Woodruff key found in the bottom of a 340 with 7qt. pan

[T-Man700]

Ok here goes, I've installed a few big block Chevy cams in the past and never seen a key like this before. I found one in the bottom of the 7 quart pan and no metal filings with it. Can't see how one could come out. The 340 was running when bought. Maybe the builder dropped one by mistake? Supposed to only have about 700 mi. on engine, but it's been bagged and sitting a few years. I'm going back to the standard pan and, SUPRISE, found it during the swap. Problem? Been told the only dumb question is the one not asked when you don't know. Thanks

 

[RustyRatRod]

Which does it look like? Crank or cam? Easy to see the crank key. Just remove the balancer bolt and get a light and look in the end of the crank. You'll see it if it's there. If it's the short half moon like a cam key, then it's time to take the front cover off.

 

[T-Man700]

Which does it look like? Crank or cam? Easy to see the crank key. Just remove the balancer bolt and get a light and look in the end of the crank. You'll see it if it's there. If it's the short half moon like a cam key, then it's time to take the front cover off.

It's the cam key. Sounds like I have to see if one is in the cam front end. If so I assume someone dropped one by mistake but how could it run without one. The timing would be way off.

 

[RustyRatRod]

It's the cam key.

Well I know what I would do.

 

[T-Man700]

Well I know what I would do.

Your right, I knew that but it still sucks. So much for a quick change over. After I'm done with the whining, I'll get on it. Thanks.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Your right, I knew that but it still sucks. So much for a quick change over. After I'm done with the whining, I'll get on it. Thanks.

I can relate. Been there done that and will probably do it again. lol

 

[brian6pac]

I once found a lifter in the oil pan of a ford 302 never been apart and still had all 16 lifters or should I say 17. LOL

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

It had a cam or chain n gear change at some point and they dropped one down the pan.

It wouldn't run without it, the springs would hold the cam still.

Pull the cover anyways, but that's my bet.

 

[toolmanmike]

Extra parts. Who needs em. It slipped out and fell into the pan. The other guy probably thought "I am not pulling the engine to take the damn pan off". Grab another key and get on with life. It will probably come out the drain plug when I change oil.

 

[sireland67]

My buddy tore down a sbc one time, it had a head bolt in the oil pan.
It was a high mileage engine, so it had been there a long time.

 

[AJ/FormS]

If the engine has run then chances are the key was replaced during the last build as mentioned.
If a thing can't physically get into the pump, and cannot dissolve, then it's no big deal.
The bigger deal is; what if it fell out unnoticed during the sprocket-install, and the cam bolt was torqued up ok; and then, one day, 500 miles from home, it moves.oops


BTW
I heard a 7qt pan on a hi-reving engine is a great idea.
I heard 5.5 qts of oil in a 7 qt pan is worth a lotta,lotta hp.
It helped my 360 go 93mph in the Eighth.
Yeah,as a streeter, I had to build a lil skid-plate to keep it from getting smashed on stuff/ no big deal.

 

[T-Man700]

If the engine has run then chances are the key was replaced during the last build as mentioned.
If a thing can't physically get into the pump, and cannot dissolve, then it's no big deal.
The bigger deal is; what if it fell out unnoticed during the sprocket-install, and the cam bolt was torqued up ok; and then, one day, 500 miles from home, it moves.oops


BTW
I heard a 7qt pan on a hi-reving engine is a great idea.
I heard 5.5 qts of oil in a 7 qt pan is worth a lotta,lotta hp.
It helped my 360 go 93mph in the Eighth.
Yeah,as a streeter, I had to build a lil skid-plate to keep it from getting smashed on stuff/ no big deal.

Yeah, figured it's probably ok but will put an eyeball on it anyway. I was debating about throwing a new water pump on it. This answered that decision. The 7qt. pan is an aftermarket mopar and it is scraped up pretty good on the bottom but I'm taking it back to factory except for the Doug's headers. Don't want to bottom out on the street. The driveway curbs are brutal around here.

 

[AJ/FormS]

The driveway curbs are brutal around here.

I solved that with;
1.03 bars,
HD shocks,
increasing the K-member height to 6 inches,
the aforementioned skidplate,
28psi in the 235 fronts/ 24 in the 295s out back,
and
hitting the speed bumps harder,lol.POW!
oh yeah;
and low hip-height Mazda RX7 bucket seats, for a lil more headroom. They ain't much for padding, but they got adequate side-bolsters.

I take great pleasure in whamming by a tuner car, who is crabbing over what to me looks like a 3" nothing to worry about speed bump; 30mph in my combo is 4000rpm in first gear,just about right on the Torque-peak, and the dual 3" tailpipes are screaming as I give it a lil go-juice on the way by the drivers door. You can't see me, but Ima smiling just thinking about it,lol.
Does that make me a bad person?
What you don't know is that most of the tuner-boys in my town all know me,one of the advantages of being a long-time member in the same community. I have watched many of them grow up as I worked on their Daddy's stuff.

 

[AJ/FormS]

I was debating about throwing a new water pump on it.

Make it a HD, 8-vane, anti-cavitation plated, Hi-flow version with a 5/8 impeller shaft. Mine was new in 2000, and still works like a charm. It came with the tip machined down to fit the 1/2 inch pulley and stuff.

 

[brian6pac]

If the engine has run then chances are the key was replaced during the last build as mentioned.
If a thing can't physically get into the pump, and cannot dissolve, then it's no big deal.
The bigger deal is; what if it fell out unnoticed during the sprocket-install, and the cam bolt was torqued up ok; and then, one day, 500 miles from home, it moves.oops


BTW
I heard a 7qt pan on a hi-reving engine is a great idea.
I heard 5.5 qts of oil in a 7 qt pan is worth a lotta,lotta hp.
It helped my 360 go 93mph in the Eighth.
Yeah,as a streeter, I had to build a lil skid-plate to keep it from getting smashed on stuff/ no big deal.

I always cut a inch of my dipstick tube when I have a deep pan, you got to get the oil away from the crank.

 

[jcmeyer5]

I left a RTV tube cap in my oil pan in the Mustang. Fortunately I had to pull it for a bad front seal, so I found it

 

[yellow rose]

If you do many Fords you’ll find oil pump drives in the pan. I’ve found bolts and nuts, a pushrod, a couple of BBM’s with the fuel pump pushrods in them. Other than the pump drives I have no idea how that foknoid gets into the pan.