Can anyone tell me how much the oil pan drive shaft should stick out above the "baffle" in the distributor hole on a 400. Took out the distributor to rebuild/recurve and was off a tooth on the first stab reinstalling. Pulling it out to adjust the oil pump shaft hung up on the distributor and pulled up half an inch or so and rode up on the pump drive. I turned in a little by hand and it dropped back down but now I cannot even get the distibutor to engage. It sticks up a good inch and I have spent a couple hours trying to reinstall turning the pump shaft with screw driver. Just wanted to make sure I did not actually drop the pump shaft off the drive. Thanks

Craig

I'm not an expert on engines,but i had trouble engaging my distributor a few years ago.Turned out there was a burr on the oil pump shaft created by priming with a flat screwdriver shaft in a drill .

I don't think you can pull the shaft up far enough to disengage it from the pump, unless the two tabs on the shaft have been ground off. I could be wrong though. You should be able to feel the shaft turn the pump when you spin it with the screwdriver. I've had my distributor out quite a few times in the last month and it's never just gone back in. 'been out a tooth or riding on the shaft every time.

I was tweaking the shaft maybe 1/16 or 1/8" at a time last night and trying to get the distributor shaft to line up and now it will not turn with screw driver. I got a oil pump tool today and the shaft will not spin? any ideas would be appreciated.

You should be able to rotate it 360 degrees. Are you saying you are not able to do that?

Yup will not turn at all. For the life of me I cannot figure out what has it bound. I am beginning to think that I am in for more than I bargained for here. Really not wanting to take out the engine.

You should not have to pull the engine, only drop the pan. I know that is a PITA, but probably better than a complete removal. Were you ever able to spin the oil pump? It almost sounds like some foreign material worked its way between the two meshing gears in the pump.

I wondered if the oil pan would come off without removing the engine though. My service manual said to take the motor out. I really am baffled by this. The only thing that went wrong was the shaft lifted up from the pump when I pulled out the distributor the second time. It spun fine until as I was tweaking it then just locked up after i tried to insert the distributor the last time.

OK, here's what I'm betting happened. When you pulled the distributor it lifted the oil pump intermediate drive just enough to get the bottom end of the shaft to sit on top of the oil pump drive shaft and the ears on the intermediate shaft are jammed against the underside of the block.
If you could get an inspection camera in there to check, (or try a bigger screwdriver.)
But I'm just guessing here.

May of dropped to one side and wedged between pump shaft and block,
Try to get a good bite with plyiers and pull up while wiggling back and forth.

Actually that does make a lot of sense. I like the camera idea.

Well tried to get it loose with needle nose and some tubing to keep it from dropping, no luck. Looks like the oil pan has to come off. Anyone used the Butler Performance one piece gasket?

hey Graig, I live just south of Columbus in Grove City. I could ride by and give you a hand??? If you want? Joe

I think it is pretty much unanimous that is it better off to pull the motor rather try to drop the pan, been brought up here many times. Just my 2 cents..

I agree I tried to get mine off in the car, didn't work.
I still can't belive you have the shaft out of the pump.

So what happened here? Did you get the pan off?

So what was the issue? ever solve it?
I say pull the engine, cause the pump or shaft may be worn.