[cody browning]

First let me start off by saying i have replaced several distributors...most recently in my 289. Today i was removing my dads points distributor to replace with electronic system in his 64 tbird with the 390. I pull the distributor up and am shocked to see the oil pump drive shaft attached to the bottom of the dist. Then in a split second it fell straight off the bottom of the gear drive and into the block via the distributor hole. I cant even look down there and see it with a flashlight so i need help is there anyone who has dropped anything in there before or how exactly do i get the f***ing thing out of there. I know please refrain from laughing but this is just my luck.

[Veronica]

Hello. It could happen to anybody. Don't beat yourself up about it. The best thing to do would be to go ahead and snatch the oil pan off and get that thing out of there.

[Jonk67]

Try getting a telescoping magnet (harbour freight, sears, etc.) and hold it near the center of the hole so it doesn't stick to the engine/timing chain, etc. You should be able to get the rod to pull to the magnet if it didn't fall all the way into the pan. I've used my magnets numerous times, I have a small pencil erazer size one and an larger one about the size of a dime on the end. I've also used a flexible grabber tool for stuff i could see (friend spit an olive pit into my dist. hole, it landed between the TC and gear, I grabbed it).
Jon

[98SVTSnake]

Originally Posted by Veronica

Hello. It could happen to anybody. Don't beat yourself up about it. The best thing to do would be to go ahead and snatch the oil pan off and get that thing out of there.

2X Man been their and done it Happend to me on my brand new rebuilt 289 and have to pull the oil pan on a new motor it plain Fuc*ing suck Pulling the pan is the only way that I know how to get it out. Good luck

[mccance]

it has happened to me as well and I used the telescoping magnet like jonk said. the problem is though that the keeper that is supposed to hold the drive shaft in is not placed correctly. to fix that you will need to pull the pan. but again you can probably use the magnet to pull the driveshaft out then use a very small amount of rtv on the tip of the driveshaft and insert it back in the distributor, then replace the distributor and driveshaft together. obviously this means that the driveshaft will come out again everytime you pull the distributor. but it can be done.

[cody browning]

okay thanks for the advice guys i really appreciate it... hopefully ill be able to fish around and find it with a magnet cause i really would hate to have to pull the pan but thanks

[kens67mustang]

had the same thing happen to my '67 stang w/ a 302............jacked the front end up.....................loosened the driver's side motor mount,unbolted the oil pan enough to get my fingers inside& pulled the pump rod out....................what a pain in the dumpa........make sure the washer is on that pump,otherwise you'll be doing it all over again!

[Maxxheadroom]

I think this is pretty common one, I had mine drop in it was the last thing I had left to do I was trying to get the drive shaft to engage in the oil pump and I heard the dreaded clink. This wasn't any install either this was installed in a 1980 Dodge D50 REALLY tight fit engine had to come back out to get to the drive shaft.