Help.. Oil Pump Drive??
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 557
Likes: 0
Help.. Oil Pump Drive??
Well today I decided to do a simple task on my truck and that was change the intake gaskets. It's a 302 and you don't have to pull the distributer but I decided to anyway just so I could set the intake down without any interferances. Well I noticed it was very hard to pull the dist. out and when it came loose I heard a "tink". Sure enough it was the oil pump drive that popped out so I spent the rest of the day jacking the motor and removing the pan. Now my question I don't know which way it goes. It has a somewhat of a point on one end and blunt on the other. It also has this umbrella looking thing in the middle of the shaft, maybe it is suppose to fit tight up against the oil pump or I don't know...... All the mannuals I've looked at don't show the pil pump shaft or this umbrella looking thing????
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
The "umbrella" usually goes toward the distributor-end of the shaft. It's supposed to keep the shaft from lifting out of the pump when you pull the distributor. I'm surprised this didn't keep it in there for you. You can move it up and down the shaft, though. When you have the pump bolted up to the block with the shaft installed, the clip is supposed to be slightly below the roof of the block, but not rubbing against it. I put in a new pump and shaft in my 351W last summer and I don't recall either end of the shaft being different, but it was a Melling shaft, not a stock Ford shaft.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 340
Likes: 4
From: Near Madison, WI
The "umbrella" goes between the oil pump and the block. You are supposed to have to pull the oil pump to remove that shaft. The pointed end is to make it easier to engage the distributor during its re-installation.
-Jared
-Jared
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
It shouldn't matter; if you have the distributor installed first, the put the shaft in the pump, hold the pump up to the block and engage the shaft into the distributor, and then bolt down the pump. If you want to install the pump first, put the shaft into the pump and install the pump, then drop down the distributor and rotate it to engage the shaft, then bolt it down.
However, when you install an oil pump you should prime it. What I would do is install the pump (with shaft) first, and seal up the bottom end and add oil. Then before you install the driveshaft, use a drill to spin the shaft from above and prime the engine. I have a special drill extension from Summit that I use for this. Then you can install the distributor.
However, when you install an oil pump you should prime it. What I would do is install the pump (with shaft) first, and seal up the bottom end and add oil. Then before you install the driveshaft, use a drill to spin the shaft from above and prime the engine. I have a special drill extension from Summit that I use for this. Then you can install the distributor.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,312
Likes: 1
From: Eldorado Ca. USA
I can't imagine trying to feed the shaft into the distributor, then putting in the oil pump, it makes my eyes and arms sore just thinking about it. It does seem easier however, there is one less thing to fight, you get the distributor set exactly where you want it, without having to fight getting the distributor to index up with the shaft before it will seat. I would recommend replacing the shaft, with a hardened unit. The shafts rarely fail, but when they do, they fail. Lord only knows how old, or how stressed the one you have really is.
