Distributor Gear Roll Pin Broke

[shady]

If all three pieces of the pin were still on the gear, I don't know if I'd worry about debris. If something gets in the pump, it will lock it up and I have never been able to back it out, always had to disassemble the pump to get it out. Since you can spin the pump its obviously clear. If you are missing apiece of the pin then you have to go on safari.

[Coubra]

The distributor has been set up to Brent's specs with the MSD gear and roll pin installed.

Everything is apart and the oil pump is untouched.  We're going to install the high pressure spring in the pump and put it back together after thorough cleaning and inspection.  The oil filter had nothing in it.

Thanks for the help, I'll keep you posted.

[dcm0123]

Had a problem with my 64. Was a piece of valve stem seal in the pump which caused the distributor shaft in the SBF to twist then break.

OEM 1964 Ford Pick up screen had a safety flap in it which would open if the screen clogged. If yours has one, you may want to replace it with a conventional screen.

If you take the lower end apart, now would be a good time to also remove the timing cover and replace the timing chain setup if you have a nylon gear. As noted in a previous post the nylon teeth covering cracks off and can end up in the pump.

[Rory428]

I too have small bits of nylon cam gear, or hardened valve stem seal sneak thru that stupid hole that Ford put in the oil pump pickup screen on many of their engines. However, in my case, when the oil pump locked up, the distributor roll pin didn`t fail, rather, the oil pump hex shaft twisted up like a wrought iron bar, and snapped the end off. The only time that I ever experienced a sheared distributor roll pin, was on Mallory YL style distributors. For whatever reason, Mallory used a roll pin smaller than OE Ford, plus the gear was not much of a press fit either. Had the Mallory roll pin fail on both my 66 Fairlanes 390, and the 428 CJ in my 70 R code Mach 1. Neither engine had anything in the oil pump, and a new roll pin got the cars running again, although I replaced both Mallory distributors with Accel Dual Points, and never had any more issues. Never had a Ford distributor break a roll pin.

[Posi67]

I use a Mallory Unilite and have installed a larger roll pin in both of mine. I've never had an issue but read someplace that they could have that problem and Rory confirmed it above. My engine(s) show well over 100 PSI oil pressure when cold and I keep the RPM down until the oil warms up. My guess is something going through the pump caused the lockup.

[allrightmike]

  Would someone elaborate on the difference between a roll pin and a spring pin? I believe ford used roll pins.

[dcm0123]

They are both the same.

It is probably not a good idea to change what the distributor came with. If you use a stronger pin, instead of breaking the pin you may break the gear or cause further damage such as the cam gear.

https://www.huyett.com/products/fasteners/pins/spring-pins

[galaxiex]

  Would someone elaborate on the difference between a roll pin and a spring pin? I believe ford used roll pins.

They are both the same.

It is probably not a good idea to change what the distributor came with. If you use a stronger pin, instead of breaking the pin you may break the gear or cause further damage such as the cam gear.

https://www.huyett.com/products/fasteners/pins/spring-pins

Spring Pin VS Roll Pin

[allrightmike]

They are both the same.

It is probably not a good idea to change what the distributor came with. If you use a stronger pin, instead of breaking the pin you may break the gear or cause further damage such as the cam gear.

https://www.huyett.com/products/fasteners/pins/spring-pins

I should have said, "I believe Ford used coil pins".