Findings in my Oil-Pan

[Timo73]

Hello,
Actually I just wanted to seal my oil pan. Now I've found the following parts in the pan that I can't allocate.
The engine runs quietly with no spooky noise and I can't tell where the parts came from. Nothing seems to be missing, at least in the lower part of the engine. The nut is also very small (are mm on the scale).
The engine is believed to be a 1973 351c.
Anyone a Idea what happened?
Thanks
Timo

 

[c9zx]

Wow! The rounded triangular shaped piece is a distributor hold down. The circular shaped pieces appear to be distributor shaft locater. The small pieces in upper left I have no idea. Nothing good caused the pieces to be in the pan. The hold down being there is carelessness. Good Luck. Chuck

 

[Timo73]

Hi Chuck,
The seller told me that he had the ignition rebuilt. Not from himself, but from his friend or the guy who repairs his cars (he was an official seller with a official Business).
And yes your are right these parts belongs the a distributor. Thanks a lot!!! I would never have checked the Distributor if I found something in the oil-pan.

If parts fall into the open hole, do they just end up in the oil pan? Then I would be lucky in my misfortune, since there was no real engine damage. The small nut could also come from the inner workings of the distributor.
The new distributor seems to have gotten very warm...
So I will remove the Distributor and check, if the new one is still ok. Then I will clean everything and cross my fingers that this was the reason.

 

[Kilgon]

+1 with Chuck. The upper left pieces almost look like a wedge of some type. Is there any fine metal shaving in the bottom of the pan or just these parts. The nut definitely had to come from outside the block. Will those two other broken pieces fit together?

 

[will e]

50 years later who knows what's been done by whom. If the engine is running fine I would just go with it. The one part is definitely the distributor hold down (funny how we all recognized it, it was my first thought).

 

[jomar1957]

Distributor looks like cheap eBay one.if so remove and replace with a quality american made one,those have been known to break!

 

[DAverkamp]

Like was said before, who knows what happened through out the years, but what I know is that you are one of the lucky ones that actually had gravity work in your favor!

 

[Timo73]

Hi,
there are some little pieces inside not possible to rebuilt the brocken part with it. But I did 4 weeks before an Oil change and so maybe some parts are gone with the oil...
Yes I guess the distributor will be one of the cheapest in the net. Recommendation for a good one?
The iron bar between the distributor and the oil pumps looks not so good (somehow crooked and worn down). I have seen there exists a reinforced one which can be replace the original.
Also my oil pan looks not so good. Something also had happen to this in the last 50 years.
Will it be necessary to change the oil sieve and the oil pump? It looks clean from outside.
Here in Germany I found only a standard rebuilt oil pan without the sheet metal inside. Do you know a better one for the 351c engine? How can I find out if this is really a 351c engine? The air intake and carb are from Edelbrook, so no original number on it.

 

[Timo73]

From the Bush I ave exactly the half plus a few minor pieces.
The height was exactly 3/8'', the diameter was between 1/2" and 9/16" and in the middle is a holes maybe for a cotter pin.
Someone an idea was this is and where it came from? Also a part from the old distributor?

 

[Kilgon]

It's the bottom bushing on the distributor shaft. It's the piece that's right under the body of the distributor. Your pan doesn't look bad in my opinion. You will need someone else's input on the oil pump drive but yes it doesn't look good. I'm not familiar with the 351's.

 

[Sheriff41]

What's wrong with your oil pan? If it is just bent, I'd recommend taking the time to massage the dents out. If it is too badly damaged remove the baffles and have them welded into your replacement pan. Positioning them correctly is important, though.

If the oil pump drive shaft is bent then just replace it while you have the engine open. You drop the oil pump and change it from the bottom of the engine. This would give you a chance to check the condition of the oil pump and cleanliness of the oil pickup.

 

[c9zx]

+1 on what Sheriff41 said. The pump rod is available from ARP, Ford Racing, Moroso, Pioneer, and others. Search on "how to flatten an oil pan rail" for information on how to do it. I would inspect the internals of the oil pump. I wish there was a quality alternative to the MSD distributors but, I have not found one. I've heard rumors that MSD has out sourced production to China. I don't know for sure. Good Luck. Chuck

 

[will e]

I recall now that I once found a paper clip in my Mustang's oil pan. No joke.

 

[mcdurmll]

For the 351C block the 2 fuel pump bolts are above and below the hole. 351W are to either side.

 

[Hemikiller]

The pump drive shaft is bent, time to replace it. I use the ARP drive shaft.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/arp-154-7905
The oilpan can be easily repaired. The flat areas can be straightened with a ball peen hammer. Check them with a straight edge and just be patient. The radiused seal area looks normal to me, I'd leave it alone.

If the engine is running fine, I'd leave the distributor as is. I'm using a Summit billet unit in my 51C, they also offer a ready to run unit. Pertronix makes one that looks like stock.

https://www.summitracing.com/search...ch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=pertronix 351c

 

[Idaho Chris]

+1 on the Pertronix distributor. No issues with mine and it is hard to tell it is not the stock unit.

 

[will e]

Never been a fan of the HEI on a Cleveland. I have an HEI on my AMC 401 but it pokes off to the side. I am not a hater of the HEI, it's a good setup. There is even a trick you can use to reduce the timing by 5 degrees with a switch. Handy for hard starting or if it's pinging too much going up hill, etc.
But they are BIG and just kinda ugly on the front of a Cleveland.

 

[clevelandcoupe]

Just a guess, maybe the yahoo who put the HEI distributor in had difficulty getting the old distributor out due to being seized in the block. Thus, he destroyed the old one & parts went a flying trying to get it out....

 

[Timo73]

First of all, a big thank you to everyone for your support.
I ordered the ARP Oil Pump Driveshafts and will try to fix the old oil pan. If it doesn't work, it's not so bad, now I know the steps that are necessary for the work .
I'll also look at the Oil Pump and the Oil Pickup and maybe order the one with a higher output.
I phoned the dealer who sold me the car. He immediately told openly and honestly what was done.
The old ignition distributor could no longer be turned and adjusted. That's why his mechanic got the order to exchange it for a new one. Wasn't the cheapest on ebay, this one cost around $400 from a German Mustang parts Dealer.
It must have taken the mechanic a long time to remove the old distributor.
He also wonders why he didn't say anything, because then of course the oil pan would have been removed as well.
@ clevelandcoupe: So your are right. Not happen in the last 50 years, happen just now

So I have to wait for the parts

 

[DAverkamp]

First of all, a big thank you to everyone for your support.
I ordered the ARP Oil Pump Driveshafts and will try to fix the old oil pan. If it doesn't work, it's not so bad, now I know the steps that are necessary for the work .
I'll also look at the Oil Pump and the Oil Pickup and maybe order the one with a higher output.
I phoned the dealer who sold me the car. He immediately told openly and honestly what was done.
The old ignition distributor could no longer be turned and adjusted. That's why his mechanic got the order to exchange it for a new one. Wasn't the cheapest on ebay, this one cost around $400 from a German Mustang parts Dealer.
It must have taken the mechanic a long time to remove the old distributor.
He also wonders why he didn't say anything, because then of course the oil pan would have been removed as well.
@ clevelandcoupe: So your are right. Not happen in the last 50 years, happen just now

So I have to wait for the parts

With the pan off is a great time to inspect the rear main seal and see if it is the rope one (I would then replace regardless and sh-t can the index pin) or if it’s not,
decide if it looks sketchy and needs replacement.