Sigh...Do i need this and what does it do?

[Brandon11010]

Alright so i just got done putting my 302 back together completely. And when i went into the box of parts i found the steel piece that goes on the front of the camshaft gear, Im not sure what its for, but if i can get away with not using it that would be awesome.. is it just an oil sling?

 

[Brandon11010]

should i elaborate more on what part im talking about?

 

[strtrcr50]

Does it look like this?

If so, that's a fuel pump eccentric, and I can't see any reason why leaving it off will hurt anything seeing as how you have an electrical fuel pump, not a mechanical one.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Yes, mech. fuel pump eccentric...installed on all EFI 5.0's. It can be left off

 

[Brandon11010]

well its not round... its flat piece with a half cresent on one end..is it the same thing?

 

[Brandon11010]

i cant seem to find a picture of it anywhere... the only thing i can think that it might be for is to have that notch in the hole where the cam dowl pin is? to keep it from falling out? maybe?

 

[Liv2roc]

the only thing I can think of is the cam thrust plate

 

[Brandon11010]

im trying to post a picture i took on my phone but cant figure it out lo

 

[Brandon11010]

there we go... this is the thing

 

[Lawbreaker5.0]

i took apart my engine and put it back together and i never saw anything like that before, but it wasn't the first time my engine was rebuilt if that matters

 

[strtrcr50]

there we go... this is the thing

That was bolted in front of the camshaft gear?? Does it have any other part numbers on the back?

 

[94 Cobra 5.0]

Its for the mechanical fuel pump as stated before. You don't need it.

 

[Brandon11010]

Yea it goes cam, camplate, timing gear, that thing, then the cam bolt and thick washer.. one of my instructors said it might keep the bolt from un-torqing, and that cam dowl pin from falling out... thats all im worried about is having the dowel pin fall out and spin the cam gear and hitting some valves with my pistons.. And really? no one has seen this style on a 302 before? I tried finding a picture of it online but all i can seem to find is the round ones that are for the mech fuel pump

 

[Brandon11010]

Oh and the only numbers on it are "A4A"

 

[Brandon11010]

well not be beat a dead horse.. but why would the engineers put this on there when its an electric pump.. theres gotta be a reason...and why cant i find one that looks like it anywhere on the internet..

 

[Mustang5L5]

That;s a good question to which i don't have an answer

Last engine i put together, i left it out and the engines still fine. If the cam dowel pin can walk itself out, then you have some pretty loose tolerances there. Usually i gotta pull hard to get my pins out and the pin is under lateral load which also holds it in place.

 

[zoomin]

i was told by a friend that that is an oil slinger, he also mentioned that the cars that have them need them reinstalled and the cars that dont can leave them off or install them... he told me this because i was buying parts off him and i am building an 89 shortblock with some pieces from my 86, so thats why he told me.

 

[LarsD]

When I did the engine on my 89 it had one of those, I put it back though.

 

[68stang351]

The engine I put in my 90 had that. I believe I left it off though.