Oil-Pump/Distributor Thrust Washer

The parts catalog shows a thrust-washer between the distributor and the oil- pump. (Apparently, the original one did not make it into the pile of old-parts when the motor was torn down to it's bare core.) According to the parts catalog it is 1/2" I.D. X 7/8" O.D. Unfortunately they do not specify the thickness or the material.

In my gasket kit, in along with the oil-pump gaskets, they include what looks like a multi-layered washer that is 1/2" I.D. and 7/8" OD and 0.094" thick. It has what appears to be some type of impregnated layered material. It looks like the outward layers are some sort of absorbent material as some oil drops have seemed to stain it? The center layer appears to be metal? I don't know what it is made of? But the whole thing is very stiff.

Could this be thrust-washer 1.666? What is the thickness suppose to be of this thrust-washer? What material is normally used? Is it suppose to be layered?

Thanks!

 

The part in the gasket set is the oil pan drain plug gasket.

 

Good peg! Oil Plug Gasket, makes perfect sense.

If I know the thickness of part no. 1.666, perhaps I can find one, or have one made.

It appears that if it is to thin...it will do nothing. If it is to thick, the distributor will not seat properly?

Perhaps it is a spring washer and it can flex? I simply can not find more info on it?

Any further help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Bump...this is not solved....please help!

 

I don't recall seeing that washer in the later 235s I've worked on. I'm guessing it's not really necessary....and might not have been there when you took it apart.

 

Thanks for the reply.

You may be right as experts are not exactly lining up to respond to this thread!

I did find some brass thrust washers at SEARS that are that size and come in a variety of thicknesses. The only thing that seems to change is how the cam-gear and distributor-gear lines up to each other using different thicknesses or not one at all.

I'm not sure if it matters for gear-wear or not? I will make more careful observations and measurements tomorrow and use whatever lines up things best. (Perhaps I will post the results.)

I don't know what else to do?

Thanks Squirrel! Your OK kid!

 

If a washer is called for it is to align the distributor gear with the camshaft gear (think ring and pinion mesh) this will cause accelerated distributor gear wear and then oil pump failure when gear fails, (no issue if splash lube engine), this is a common failure in Ford 2.3 liter 4 cylinder engines.

 

Thanks Oldcarfart,

Well it is called for in the manual (see below), and I can see the final height differences in the distributor when installed. It truly looks best with the thickest washer. There is a distance change potential of about 90 thousandths of an inch? I will carefully measure, and assume, the best location is gears center-to-center, as much as possible.

A tenth of an inch is substantial in gear-world, (I think) and I wonder why the master parts list does not give an exact thickness? And why the repair manual says nothing about adjusting thickness to line up gears? Or anything else about it?

I do know GM would never add the cost of a single screw if it was not necessary for something. Especially a thrust-washer that is probably made of expensive material. (I made the mistake a few times already thinking, "I don't need this stinkin' little part," only to be desperately searching for it later to put it back in!..)

Alright thanks! Let me see what I can see.

 

Well OK,

After painstaking measurements and a terrific headache, I found the .075 thick brass thrust-washer worked best to center the distributor-gear (up and down) with the camshaft-gear center line.

It may be true it simply doesn't need to be there at all, however there is a definite difference without it. Having the gears centered to each other, can't hurt. (I hope)

It might be a nuisance for someone who doesn't know it's there when trying to re-install a distributor. The washer tends to slip down and blocks the lower hole when trying to put the distributor back in. (you have to peek down there and align up the washer first.) And to get it out, good luck! Luckily, I have it on an engine stand and I can just flip it over, and it falls out.

Well I hope this info will be helpful to someone someday, But from the looks of it, I think most people wouldn't bother with it, and it probably works just fine anyway.

This is my first build, and I suppose I'm being over cautious.

Thanks all!

 

If there's a chance of it coming out during maintenance and getting stuck between moving parts, I'd leave it out.