671 blower install, droped oil pump rod

rojam18801 · Post by **rojam18801** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 7:38 am

finally got home and got everything to start this thing. put new dist in set blower on and it sits on dist cap. i need 1/8 inch more clearence. pulled dist out and went to parts place to see if i can get lower style cap. nope thats as low as i can go. called blower drive service, they said to put two sets of head gaskets on it to raise blower. sounds like a nightmare to seal and i don't think that will raise it enough anyway. i bought a 3/16 inch aluminum plate and made a spacer for under blower. made two new gaskets and was ready to go. i was siked this was the day. been working on this so long and had so many problems and set backs waiting for parts. the dist won't drop in. i can see the oil pump rod but it must have lifted and now sitting at a angle on the oil pump. must be the little lock ring is not on it or it is set to low on the rod. can't get it with a magnet or the long grabing tool. does anyone know now to get it back in short of pulling the engine out and drop the oil pan. needless to say i was not in a good mood. getting ready to pull engine now.....the old trucker

MalcolmV8 · Post by **MalcolmV8** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:30 am

I feel your pain. Two v8 Rangers later and a broken Cobra... I know the frustration

Hang in there, you're getting close.

v8ranger · Post by **v8ranger** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:51 pm

I didnt think it was possibel to drop those through like that. What about taking a peace of vaccum/fuel/rubber line and trying to push it on over the end of the rod and pulling it out? I dont know if it will push it all the way down into the pan doing that, I wouldnt think so anyway. But I guess if it does, you where going to pull the pan anyway. I dont have to pull my motor to get the pan off, but I dont know what pan you have either. Maybe you can drop the pan enough to get the oil pump off and get the rod. I know its a pain in the ass but it sure beets pulling to whole motor. Good luck, and welcome back. I was just wondering how you where making out with your blower.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:18 pm

Boy does your problem bring back some time consuming time I had. I went to prime the engine using a 5/16" socket on the pump drive shaft. That went well untill I went to remove the socket. New socket, new drive shaft, both cover in 30 wt. The drive extension came out but left the socket still down there. I did end up having to lift the motor up about 3" to retreve the 12" long coat hanger with a hook on the end I thought I could pull the socket up out, plus drop the oii pump. This was on my old Courrier 302. Good luck - remember, these are supposed to be "fun" projects.
Dave

v8ranger · Post by **v8ranger** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 5:30 am

I cant beleive they told you to double the gaskets.....Im sure your not the only one that has had that problem and there idea of a good fix is to doulbe a gasket, I think I would of asked that person if he just go the job there fresh from flipping burgers or something.... lol. Hope you got that shaft out without having to pull the motor.........

rojam18801 · Post by **rojam18801** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:44 am

v8 ranger and dave.. thanks guys for the info, but decided to pull engine. i could get it with a rubber hose and get it back in, but everytime i pull it again it could fall out again. don't need to deal with that again. i'll pull it and get that retaining ring on it right, then it will not do it again. oh ya the oil pan is a after market 9 quart. unbolting it and it will drop about 1/4 inch, my fingers are not that small. besides when i bought this i was told it was a sportsman block with 4 bolt mains and h rods. now i'll get to see it. if it's 4 bolt i'll pull the crank and have a second key way cut into the snout, it is recomeded for the blower pully on crank. then i can get on it a little more without striping that 1/4 inch key. the second key is 3/16 inch. make it a lot stronger there. too cold here in florida all this week, 20s at night and i need a break away from it. step back relax for awhile then start again. can't tell you now pe od i was when i thought it was ready to go and ran into all this...the old trucker

lefty · Post by **lefty** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 7:03 pm

Rojam welcome home ! did you get the marker lens ? I should have sent the wiring sockets . didn;t think about it let me know if you need them . Lefty

plowboy34 · Post by **plowboy34** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 7:24 pm

When doing any swap/conversion you better plan on set backs. Just the way it is. When doing my son's truck he was about to scream at all the problems that kept coming up. Plus he said he just wanted to drive his truck again, poor guy had to drive the wifes Mustang II with a 302 for a few weeks....lol.

rojam18801 · Post by **rojam18801** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:54 am

lefty.. yep, it came on monday. my friend gary got it and had it on in 30 seconds. that lite and moving the radiator are the only things than went right on this whole project. and yes i had the socket already. thank you again. i'm glad i did'nt meet you the day i thought it was going to fire up. you would'nt like me that day, i was ripping big tree's out of the ground and throwing them a half mile. well maybe not, but i felt like i could. i got to say now i don't recomend blower drive service to anyone. nothing lines up. even the lower manifold looks wrong. with the blower on the back of the blower is within 1/8 inch from valve cover, the front on same side is over 1/4 inch. it sit's at a angle on top of engine. i think it was made wrong and that's why i needed to make the spacer to raise it too. if it dont work right i'll have to buy a boat, use it on the boat. not on engine either. hook it to chain and have $4000.00 anchor. get use out of it one way or another lol.....the old trucker