Oil Pump thoughts

john charlton

Well-known member
Watched a You Tube post where an oil pan was removed . The oil pump was held in place by one of those fittings screwed into the block The reason it was held in place because if it was dropped the engine would have to be retimed . In my 50 years plus in the hobby this is news to me Maybe I have been getting it wrong and have just been lucky . I drop the pump as now is the time to check it out . Inspect the filter gauze and and the gears etc. If the bottom plate is worn turn it over . I would think over the many years a pump has been left on the work bench (Too many cooks spoil the broth) and a customer drives off into the sunset . One way of ensuring return trade !

John in wet and windy Suffolk County England
 
I would think you would have to remove the gear that drives the pump and the distributor to loose the timing. Dropping the pump would not do it. As you say, drop the pump to inspect it for damage or wear.
 
I forgot to put the plug stop to hold the oil pump when installing new gaskets, the pump came down with the oil pan. Looked at the pump, inspected it, put it back up with the plug stop thing, timing was fine.
 
Agree - the only thing affecting timing associated with the oil pump is the oil pump drive gear, and its relationship to the camshaft. Dropping the oil pump does not affect that gear relationship. You hold the oil pump in with one of those special bolts so you don’t have the oil pump falling into your face when you wrestle the oil pan off.

Two occupations that require absolutely no training or education and are easy to screw up are parent and politician. I’m beginning to think that YouTube “expert” should be added to that list. Fortunately, the cream does rise to the top for at least two of those.
 
You can remove the pump and still run the engine. Henry made the pump and distributor drive system connectiion idiot proof. It's too bad this design principle wasn't the standard for all the auto manufacturers using mechanical drive systems.
 
The use of those Special oil pump "tools" is responsible for many engine failures over the years from lack of oil when people leave the tool installed and drive the car.

1. Depending on the version of pump in use up to 50 % of the oil flow is blocked when leaving these tools in place and driving the car.

2. Another even worse bogus practice is when they use a 3/8th - 24 bolt and jam it into the Pipe plug tapered pipe thread hole. Then they leave bolt installed and drive the car.

In this case THE BLOCKAGE IS 50% to about 90 % again depending on which version of oil pump is in use.

I have seen this many times. If you are looking to buy a used engine (and you hope to use the engine as is) and there is a 3/8ths -24 bolt hanging out the side of engine the odds are that the reason this engine is not in a car is that the bearings and crankshaft are destroyed from lack of oil.
 
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Watched a You Tube post where an oil pan was removed . The oil pump was held in place by one of those fittings screwed into the block The reason it was held in place because if it was dropped the engine would have to be retimed . In my 50 years plus in the hobby this is news to me Maybe I have been getting it wrong and have just been lucky . I drop the pump as now is the time to check it out . Inspect the filter gauze and and the gears etc. If the bottom plate is worn turn it over . I would think over the many years a pump has been left on the work bench (Too many cooks spoil the broth) and a customer drives off into the sunset . One way of ensuring return trade !

John in wet and windy Suffolk County England

Can you post a link to that you tube video? or PM me? I want to ensure that none of the members of my club believe this and not inspect their oil pump when they have the pan off.
 
Dropping the pump has no effect on timing. But what I find hysterical is the fear people have of timing the engine, or the lengths they'll go to to complicate such a simple process.
 
Timing the Model-A is so simple. Use the little tool at the front of the engine and a Nu-Rex wrench, did mine in like 10 mins. easy-Peasy
 
Don't need the Nu-Rex wrench. Just need wrench for timing pin and screwdriver, turn engine until pin drops in detent, then with ignition on adjust cam so points spark. Don't need anything more. :)
 
Hopefully someone can post the link as due to geriatric complications this i s beyond my ken !

John in same place same weather .
 
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