Im puting my 302 back togeather in my race car and im thinking about using a windage tray. Do they really make a differance. i spin my motor 7000.
Most trays are made to fit on main girdle. For the amount of work and precision measurements required, I would buy one from a "reputable" vendor. Have gotten a couple "cheapies" and had to do a lot of butchering to get them to fit. JMO
A windage tray has vents that make the oil flow back into the pan - it isn't just a screen. Spinning your engine at 7000 rpm it would be better to run a scraper they are more efficient at getting the oil off the crank assembly and back into the pan.
There are a number of reputable pan/windage tray manufactures that incorporate a scraper in their windage tray. If you are running the motor at 7000rpm, that equates to 54 quarts of oil per minute.............................I hope the rest of your oil system is up to the task. What kind of oil pan are you running, is it stock or aftermarket. A lot of guys that race use deep pans, girdle/windage tray/scraper and run the pan one quart less just to get the oil further away from the crank. On the dyno it does free up a hp or two which when you count them all up does make a difference.....................IMHO
Interested in seeing real world or dyno results of use of a tray and/or scraper. Thought about one for my little 306 which is a really mild street engine. All I have seen is internet hear-say. I've used them in the past but never really noticed any difference other than I spent another $50-$100. Had one on a turbo 302 that ended up getting mangled as the crank somehow contacted it.
MavMan, Along timeago I was very fortunate to have somewhat unlimited access to a chassis dyno and used it a lot. Without sometype of baseline to start with you usually have no idea how much HP you are putting to the ground except to use formula's. Case in point, my Maverick went 9.801 with me in it and the car with me is 3,375...........a little on the heavy side, so theoretically the motor should be making 750HP at the crank and about 620HP at the rear wheels. After I refreshen the motor I will have a chance to see if this is really true....................................??????? It's been awhile since this was done on the chassis dyno and it certainly varies from car to car and motor to motor, but I had a 97 Mustang Cobra I raced in the Silver States Classic a couple of years and the DOHC 4.6l really responded to the Canton oil pan/windage tray/scraper setup with an astounding 22HP @ above 6000rpm. Canton claimed 30HP, but I was certainly happy with 22. So many people just don't really know what their engine puts out or how much HP a single change can make. A good rule of thumb is that if you make a change in the motor and can feel that "seat of the pants" feeling you are making about 8/10HP more than before. IMHO
I've run with them and without, couldn't tell a difference. But then I don't race and that's probably where they would help. From what I've read by engine builders who have been asked the question, "it depends". It was some builder's opinion that certain street-type engines benefit from the oil splash the crank throws up onto the cam. Some engines come fom the factory with windage trays. Some guys will just use a 7 qt pan and run a quart or so low to keep the crank out of the oil.
I have a deep 8 QT pan and run it a Qt low. I have had the tray sitting in the shop for a while. Might as well put it on. Cant hurt as they say.
Agreed with your IMHO. Nice way to show the plus side of a tray. If you are going to run the tray then you are in for the penny, so go ahead and get in for pound, run the girdle as well. Some of the cheapest insurance you can buy. IMHO
