Some of you probably got all excited and said, “Oh shit! JDM oil pan!” As with many JDM yo parts, there’s nothing to be excited about today. I like a lot of JDM parts myself, but they aren’t always what the hype makes them out to be. In fact, if the Japanese didn’t make their hardcore crazy parts, sick body kits, dope wheels, etc. we would be styling our cars with JC Whitney rubber flap side skirts (as seen on raked vans with spoilers circa 1981) and be rolling on American Racing and Centerline wheels today.
So I ran across the world’s heaviest oil pan a couple weeks ago and nearly broke my back trying to pick it up. Then I looked at the brand and it amazed me some more. At first glance I thought it said “AMS“, but actually it said, well see for yourself below. The “A” brand makes some very nice parts. Overpriced and gimmicky, but high quality and most of it works well.
They claim increased cooling because of the 5 extra fins and another 1L capacity. It probably also effectively lowers the car’s center of gravity because it’s like adding ballast at the bottom of your engine. They also claim that it doubles as a block stiffener. That’s “staffner” in Japlish BTW. The only problem with this claim is that there are NO dowels at the mating surface meaning that it cannot effectively stiffen ANYTHING. I told you they were gimmicky.
I put it on the scale and no shit: it was almost 10 pounds. Actually 9.3 pounds, but considering the stock one weighs in at about 4.5 pounds, that’s a 206% increase in weight. I thought the goal was to LOOSE weight when trying to make your car faster.
I walked over to the warehouse, tore open a Cosworth oil pan box and weighed it: 5.2 pounds and it holds 1.6L more oil. Looks like USDM wins here hands down. The Cosworth one is sheet metal, but it is designed and hand fabricated by the best fabricator that I know, Lewis Hann. It really is a super high quality piece.
Anyhow, the lesson for today is: JDM IS NOT always best. Like Public Enemy said, “Don’t believe the hype.” It is important to buy a part because of it’s advantages and not because of the brand or where it comes from. Would I pick an SSR or Volk wheel over an American Racing, or Centerline wheel? You bet your ass I will. Some JDM parts smoke USDM parts.