Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance ? Jason F/oil pan baffels

I saw you have the SHO-Shop baffels. What can you tell us about them... 1 baffel or multiple? Ease of installation? Design? Do you know how they tested them. Thanks.

I didn't see the actual baffle kit until it was on the pan, so I don't really know what it looks like in pieces. There are 2 baffles, one forward and one left of the pickup location in the pan/tray. They are hinged and open towards the center. All the sheet material is spring steel. There is also a piece over to the shallow end of the oil pan, with a slot in it for drainage back into the pan.

Vadim told me that he contracted with a "racing company" (any SoCal guys wanna clue me in on that one) to develop. He assured me that they had experience running Contours. They originally wanted four hinged baffles, but decided that only the two that come into play during braking and hard right turns were necessary. I am told that the installation is very easy once the oil pan comes off. It bolts right in to the tray inside the pan. They obviously did significant development because the sell sheet I have says May 2001 for the kit, but it wasn't for sale until recently.

I'm going to try to put the pic here:
[img]http://photos.onebigvillage.com/pubimage.asp?id_=42552[/img]

In this pic you see:

[*] The front hinged baffel (the left one is not shown)

[*] The tray on top of the gap between the OEM tray and the right side of the pan

[*] Four bolt/nut sets (far left, top, and two on the right)

Sorry about the contrast, but I wanted to get the lower baffle clearly.

SHO Shop sells for $129.

How much is the kit Jason?

James

Well, here's a little info. When i finally got my Mirko Racing (possibly a "racing company" that had experience running Contours) oil pan somewhere around the end of October, and Vadim got a close look at it's design at a club meet at South County Autosports... So yeah, no idea where he may have gotten the idea from.

On a second note, it doesn't matter, because i'm pretty sure that the oil pan is NOT a cure to potential engine failure…

poof x 2 (see problems forum)

derrick

1 word...

Accusump

Hey, I was gonna say that!

ACC-U-SUMP!

-Lance

May be a dumb question, but would the Accusump kit eliminate the problem on it's own or would you also have to go with baffle kit/tray as well????

Whitney, that is a good question. 2 of the racers I have talked to both mentioned some oil pressure flux even after baffeling, that resolved with the Accusump. IIRC, 1 of the guys said this in a way that suggested that the oil pan reduced oil pressure flux, just did not eliminate it. This is of course under RACING conditions, which are obviously more extreme than anything we will see on the street. So, MAYBE the pan baffels alone would prevent all problems on the street, but on the track the Accusump is clearly needed. I would assume with a big enough Accusump, you would not need a baffeled pan, but the baffels may allow you to get by with a smaller Accusump.

My thinking exactly, Dan. I don't plan on running at The Glen with NASCAR, otherwise I would have purchased Accu-sump. I just need something to help during highway on/off ramps and when braking hard to avoid the soccer mom on her cell phone. I don't necessarily think the baffles will cure all, but it sure can't hurt.

If the baffle kit is $129 and there is still a possibility of oil starvation, and the Accusump which isn't much more ($149 IIRC) insures that there is no oil starvation, what's the answer now? All together people:

ACC-U-SUMP!!

That pan is great though. Just not for me.