oil pump shaft

how im portant is the little clip on the end of the oil pump shaft to be there? while pulling the distributor the shaft the in the disitributor and clip fell off

 

what motor , a SBC? if so...are you talking about that little plastic piece that holds the shaft to the pump?

 

no its a ford engine.

 

Hi Kira,

No biggy. I wouldn't want that part in my oil pan. But when the distributor is in place. The shaft can not go anywhere. You can get the part out through the oil pan drain hole. I would put a magnetic drain plug in the pan and watch for it.

 

The fun starts the next time you pull the distributor, the shaft comes partway out with the dist, then falls into the hole and it's time to pull the pan.

 

I used to mess with the ford motors a lot back then. That was the gamble I would take when I would remove the dist.
Advice,If you do end up removing the pan.Buy the ARP oil pump shaft.It has a(how can i say this without sounding dirty or) thicker shaft and will stay put and no more locking ring.

 

On a 302/351 W IMO the loss o0f the clip from the shaft is not a big deal. I am not sure that the shaft would drop through to the pan if it was dropped. I have dropped the shafts on several occasions on a 351 and haven't had it drop through to the pan YET, it always seems to wedge itself short of falling through. (it is the a fore mentioned ARP shaft though)

Even if it DOES fall through it simply means dropping the pan to fix it, and what is the procedure for replacing the clip? Oh yea, drop the pan and fix it....

Seems like a "wash" to me.

As far as the clip being in the pan, I doubt that it would EVER be an issue.

The only way I see it being an issue is if there is OTHER stuff in the pan that might block the pickup, and cause the screen to separate from the pickup, then the clip might seize the pump, but lets be real world, if this happens the little clip isn't going to make much difference....

 

I would consider it a big job that may happen in the future. For now, leave it be. Screen in the pump pickup will stop it from getting into the pump. You may find it in the oil when you drain it for an oil change. Like it was said, if you pull the distributor, it may come out of the oil pump and fall out, but I highly doubt it.

 

Apparently Murphy likes you guys more than he likes me!

 

next time you pull the dist. take the rotor off and put a big magnet on it. the shaft may come with the dist if your careful steve

 

I got the pan off and got a new shaft and gasket. On the clean and put together now