Short recap. Due to my screw up 18 months ago I had to get the engine rebuilt. No outer parts were changed except for the oil pan. I took a picture of the center link just after I removed it from the car to show its proper orientation. I believe I installed it properly. The old oil pan always leaked. I tried straightening it and although it leaked less it still leaked. Some years ago I bought an oil pan from the swap meet at Carlisle. It was from Mancini still new in the box. It is rubbing on the drivers side. The center link doesn't look parallel to the engine so I took some measurements. On the drivers side it is 2 3/8" from the pan rail to the center link. The passenger side is 2 11/16". I wondered if this was normal so I checked my Challenger which I know is 95% original (my car has had a lot of people messing with it and getting back to original is fun for me). On the Challenger I got (it is a small block car) 5" on the driver side and 5 1/4". Measurements are not exact but apparently the center links weren't exactly parallel to the bottom of the engine from the factory. I was thinking that maybe I had the wrong Pittman Arm but with the measurements between both cars I think it might be correct. I decided to measure the old oil pan and it is definitely less when measuring from the pan rail to the bottom of the pan where the center link would be. I am thinking the pan is just too deep for a stock set up on my car. The pan did get a little damaged during the install. Is it possible that has caused the problem?
What do you guys think? Sorry for the crummy photo.
Center link rubbing against the oil pan
- Thread starter BriceRoad
- Start date
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Challenger 440 Center Link Rubbing Oil Pan
Good afternoon all, I’ve been trying to get this car back together for years now and finally putting the steering/suspension back together. Using all factory parts, minus Hotchkis tie rods, my original center link wants to rub the oil pan. Oil pan is a Mopar 7 qt. deep sump. Was originally a...
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70chall440
Well-Known Member
Engine needs to go up IMO
Steve340
Well-Known Member
The centre link should be roughly parallel to the ground with the car supported evenly at ride height - weight on the suspension. The idler arm and the pitman arm on the steering box need to move through the same arcs for the steering to work correctly.
Start there and if you steering is right I agree with 70chall440 go ahead and lift the engine a little.
You can check the driveline angles while you are doing that.
I purchased some new engine mounts and they are thinner than the originals.
Start there and if you steering is right I agree with 70chall440 go ahead and lift the engine a little.
You can check the driveline angles while you are doing that.
I purchased some new engine mounts and they are thinner than the originals.
Flchallenger
Well-Known Member
How do you recommend doing this? Using one of the metal plates Schummaker Has.
Steve340
Well-Known Member
Assuming you have checked other factors and have ruled them out as factors/the problem?
You could pack the engine mount up with plates - or what we did on a Dart is lengthen the plates that go from the mount to bolt to the engine. Support the engine and the mount plates can be easily removed. In other words extend the position of the holes up.
Take a slice out of both sides of the mount and weld in a bit of plate. Easy job for someone with fabrication skills.
You could pack the engine mount up with plates - or what we did on a Dart is lengthen the plates that go from the mount to bolt to the engine. Support the engine and the mount plates can be easily removed. In other words extend the position of the holes up.
Take a slice out of both sides of the mount and weld in a bit of plate. Easy job for someone with fabrication skills.
Chryco Psycho
Well-Known Member
The way I have fixed this is to shim the top bolts on the steering box to tip it downward a bit & oval the hole for the idler arm so it can also be tipped downward as well , far easier than trying to raise the engine .
Make sure your mounts are in good shape & the engine is sitting properly in the mounts as well .
Make sure your mounts are in good shape & the engine is sitting properly in the mounts as well .
Sorry I have been very busy with the trip to the (Mopar) Nationals and then I got the second shot and had to deal with the side effects of that.
I just assumed that the center link should be parallel to the car/ground. It is not and I do not know why. The Pittman arm I have is one I bought many years ago and it cost $159. It was supposed to be an exact correct part for my car but it definitely seems to be shorter in length than the Idler Arm. Perhaps the Idler Arm is incorrect? I have never changed that. The previous owner of this car just put on any old parts that would work all over the car. I have found many weird things over the years and I have corrected most of them.
