How wide on th front plate for Chevy? I have 2 sets that were too small for my tunnel.

The overall width is defined by the width of your stringers inside-to-inside.  I went through my library of custom fit motor plates and arrived at the following statistics:
25.345" Average Width
23.307" Minimum Width
27.199" Maximum Width

This really means nothing to you and your boat.  The only thing that matters is the width of YOUR stringers.  Keep in mind that stringers are usually neither square nor parallel.

I’m going to thread jack, but still on the same subject.
How do you go about setting up a rail kit and motor plates to make sure you get the right angle to the jet and making sure the oil pan fits?
I’m assuming you set up the rail kit first and from there you fab the plates. Figure out the depth and the mark the holes for the feet. Once the feet are on the plate, set it on the rails and mark the holes for placement?
Something like that? Am I missing something?
I’m sure there is a bit more to it. I just wanted to try and keep my understanding short and simple to read.


Sent from my iPhone using SoCal Jet Boats mobile app

...making sure the oil pan fits?

The biggest problem that I see is actually an issue with the oil pan manufacturers.

There are some manufacturers who make some very nice oil pans, however they have zero understanding of jet boats.  This is especially the case with the high-end market.  Someone who is serious enough to spend $1000 on a wet sump oil pan is probably going to run that in a tunnel boat.

Oil pan manufacturers incorporate large kickouts, for windage control, along the right side (even bank on a Chevy).  It is common for the manufacturer to not grasp just how narrow these tunnels actually are.  This problem is compounded by the placement of huge unusable drain bungs on the side of the kickout.  It wouldn't be so bad if the bungs were on the side opposite of the kickout.  Even in a V-bottom, these bungs often hit.  There have been instances where we had to cut off these bungs off and weld in a patch.

In my opinion, the drain fitting should be on the lowest point of the rear surface of the pan.  It is absolutely stupid to try to 90 off the side of the pan, when you can come straight off the back (with a much larger hose).

Jet boat oil pans should only be 8.00" deep.  Not 8.25", not 8.375".  This is especially true if running the stock driveshaft without a Jet-a-way.  The pan will actually sit on top of the jet intake and it is very common for interference with the intake bolts.  The oil pan should not be in contact with anything!  If the pan is in contact with the bolts, it will wear a hole through the pan, causing an Exxon Valdez oil spill in the bilge of your boat, and possibly the loss of your engine.  Contact between the pan and the fiberglass can actually wear a hole through the bottom of the boat.

This problem isn't just limited to wet sump oil system manufacturers.  Dry sump system manufacturers are equally as bad, except the issue is more with the pump and less with the pan.

Some people just insist on running XYZ oil pan, then it is up to the rigger to "just make it work."  Cutting and welding the oil pan and pickup isn't an option.  A workable solution is to raise the engine straight up, however you then face driveshaft angularity and binding issues.

I think the oil pan manufacturers just need to get over themselves and design a pan suitable for the application.  So what, if the oil pan design is optimized while the performance of everything else is compromised?  Or worse yet, you have to cut and weld on your new pan AND compromise everything else.

Wow

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk