://www.summitracing.com/search/product-line/fel-pro-valley-pan-gaskets/make/oldsmobile

https://www.summitracing.com/search/product-line/fel-pro-valley-pan-gaskets/make/buick

I guess you can call the chevy one a valley pan but it definitely doesnt come in contact with the gaskets or even part of the gaskets like these others.

Just my thought.

by Mcarlo77 Fri Nov 02, 2018 9:11 pm

Oh, okay. I wasn't sure exactly what guys were referring to when they discussed "turkey trays". All I knew is that this was a tray and it went below the intake like they talked about.

by pila Fri Nov 02, 2018 9:17 pm

I usually remove that pan on a stock manifold, to clean it and the manifold, or have it hot-tanked..

by fasrnur Fri Nov 02, 2018 9:30 pm

The shield in the picture Mcarlo77 shared is actually part of the exhaust crossover. A lot of intake gaskets include a "Block off" plate to eliminate the cross over. It also is there to help heat the choke pull offs. It is riveted to the bottom of the intake from the factory. I have taken apart a few of them because they become plugged and won't heat up the choke pull off. You clean up the exhaust cross over passages and under the intake and then re-install the shield.
As for a "valley pan" the after market people make them to keep hot oil from splashing on the bottom of the intake to make a little bit more power. Usually the valley pans are used on big blocks because of the open cam design allowing oil to splash on the bottom of the intake. The small blocks don't have an exposed camshaft and aren't as needed.

by pila Fri Nov 02, 2018 11:20 pm

The pan in the pic above will also keep lifters in the bores, like if losing a bent push rod, the oil flow from that galley can dump oil pressure quickly, if the lifter jumps out..

by Jeff73SS Sat Nov 03, 2018 8:37 am

Thanks everyone. My stock intake has a cover attached to the bottom as shown in Joes picture. Since I am using a performer RPM and the consensus seems to be I an run without trying to install extra tin I am going to keep bolting things together. This 15 year project should finally be on the road by summer.

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