Thread: Oil pickup and pan differences

This thread also has some info that might help: http://www.sr20-forum.com/vvl/18213-sump-baffle.html


As for which pick-up tubes bolt to which pumps... I was under the impression the flanges all had the same bolt pattern, but the tubes themselves were of differing diameters. The GTi-R and VE tubes being larger to accommodate the extra flow of those pumps. They will all bolt up, even the RR ones, but they won't allow for the correct flow, and the gasket might not seal well.

I'm not aware of any pans that are deeper, just pans with different bolt patterns and recesses.

No, they don't bolt up

EDIT: Actually, I just proved myself wrong by comparing a S13 DET pick up gasket on my VE pick up. They do bolt up, how ever as said above the pipe diameter is larger with the ve

EDIT2: I remember years ago during the early days of VE head conversions, people needing to "slot" the side of the oil pick ups to fit the VE pumps to there DE blocks? or is my memory shot?

All DE and DET pickups need to be slotted to fit, from my understanding, though even then, the diameter is still smaller.
By slotting, people mean slotting the mounting bolt holes on the pickup, because on the VE pump the bolts are spaced slightly further apart.

However, then I was told that RR pickups fit without needing to be slotted and are also the same diameter as the VE pickups, though I have not been able to find out if that is true or just hearsay.

What's the purpose of the sheet metal covering most of the mesh on most of these pickups? Those maxima ones do not have it. I bought a 16ve one from Greg a while ago. It had a diff size opening in the sheet metal and it had a brace from the flange to the end of the pickup.

The late roller rockers do not have it either (the pickup on the right in the picture of the three pickups above). Arguably, the cover helps with scavenging oil from as deep in the pan as possible, thus possibly being better for spirited driving, when the oil is sloshing all around and the entire head of the pickup may not be submerged (if that ever happens). I did notice that it is usually the sportier Nissan vehicles that have the covered pickups. The slots of some of the pickups such as the VE one are also directional to accommodate the natural movement of the oil in the pan. The directional slots almost always go from front to back, except on the early 350Z pickup which goes left to right. I am not sure if that is intentional or a design flaw, but on the late 350Z and 370Z pickup the slot goes front to back again.

On the other hand, some may argue that the pickups with the domed covers are more susceptible to restricting the oil feed by being easier to clog with gunk collecting in between the mesh and outer metal, or by getting dented in case the oil pan gets hit hard enough.

In the end, to be honest, I doubt either design makes much of a real world difference.