live2shred303

Im rebuilding a ford 1979 302. My instruction book says i need an oil slinger that goes over the crankshaft timing gear. My engine didn't come with one. I suspect my engine was rebuild before. Is it supposed to have one on that year? Can i run without one? Where do i find a replacement one?

Al Newman

Best info I can come up with is that Ford changed the design of the camshaft thrust plate and the timing chain sprockets in late (Dec) 1967 to channel oil from the distributor cavity to the chain via slots that allowed the oil to be slung onto the chain. Prior to that the oil was distributed via the slinger. It may have been discontinued even earlier than that, about the time the front timing cover changed from the oil filler neck in the cover to the filler neck in the valve covers. Can't find verification on that, though. Best guess is that you will be okay without the slinger.
Best,
Al

Starfury

FWIW, Cloyes told me to chuck the slinger when I installed a new double-roller timing set.