TINY mystery rings found in oil pick up screen
01-20-2013, 07:16 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: CA
Posts: 21
TINY mystery rings found in oil pick up screen
Before I begin, I have searched and searched for the last 2 days before finally deciding to post this and have yet to find an answer to my question.
This weekend I decided to change my oil pan gasket, and in doing it right, I hoisted the engine, pulled the pan, removing the oil pump before pulling the pan so as to not damage the pump/pick up.
When I removed the pump and pick up assembly from the pan, while allowing the pick up to drain what little oil was left in there, I found 2 little rings inside of the housing. That is, between the screen and the pick up housing. I'm confused as to where these little rings go as they are TINY. MAYBE about 4 or 5 mm in diameter but no bigger, and only about 2mm thick. They look to be copper or another soft metal.
I've looked everywhere inside of the bottom of the block for a place that these could go and cannot find where they need to be. There are only 2, and my internals are in healthy condition. Before I pulled the pan my motor was working like a charm: 1986 GT 5 speed. All stock motor that has never been split, with only 86k miles. The only work that has been done is all top side as preventative maintenance: injectors, gaskets etc etc.
If i had a hosting site I would upload the pictures, but unfortuneatly I do not, which prohibits me from posting a picture. I've looked everywhere for these little pieces. The only thing that I can think, is that somehow during my removal they fell from somewhere, but that doesnt explain how they both were caught inside of the pickup assembly.....
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I have been waiting on my reinstall until I find where these little bits go.
My thanks again
This weekend I decided to change my oil pan gasket, and in doing it right, I hoisted the engine, pulled the pan, removing the oil pump before pulling the pan so as to not damage the pump/pick up.
When I removed the pump and pick up assembly from the pan, while allowing the pick up to drain what little oil was left in there, I found 2 little rings inside of the housing. That is, between the screen and the pick up housing. I'm confused as to where these little rings go as they are TINY. MAYBE about 4 or 5 mm in diameter but no bigger, and only about 2mm thick. They look to be copper or another soft metal.
I've looked everywhere inside of the bottom of the block for a place that these could go and cannot find where they need to be. There are only 2, and my internals are in healthy condition. Before I pulled the pan my motor was working like a charm: 1986 GT 5 speed. All stock motor that has never been split, with only 86k miles. The only work that has been done is all top side as preventative maintenance: injectors, gaskets etc etc.
If i had a hosting site I would upload the pictures, but unfortuneatly I do not, which prohibits me from posting a picture. I've looked everywhere for these little pieces. The only thing that I can think, is that somehow during my removal they fell from somewhere, but that doesnt explain how they both were caught inside of the pickup assembly.....
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I have been waiting on my reinstall until I find where these little bits go.
My thanks again
01-20-2013, 07:46 AM
#2
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Charles Town WV
Posts: 2,288
I have seen ring in the oil pans before and had the pump lock up due to them. What we think it did was prevented crushing the valve cover gaskets and when someone changed out the gaskets they fall in the head and wash so the pan. That was our guess. but we could be wrong I have run across it a few times.
01-20-2013, 07:51 AM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: CA
Posts: 21
so you're saying that these are from the valve cover gaskets? hm....I've never seen anything like that on my valve covers before. These look like they go to something, and have a function though...they're shiny little buggers....not like a crush gasket, and definitely too small to have a bolt through them.
01-20-2013, 08:15 AM
#7
Yukon Cornelius
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: deep in the heart of dixie GEORGIA
Posts: 11,808
yeah that looks like one of the anti crush spacers out of a valve cover nothing to worry about imho..did you do a new oil pump and solid oil pump drive while you were in there??
01-20-2013, 08:22 AM
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: CA
Posts: 21
Really? Why have I never seen those before? Thats so bizarre to me, learn something new everyday.
No, I did not put in a new pump. I checked the end play in the gears and everything is withing tolerance, and it pumps as it should. No binding or anything of the sort. Just threw me for a loop finding a couple of little rings in my pickup! lol, freaking myself out I am.
Thanks for the help. Maybe this will help another in the future, should they also find the same sort
No, I did not put in a new pump. I checked the end play in the gears and everything is withing tolerance, and it pumps as it should. No binding or anything of the sort. Just threw me for a loop finding a couple of little rings in my pickup! lol, freaking myself out I am.
Thanks for the help. Maybe this will help another in the future, should they also find the same sort
01-20-2013, 08:53 AM
#9
Yukon Cornelius
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: deep in the heart of dixie GEORGIA
Posts: 11,808
next time you pull a pan id do a pump because they are cheap...but the oil pump driveshaft is a must because they are weak and known to break in half leaving you without oil pressure..
01-20-2013, 09:06 AM
#10
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: CA
Posts: 21
i really dont want to pull this pan again. A real pain in my *** it was doing it alone. Just took time thats all. I've never heard of a shaft breaking...but I could see it happening, they are tiny little pieces of metal. I havent put the new pan up in there yet, maybe I should replace it...