Distributor Problem

[63FuturaRag]

Why didn't somebody tell me that if you take the oil pump shaft out to get it in the bottom of the distributor, it could fall into the oil pan forever if it slipped out? I am so depressed.

 

[sixpony]

Sorry, never even crossed my mind, but if there's room for it to fall in then maybe you can fish it out with a small magnet, hope this helps.

 

[rbohm]

8) usually there is no reason to pull the oil pump drive shaft. if you have trouble getting the distributor to seat, just turn the engine over until it seats on the shaft. normally you cant pull the shaft anyway because there is a clip installed at the factory that prevents just such a thing from happening.

 

[jahearne]

Good luck trying to get it out. I dropped a bolt through the fuel pump opening... don't ask!

Get a big magnet on you oil pan to keep it from moving around until you get the opportunity to drop the oil pan.

 

['68falconohio]

Maybe you can use a magnet to move it over to the drain plug hole and use needle nose pliers to get it out. Hopefully it's due for an oil change

 

[Vin Man]

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. :duh:

Drop the oil pan and join the club.

 

[Junk-Falcon]

if its the small drive i have one you can have (just the price to send)
then put a mag on the pan to keep the other on the bottom

its over at a buds house were im putting a 200 together so i wont be useing it

pm me n ill get it tonight
charlie

 

[63FuturaRag]

I knew I couldn't be the only one that this happened to. I just wasn't paying attention. It was so tough to get the shaft into the bottom of the distributor ( I had to hammer it in), the thought never crossed my mind that it could ever possibly slip out. I have indeed joined the club. You don't want to crank the engine when the whole purpose for doing this in the first place is to locate the correct placement of the dist for TDC. I appreciate all the advice. I have bought a telescoping magnet and also a small 3-pronged grabber with a flexible hose. Now all I need is patience. I'm pretty sure that it bounced all the way into the sump. I can't leave it there, and I cannot remove the oil pan. I'm too old to remove the support bar and the stabilizer bar, etc. Damn that St. Pauli Girl beer. If I am successful, I will post again with my own "How-to". There are currently no leaks from the bottom of this engine. Something I have never had before. One more reason I am reluctant to have somebody remove the oil pan. Too many gaskets and seals for a one man job.

 

[rbohm]

8) actually once the distributor is in, and you just have to get it to match up with th eoil pump shaft, you neednt worry about losing your ignition timing as the distributor gear is engaged with the cam gear.

 

[fordconvert]

I use a socket tapped to an extension to advance the pump shaft slightly if it wont drop.

 

[63FuturaRag]

I tried using the magnet and the grabber today and have failed miserably. I even drained the oil and went into every hole I could find. No luck. I even ran it along the bottom. The magnet was very strong and would have picked up 4 of these shafts, but it could not locate it. Don't have any idea where the shaft is. I'm just going to ignore it, and buy a new one. Don't care about the brand new engine anyway because it was a bad rebuild and doesn't work (See thread about "Bad Timing"). I probably will be putting the 170 back in. This 200 has been one bad thing after another. Screw the 2!

Free 200! Only problem is you must come get it and remove it yourself.

 

[63FuturaRag]

I have just been told something I should have realized. When this very strong magnet touches the oil pan, the pan itself becomes a magnet. The oil pump shaft will not move under this condition. It is more than likely stuck on the pan. I will give it one more try before attempting to date a 20 year old that will shoot me while I'm asleep.

 

[sixpony]

I would be tempted to just replace it and go from there, it's not likely to get sucked through the oil pump. Seriously though, the threaded insert which holds the oil plug in the pan broke loose on an s-10 four banger when I was changing oil when it was a fairly new truck, stuck a rubber drain plug in it and drove it til it died of natural causes, can't see it moving enough to interfere with anything. Seems to me since these cars have a fairly big drain plug, you could fish it out through there with a magnet "SECURELY",(and the key word is securely) attached to a stiff wire, such as a piece of #10 or 12 copper solid electrical wire.