289 oil pump shaft

[deepfog]

my friend has a 67 mustang that we've been working on dropping a rebuilt 289 in. everything's almost done, except we ran into a 'minor' problem tonight ... while connecting the throttle linkage, a spring came off and went down the hole where the distributor goes and made it all the way into the oil pan where we'd just put 5 quarts of oil in. we tried to see if it was lodged with mechanical fingers, but then we knocked the shaft out of place and into the pan as well. now we're trying to figure out the best way to get that shaft back in. any suggestions?

 

[65fastback2+2]

forget the $10 in oil and $10 in oil pan gasket and take the pan off

 

[thehueypilot]

Is your friend named "Murphy"? What bad luck, it sounds like you will have to remove the oil pan again. Next time "stick a sock in it"! That is the distributor hole. Ha!

 

[brianj5600]

I bet I am not the only person here to remove a pan and find a pump drive that someone else dropped. The spring scares me, but the oil pump shaft can just be replaced, leaving one in the pan won't hurt.

 

[68GEETEE]

Best way is to drop the pan and retrieve your parts, then install them before you put the pan back on. . A month ago this happened to me, and I left the pan off..............glad I did because I dropped the oil pump shaft again!! Good luck!

 

[Ronstang]

Next time make sure you have the funny looking washer on the shaft and install it with the oil pump and you will never loose one in the pan again.

 

[my66coupe]

This has happened to me on 2 different build ups on the same motor. Same shaft and all. pull the pan and call it a day. Ive heard to many horror stories of guys leaving crap they dropped down and leaving it there. One guy drove over a rail road track crossing, and bam the shaft connected with his rotating assembly throwing everything down the gutter. Ive also heard stories of crap coming up from the sump and getting thrown into the rotating assembly and shooting straight through the block itself. I have saved a few shafts using a magnet, but If it does fall into the pan, your gunna have to pull it. I have since siliconed every shaft to the distributor (use a light coat, silicon and engine internals dont mix) And it helps get the distributor and shaft in as one peice.........Another thing to watch out is when you go to prime a new engine, how you can loose a socket down there. Anywho moral of the story get that shaft outta there.

Mike

 

[67stangvert]

I rebuilt the engine recently and am deathly afraid that I forgot rto put the shaft back in. I am pretty sure, meaning 80% sure, that I put it in and then put a sock in the distributor hole before turning the engine over, literally on the stand. I have been concerned that I forgot the shaft and am ready to call for another gasket.

I thought I was the only one!

 

[my66coupe]

First of all what do you mean by turning the engine over while on the stand? If you just turned it over by hand and actually didnt have it cranking at a noticable speed then you should be fine. Pull the sock off the port and look down see if the shaft is there....DONE. You shouldnt be worrying about pulling the pan again, especially if the engine is on a stand....spend the 10 bucks and pull it off.......

Mike