[tjs72lemans]

When changing to a deep trans pan on a 400, is it necessary to add a spacer to lower the filter? When I think of the filter and the dip stick., the fluid level would always be up to where it should be and doesn't affect the intake through filter. The deep pan just adds depth and volume.

[ta man]

Yes you need a spacer, when I bought mine it came with a spacer.

[25stevem]

Why the deep pan and not a in series add on cooler?

There far more effective, and especially if your running headers on the car.

[grandam1979]

Yes definitely need the spacer

[Sirrotica]

I made my own deep T 400 pan out of 2 conventional pans welded together. I then extended the filter by adding a piece of tubing to the older/early style filter.

I did it for extra capacity, not for extra cooling, although you would gain some by having more fluid, and more radiant area. At the same time I also installed a Trans Go kit.

It worked out fine for me while I owned the car (69 GTO street car).

[tjs72lemans]

What are the drawbacks of not extending the filter? Just not getting down lower in the fluid? If the fluid is always up on the dipstick level mark, the filter is always covered with fluid like a shallow pan.

[Half-Inch Stud]

No sleeve allows the Filter to slosh up and down, and might stress the pipe or come off the pipe. Or wing-it and could be fine.

[ta man]

Originally Posted by tjs72lemans

What are the drawbacks of not extending the filter? Just not getting down lower in the fluid? If the fluid is always up on the dipstick level mark, the filter is always covered with fluid like a shallow pan.

If you launch hard fluid will uncover the pickup, if you run a quart low your pickup may not suck fluid. if you take a corner hard you may uncover the pickup.

[tjs72lemans]

Originally Posted by ta man

If you launch hard fluid will uncover the pickup, if you run a quart low your pickup may not suck fluid. if you take a corner hard you may uncover the pickup.

So, this same scenario is what happens with a stock trans pan too then. The level of the fluid to filter is always the same, deep or stock pan. Even if one had a pan that reached to the ground and filled up to the dipstick fill line. Now if someone says, you want the sediment on the bottom of pan sucked up so as not to accumulate and float around, I would understand the extension to lower the filter. But, I'm not seeing that argument. The filter sits well below the dipstick full line or even the lower fill line.
Half inch, I don't understand the sleeve and filter sloosh issue. It seems the filter or even with the spacer (which is an oval block) bolt tight to underside.

[ta man]

If your pickup is near the bottom and you are down a quart or 2 you are ok..If your pickup is up higher you can suck air...simple as that.
Without an extension it is very easy upon first refire after a fluid change, convertor swap, pan replacement to not have the fluid at the pickup. You can think you have enuf in the pan but almost always 2 quarts or more need to be added. If this happens without an extension the pump will suck dry.
Suggest to someone not using a proper oil pump pickup in an extra capacity oil pan and not have the optimum clearance from the bottom of the pan and see what guys say. Its exactly the same reason.

[Sirrotica]

Also the way the late filter is designed it needs to sit on something solid, if it was floating in the middle of the pan with that one bolt holding it, it may become disconnected from the tube as it can pivot on the shouldered bolt. It wasn't designed to hang in mid pan, the bottom of the pan keeps it from moving as fluid sloshes. On a stock setup there will be witness marks on the bottom of the pan where the filter has laid against the bottom of the pan from slight vibration. Putting it in with nothing to support it would be inviting the filter to tip, and become disconnected from the tube. That is why the early design with only friction from the O rings on the transmission holding the filter, was redesigned, they occasionally slipped out and sucked air.

As in any deepened sump, you need the pickup near the bottom of it.

I'm not seeing any advantage to running a deep pan with a shallow pickup/filter.....

[Half-Inch Stud]

I use a PMD rocker ball as a spacer on the stock filter//Pan. Keeps the filter low for good fluid inhale.

The Deep pans are neato, tried em, but went back to shallow car pans. Still want to keep filter submerged.

[242177P]

Originally Posted by tjs72lemans

The level of the fluid to filter is always the same ...

That only occurs when the vehicle isn't moving, more depth (volume) changes things. If you have [X] quarts of fluid, why limit just a portion of it to repeated trips through the clutch packs? You want ALL of the ATF to flow, that's another reason the pickup draws from the bottom. Stamped steel or not, you will find a temperature reduction at the pan's surface.

[tanksteve]

There is a spacer for the filter bolt arrangement and an extended length filter pickup for deep pans

[tjs72lemans]

OK. Here was my deal. I needed to replace my kickdown solenoid in my rebuilt trans (it worked once after rebuild). I wished I had a pan with a drain, so I bought a 1/2" deeper pan with a drain plug for future issues without a mess draining. I replaced the filter while I was in there just because I was in there. I didn't think ahead about an extension, because I figured the dipstick depth being full of fluid would always have fluid covering the filter just like stock depth. Fluid sloshes and mixes, so it all gets filtered. Extra fluid has better chance of staying a bit cooler. I now see some saying the filter rests near the bottom for support. I thought it always stayed suspended about 3/4" above bottom of pan like an oil pump. I just looked at my old pan and Sirrotica is right, I do see witness marks of old filter marks in pan. I didn't realize the filter sat at or close to bottom. I guess you then have to make sure you get the correct spacer for pan depth you get (2 1/4, 2 1/2, 3).

[Sirrotica]

The ripples in the metal filter allow the fluid to get to the intake hole, while the filter hugs the bottom of the pan, which also helps keep the pipe connected. GM had an earlier design 64-67, if I remember correctly, that occasionally would dislodge, so the most common filter setup made from 68 until 1990, is the redesign.

If I remember correctly the last chevy 1 ton trucks that used the TH400 were a little bit deeper than the standard passenger cars, 1990 was the last year before the 4L80E. You may be able to use one of their tubes if you only need 1/2 inch more.

The other avenue would be to buy an aftermarket steel tube extension that would likely be too long, and shorten it to the length you need and weld it back together. Hope something I posted helps you out.

[242177P]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

GM had an earlier design 64-67, if I remember correctly ...

Design actually changed during the 67 model year, so early versus late.
But yeah, 64-67 and 68+. Your rememberer done good.

[tjs72lemans]

This does get confusing on finding the correct spacer or tube. When I look, it shows everything from a short piece of straight tube to a long tube (about 6" long) and a bend with smaller diameter ends.

[tjs72lemans]

I dug further and the stock pan is 2" deep and the new pan is about 3 1/8" deep. So, I assume I need a 1' spacer. I also assume this would just be a straight tube with a longer bolt to bolt it up. I see a guy on ebay has a used one if that's what I'm after. I don't think these longer tubes with a bend in middle is what I need.