Oil pump back up ?

G

Greg way out West

Member


Hi Guy's


Was thinking of a way to prevent the oil pump from dropping away from the block in the rare case the pump spring somehow "Failed"...


I was looking at the cam thrust plunger...It will fit inside of the pump spring and with a lighter spring the oil plug would hold it in place..I was thinking the original plunger spring might too much pressure..


I never did like the original set up as without a gauge if the pump ever fell away from the drive you would never know it ?



So what do you guy's think, Good idea or a waste of time ?


Greg out west
 
Greg a pressure gauge is the way to go at least it will show you a pressure rise when you start the engine about 2 lbs on a 0-5 lb gauge and when hot about the width of the needle above 0 since the pump only supplys oil for the galley and the main tubes. Have a Great Day Gord. B by the Bay
 
On the last two engines I built I replaced the pump locating pin with an Allen cap screw. I tapped/ helicoiled the locating pin hole in the block pan rail for the screw. I had to make up a bent Allen wrench to tighten but it works. I did this because I was running a pressurized sys, and I didn't want the pump shaft housing to work like a hydraulic cyl and push the pump down. I also pinned the dizzy drive gear housing in the valve chamber to keep it from lifting against its spring.
 
My vote's with Jim Brierley. Life's too shart to be going out of your way worrying about unlikely problems. ( and Jim where does your family name Brierley originally hail from- any family connections to over here in UK)
 
John, My Dad was born in Rochdale, Lancashire county (sp?) The family moved to California when Dad was 4, the oldest of the 3 children. This was in 1911. I visited relatives in 1962 when I was stationed in Germany, and again with Dad, step-mom and wife in 1985. Had a great time over there!
 
$1.50 for a new spring, how many years till it fails? And also what makes it fail? I think age and engine acid are about the only culprits here.
 
J Franklin has it right. A new spring is cheap insurance. I recall a report of a pump falling down because of broken spring, with disastrous results. Well before the lack of oil flow became a problem, the pump shaft slipped sideways into the path of the crankshaft web and all H-ll broke loose.

That spring is a form of pressure relief and it gets a real workout when starting up a cold engine, especially in winter. Like any spring, it has a working life and could fail after sitting in water and acids for many years. On old engines I have salvaged, the spring can be so rusted and fatigued as to be easily broken in two. Replace it!
 
MikeK said:
On the last two engines I built I replaced the pump locating pin with an Allen cap screw. I tapped/ helicoiled the locating pin hole in the block pan rail for the screw. I had to make up a bent Allen wrench to tighten but it works. I did this because I was running a pressurized sys, and I didn't want the pump shaft housing to work like a hydraulic cyl and push the pump down. I also pinned the dizzy drive gear housing in the valve chamber to keep it from lifting against its spring.
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How much pressure does your system develop? I use converted early V8 pumps modified to produce 40 lbs max and use the same allen screw set up you use. I have seen where some use 2 10/32 screws with stepped washers, one on each side along the pan rail.
 
just plain bill said:
How much pressure does your system develop? I use converted early V8 pumps modified to produce 40 lbs max and use the same allen screw set up you use. I have seen where some use 2 10/32 screws with stepped washers, one on each side along the pan rail.
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Bill, 35-40 @ 3000 rpm. That big coil spring that holds down the distributor drive gear will start to lift at about 25 psi. Learned that the hard way. The housing can only move up to the point of taking up all the vertical clearance on both ends of the lower dizzy shaft (intermediate shaft in chamber) plus the dizzy shaft itself, but it was enough to make the timing change when the contact point on the helical gear moved. Drove me bonkers figuring it out. That's why I secured the drive housing, too. I guess I should have taken pix. Will do so on my next pressure build. The block is now in the living room. Wife put a doily and lamp on it. Looks nice.
 
ursus said:
the pump shaft slipped sideways into the path of the crankshaft web and all H-ll broke loose.
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Not possible. The upper shaft of the pump is considerably longer than the distance the spring holds the pump assembly up into the block. The pump would have to drop almost 3" to dis-engage from the block enough to move into the crank line of travel. Sounds like a wives tale to me.
 
James Rogers said:
Not possible. The upper shaft of the pump is considerably longer than the distance the spring holds the pump assembly up into the block. The pump would have to drop almost 3" to dis-engage from the block enough to move into the crank line of travel. Sounds like a wives tale to me.
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I bought a builder block about 5 years ago. When I rolled it on it's side I knew I had bought a boat anchor when I heard some loud clunking comming from the oil pan. Somehow the oil pump got tangled up with the crankshaft and really made a mess of things, including breaking the camshaft. I think I still have that engine somewhere. I'll have to see if I can find it and figure out what went wrong first to begin the mess.
 
The last two engines I pulled the pan off had broken springs on the bottom of the pump. Neither had damage to the engine yet. A new spring is good insurance.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
I bought a builder block about 5 years ago. When I rolled it on it's side I knew I had bought a boat anchor when I heard some loud clunking comming from the oil pan. Somehow the oil pump got tangled up with the crankshaft and really made a mess of things, including breaking the camshaft. I think I still have that engine somewhere. I'll have to see if I can find it and figure out what went wrong first to begin the mess.
Click to expand...
I would bet the crank broke and got tangled up with the pump. The dipper tray and lack of room between the bottom of the pump and the drain plug in the pan would not let the pump get into the crank unless it or some other part broke first. Whe the spring is compressed it only leaves about 1/2" of room between the bottom of the pan and pump, Definately not enough to fall completely out.
 
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