Does that oil pan have any kind of tray covering the sump area?

 

Nope.

 

For anyone interested, i Found the problem. Now I just have to find out why.

 

The only time I have seen that, the roll pin on distributor gear sheared and allowed the cam to spin the gear but not the oil pump pushrod ...... look your distributor over real close

 

Thanks Kirk. I’ll be getting to the bottom of it tomorrow. But it’s not looking good. I’m hoping the pump didn’t get jammed up with some junk. New rebuild on the motor but you never know. Was definitely some force involved to twist that 5/16 forged rod up like that...

 

I had a standard pump in a 5.0L mustang when I was much younger that had a metal piece break off internally. Caused it to lock up, the shaft looked like a twizzler. Zero pressure, didn't hurt anything. I hope yours turns out the same.

 

Thanks man I have my fingers crossed and I’m hoping your right. The real suck part is pulling the damn motor again and dealing with resealing the pan....

 

I would guess the pump jammed.

 

That’s my thought as well.
I’ll know tomorrow when I have a few minutes to get into it.

 

Pump would have to have locked up but why? a piece of metal inside?

 

Any chance the distributor is too deep in the engine binding the pump up? Slip collar distributor?

 

And we have it.
Had end play set at 0.15 just remeasured the distributor end play and it’s now proud 0.23 I don’t know how but you can clearly see on the shaft of the distributor that the collar slid up. Clearly visible scuff mark. I think we have the cause of the problem. Unless of course the driveshaft twisting pull the distributor down, not sure if that’s possible. Could high rpm cause the distributor to get sucked down? I had the 3 Allen set screws tight and the 1 large Allen tight, and now only the big one is tight. The three small Allen set screws are loose. Iv never seen this, but also I don’t typically use a slip collar distributor. Typically I shim a fixed distributor with the distributor shim gaskets..... hope the pump isn’t wiped out. I’m welding up a 5/16 hex Allen wrench onto a 30” 1/4 drive extension to try and turn the pump. Wish me luck. That will most certainly be my last time using a slip collar distributor.

 

During the rotation of the engine the distributor is always pushed up. It is never sucked down. What you have is the number one problem with a slip collar.

The way I have found to prevent the collar from moving is to set your desired clearance and tighten the set screws. Then take one set screw out at a time, get a drill bit smaller than the threads and drill thru the set screw hole for an indention for the set screw to lock in. The replace the set screw with locktite and tighten. Repeat until all the set screws have an indention to sit in. That should fix your issue. There have been countless engines lost from the set screws slipping and letting the distributor raise up.

Pull the pan and take the pump apart to check for scarring or other damage. It is extra work but if you don't do it there will be a little doubt in the back of your mind if everything is ok. I don't like anything in the back of my mind to cause me to lose sleep.

Maybe even send the pump back to Titan. As you said they are great people to deal with. Get a new drive shaft and you will be back in business. Titan is the first gerator and best pump on the market for the bbc. Moroso has a lot of the same features but their pump came out about 2 years after Titan. I bought a Titan back in the 90's. Great people and tech support, warranty second to none.

 

Yah my slip collar days are done. I’m going back to a fixed height distributor and I’ll adjust end play by either machining the oil pump drive shaft or by using shim gasket. I’m furious that this slip collar caused this issue. Especially after being anal about setting clearance and being methodical about locking down all the set screws evenly and tight. Real tight.
The pump is completely locked up. Welded a 5/16 Allen shaft to a 1/4 extension. Won’t turn with a 1/4 ratchet either clockwise or counter. Motors got to come back out. Stripped down. Pan and pump removed and start over. Un believable. And exactly like what you just told me......I called a few friends that race much more seriously than me and they said a slip collar? That’s risky...... wtf live and learn. I guess that’s hot rodding. Thanks for the help and ideas guys.

 

Crappy deal. I have seen other posts where the slip collar cost an engine.
ARP oil pump driveshaft going back in also?

 

Thanks pockets. I should be back up and going in the next week or so. No more slip collar for me. Bad first experience with them. That’s all I needed to see.
As far as the drive, and oiling system I’m Going with the new titan pro setup. Spoke with the new owner for a while and I’ll be using them from now on. Great guy. Stands behind his product. No bs. Honestly I’m surprised way more people aren’t. Hands down the best company Iv ever dealt with. Makes the entire system in house USA makes his own hardened shafts the whole deal. Real guy making parts one at a time. I’m all about it.

 

I'm trying to understand what happened with the slip collar? Your saying the distributer went up? So it slid up as from what pokets said got pushed up from cam gear?
2 years ago I had a hyperspark distributer turned down for I think a moroso slip callar for the new engine with a rasied deck. I installed it in the mock up IROC 5.7 and connected it to the super sniper.
I dropped it in without gasket tightened it the removed and replaced with gasket.

 

im not sure yet I’ll have the motor out next week to drop the pan and see exactly what happened. So far all I know is the shaft twisted up, pump seized, there’s gouges on the distributor shaft and slip collar mating surfaces and my dist hold down is bent slightly up.