Help!!! Oil pump shaft fell out.

[ubs]

Hi, We're attempting to put the oil pump shaft back in after it fell out and we're having some trouble. We found it out of the oil pand and also in the oil pan was a small rubber retainer which was broken in pieces. Can anyone give me any information on how to fix our problem and how to get this shaft back in?

 

[1970 slantroof]

Is the oil pan off now? If so you can hang the shaft with a wire from the top down in the hole where It goes and then go underneath and feed it into the pump. If the pan is not off, you have a problem. ONCE I was able to fish one out with a skinny magnet down thru the distributor hole. Not good odds though.
Howard

 

[D.Hearne]

If the pan is off then just unbolt the oil pump, and stick the drive into place then bolt the pump back up, using a new gasket between the pump and block.

 

[SL 1993 R]

how did it fall out,, if it came out when you pulled the distributor,, just epoxy it onto the bottom of the distributor,, as you go to put it back in, it might not set down the last 1/4 inch or so, if that is the case, turn the engine over just a touch.. then it will drop the last bit..

 

[D.Hearne]

Epoxy it? Glad you're not working on my car.

 

[SL 1993 R]

it's actually a fairly common trick for this... so if you pull the distributor and the oil pump shaft falls out.... you can epoxy it to the bottom of the distributor, (this holds it in place until it gets sandwiched between the distributor and the oil pump) and reseat it,,, or you can drop the oil pan, lower and or remove steering components, and or remove motor mounts, feed the shaft up through the bottom after removing the oil pump, clean all the old gaskets off, install new gaskets.. and turn a 10 minute job into an 8 hour day...

its your time, just sharing a trick I learned...

Hearne, just because YOU haven't heard or tried something, doesn't mean it doesn't work...

 

[390Fe]

I think what he means is that you now have to toss the distributor if something happens to the oil pump driveshaft. The stock drive shafts - when used in conjunction with a high volume oil pump (as most of use want to do) has a tendency to 'twist' - the aftermarket shafts are larger in diameter...except at the ends so you would have to put them on from the bottom (like when you change the pump. So in essence, instead of just replacing the oil pump for insurance you also would end up having to change the distributor - which costs quite a bit more than a 15.00 aftermarket oil pump driveshaft.

 

[66P51GT]

Ford Power Parts used to have a chromoly oilpump driveshaft that had a collar on the end of it to keep this situation from happening. The other nice thing about it is it was extremely strong. They are closed on Monday's but you can try giving them a call after 12PM PST (714) 523-7900.

 

[D.Hearne]

it's actually a fairly common trick for this... so if you pull the distributor and the oil pump shaft falls out.... you can epoxy it to the bottom of the distributor, (this holds it in place until it gets sandwiched between the distributor and the oil pump) and reseat it,,, or you can drop the oil pan, lower and or remove steering components, and or remove motor mounts, feed the shaft up through the bottom after removing the oil pump, clean all the old gaskets off, install new gaskets.. and turn a 10 minute job into an 8 hour day...

its your time, just sharing a trick I learned...

Hearne, just because YOU haven't heard or tried something, doesn't mean it doesn't work...

I can see contemplating it , Only if the pan is a bitch to remove, which in a Stang is a piece of cake. You don't have to remove any steering components, or motor mounts, not even on a big block car ( yes I've done this layin on my back on my 390 and 427) Re-installation is a snap if you pop for the new one piece gaskets available today. I would suggest getting this along with the pan rail stiffeners that are on all 5.0's ( HO and otherwise) since the mid 80's also not forgetting the longer pan bolts needed too. Believe me, I grew up working in a family run sawmill and learned just about all the jury rigged tricks to fixing things ( you had to because money was always tight, you made do with what you had) But when it comes to glueing internal engine components together, when there's an easy alternative, I have to draw the line.

 

[68GEETEE]

this happened to me when changing my distributor, the shaft fell down inside , i retrieved it using a long screwdriver with an electrical connector forced on the end. Just pushed it onto the oil pump shaft and lifted it out. It can be done, take your time though.