I did read the other thread about the center link hitting the engine and in that thread my old oil pan matches the diagram posted exactly. That is why I never had this problem before. I am considering going to back to the old oil pan or buying a copy of that one but I do want the car to be right. If the steering geometry is off I want to fix it. I am using all factory parts so there should be no need for fabrication. I want this car to look like (as much as possible) that it came from the factory the way it is.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I just assumed that the center link should be parallel to the car/ground. It is not and I do not know why. The Pittman arm I have is one I bought many years ago and it cost $159. It was supposed to be an exact correct part for my car but it definitely seems to be shorter in length than the Idler Arm. Perhaps the Idler Arm is incorrect? I have never changed that. The previous owner of this car just put on any old parts that would work all over the car. I have found many weird things over the years and I have corrected most of them.
I did read the other thread about the center link hitting the engine and in that thread my old oil pan matches the diagram posted exactly. That is why I never had this problem before. I am considering going to back to the old oil pan or buying a copy of that one but I do want the car to be right. If the steering geometry is off I want to fix it. I am using all factory parts so there should be no need for fabrication. I want this car to look like (as much as possible) that it came from the factory the way it is.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Steve340
Well-Known Member
Hope this helps I have my car jacked up at the moment and went out to check it out for you.
Basic principal is the pitman arm and idler arm - although they may have different bends - the ends of the arms are at the same place and angle if you follow what I mean. They should also be the same distance forward and back eg if the pitman arm end position is 6 inches back from the steering box pivot point the idler arm should be the same 6 inch distance. You could measure this from a common point - on the chassis or say the lower arm or torsion bar mount points on the K member.
Essentially the pitman arm and the idler arm must go through the same arcs to move the steering arms the correct distance. Thinking about a crank lever system - moved a set distance - if one crank was 12 inches long and the other 24 inches long with a 2 inch bend up - it would be obvious they are going to move to different places.
Think about the car divided right through the centre - the right and left sides should be very close to symmetrical were every thing ends up. All the bends and twists are the same from right to left.
The centre link will be parallel to the ground and the pitman arm/idler arm will be a close to mirror image of all the twists/bends etc.
As you wind from lock to lock the centre link may rise or fall but it will always stay very near to parallel to the ground.
What it does on one side should be mirrored on the other side.
Set the car up off the ground and have someone wind the steering from lock to lock.
Surprising what your eyes can tell you.
Basic principal is the pitman arm and idler arm - although they may have different bends - the ends of the arms are at the same place and angle if you follow what I mean. They should also be the same distance forward and back eg if the pitman arm end position is 6 inches back from the steering box pivot point the idler arm should be the same 6 inch distance. You could measure this from a common point - on the chassis or say the lower arm or torsion bar mount points on the K member.
Essentially the pitman arm and the idler arm must go through the same arcs to move the steering arms the correct distance. Thinking about a crank lever system - moved a set distance - if one crank was 12 inches long and the other 24 inches long with a 2 inch bend up - it would be obvious they are going to move to different places.
Think about the car divided right through the centre - the right and left sides should be very close to symmetrical were every thing ends up. All the bends and twists are the same from right to left.
The centre link will be parallel to the ground and the pitman arm/idler arm will be a close to mirror image of all the twists/bends etc.
As you wind from lock to lock the centre link may rise or fall but it will always stay very near to parallel to the ground.
What it does on one side should be mirrored on the other side.
Set the car up off the ground and have someone wind the steering from lock to lock.
Surprising what your eyes can tell you.
Steve340
Well-Known Member
Another thing I forgot to mention earlier that may help you determine what is off on your vehicle.
Looking at the lower suspension arm and specifically the angle of an imaginary line between the inner arm pivot bush and the lower ball joint - and the inner and outer tie rod end and adjusting turnbuckle arm.
Both of these arms should have close to parallel operating angles. This is done so that as the suspension is compressed the lower arm and the steering mechanism move in the same arc to minimise bump steer.
The inner tie rod ends mount to the centre link very close to were the lower arm inner pivot point is.
Hopefully I have explained what I mean clearly.
Jacking the vehicle up and setting it down on blocks of wood to load the suspension is what I have to do.
If you had access to a wheel alignment hoist it would be easier.
Looking at the lower suspension arm and specifically the angle of an imaginary line between the inner arm pivot bush and the lower ball joint - and the inner and outer tie rod end and adjusting turnbuckle arm.
Both of these arms should have close to parallel operating angles. This is done so that as the suspension is compressed the lower arm and the steering mechanism move in the same arc to minimise bump steer.
The inner tie rod ends mount to the centre link very close to were the lower arm inner pivot point is.
Hopefully I have explained what I mean clearly.
Jacking the vehicle up and setting it down on blocks of wood to load the suspension is what I have to do.
If you had access to a wheel alignment hoist it would be easier.
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