As I was pulling the dizzy on my 390, the oil pump shaft started to come with it and it fell back down, I assumed it went back into the oil pump, but I don't see it at all with a flashlight or anything. So now I'm gona find myself dropping the oil pan. Does the pan have to come all the way off? Or can I just reach in there and grab it?

 

Well, it's worth a shot to use a looong magnetic pick up tool (there are flexy ones too) to try to fish it out. Otherwise, you already know what needs to be done.

Good luck.

 

Like HIO says, try a magnet. It might take an hour or more but it's faster than the alternative. Think of it as an anger management exercise.
Eric

 

Huh, everyone is saying the pan is a hard job, but my pan looks easy to get out, it looks like I have enough room to take all the bolts out and drop it straight out. It's a 4wd, and I know they have rear-sump pans. Maybe it's easier than a 2wd?

 

Yes, the 4X4 pan is easy to drop since there's no crossmember in the way. 4X2 has a crossmember right under the pan. I would go ahead and do it, good opportunity to clean out the pan and replace the gasket anyway.

I've heard of people leaving the shaft in there and just dropping in a new one from above (as long as it fell all the way to the pan and isn't in the way of any moving parts!) but it goes against my grain. One person said they pulled their pan and found two or three oil pump drives laying in the bottom of the pan. Theoretically, it's not going anywhere once it's down there, and some have even stuck a big magnet on the bottom of the pan to make sure of it. But as I said, it goes against my grain to leave it in there and on a 4x4, it's easy to pull the pan anyway...

 

Dang I got a lot to learn about Ford motors.......

 

I said the same thing the other day...

 

At least the Dizzy,oil pump, and shaft are up front....................

 

After the first oil pump rod fell and did not know it until oil psi light came on then looked at my lower under dash ga ,I shut it off. I pulled the dizzy looked and it was gone. Is 390 was in my 55 2dr cp. I could dropped the pan just enough to reach in and found the rod bent to hell. So got a new one checked the stop washer on the end to make sure it was set right. I removed the rod and epoxied the washer in place.
I've done this ever since my first fe 1963 and my last build 2006 and any time installing a pump on a FE.
That's my fix it...orich

 

Yeah , getting it done this weekend.how does the shaft go in? Just drop in from top?

 

Well you live and learn, don't forget to update and good luck.

 

Yes it drops in from the top. Do what orich says and it'll not fall into the pan. I've lost a couple but managed to fish them out with a magnet. You've got to make sure the rod's in the oil pump before you install the distributor.

 

Too install the rod the correct way it has to go in from the bottom with the webbed washer facing up to the underside of the dizzy. The webbed washer Keeps it from pulling through the lower part of the block and coming out with the Dizzy like your did.

This means the oil pump has to be dropped enough to install the new drive rod. I say get some JB Weld once cleaned & put some epoxy all round the washer that is suppose to keep it from pulling through the dizzy guide hole in the lower part of the block.
If you drop it in from the top it will pull out again if not your not careful.
...orich

 

Ok thanks. I appreciate the feedback. I will update this weekend~

 

Thanks for the correction, it's been a few years since I've installed one.