Remove balancer and timing cover?
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 598
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 598
Also:
And, once you have the oil pan completely off engine, suggest you take several good pics of it from several different perspectives.
So that, if you ask about which oil pump Or pickup to select, you can show us exactly which pan you actually have.
Your pan may or may Not be a corvette pan. I don't KNOW which pan you have.
And, once you have the oil pan completely off engine, suggest you take several good pics of it from several different perspectives.
So that, if you ask about which oil pump Or pickup to select, you can show us exactly which pan you actually have.
Your pan may or may Not be a corvette pan. I don't KNOW which pan you have.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,073
Likes: 65
From: Belgium
1. How do I know if my oil pickup needs to be replaced?
2. I placed my oil pan on a glass table. It seems not perfectly straight because it wobbles a little bit. Can I fix this with a hammer or some tool or isn’t that a big deal and will the blue 1-piece Felpro gasket fix it?
3. Can I just remove the chain and sprocket by loosening the 3 bolts or do I have to do/check something else before removing it?
2. I placed my oil pan on a glass table. It seems not perfectly straight because it wobbles a little bit. Can I fix this with a hammer or some tool or isn’t that a big deal and will the blue 1-piece Felpro gasket fix it?
3. Can I just remove the chain and sprocket by loosening the 3 bolts or do I have to do/check something else before removing it?
Last edited by Novusuhu; Oct 22, 2025 at 02:09 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 14,406
Likes: 8,212
From: Napa Valley California
It all looks really good!
If the pan doesn’t sit perfectly flat on a glass sheet, it’s probably best to leave it alone rather than trying to make it perfect.
If it’s off just a little, it will pull down flat when you torque the bolts using the proper sequence.
Its more important to make sure all the material around the bolt holes isn’t deformed because the bolts were over torqued.
When you put it all back together, don’t forget to check the bore on the new harmonic balancer and check the snout of the crankshaft.
You might need to slightly bore the balancer to properly slip onto the crank.
Some people don’t and it can make installing the balancer a nightmare.
Remember to use the proper installation tool and not a big hammer.
If the pan doesn’t sit perfectly flat on a glass sheet, it’s probably best to leave it alone rather than trying to make it perfect.
If it’s off just a little, it will pull down flat when you torque the bolts using the proper sequence.
Its more important to make sure all the material around the bolt holes isn’t deformed because the bolts were over torqued.
When you put it all back together, don’t forget to check the bore on the new harmonic balancer and check the snout of the crankshaft.
You might need to slightly bore the balancer to properly slip onto the crank.
Some people don’t and it can make installing the balancer a nightmare.
Remember to use the proper installation tool and not a big hammer.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 598
* OP
Are you Certain that motor is original to this corvette. ?
Can we see a clear, hi-resolution pic of stamp pad, just forward of passenger head ?
I do believe that pan is Not a corvette pan.
Have you found any Plastic chunks/debris in pan or in pickup ?
I cannot be certain, but I do believe that Cam sprocket has the Nylon cladding. It's so dirty I cannot tell if that plastic cladding is broken.
First, Set the motor on TDC #1, Then Remove sprocket's 3 bolts. Then sprocket & chain can be wiggled free.
excellent Melling video on oil pump screen
https://melling.com/video/why-replac...en-by-melling/
other reliable oil pump & timing set videos / white papers on same Melling site
I'm GUESSING that pan is from a light truck or sedan or crate motor etc. ALWAYS choose pickup to match BOTH pump And pan.
And, it's quite difficult to remove ALL varnish from screen.
You CAN phone email with Melling Tech; they will help you choose correct pickup. Sadly, George Richmond may no longer be available at Melling.
Are you Certain that motor is original to this corvette. ?
Can we see a clear, hi-resolution pic of stamp pad, just forward of passenger head ?
I do believe that pan is Not a corvette pan.
Have you found any Plastic chunks/debris in pan or in pickup ?
I cannot be certain, but I do believe that Cam sprocket has the Nylon cladding. It's so dirty I cannot tell if that plastic cladding is broken.
First, Set the motor on TDC #1, Then Remove sprocket's 3 bolts. Then sprocket & chain can be wiggled free.
excellent Melling video on oil pump screen
https://melling.com/video/why-replac...en-by-melling/
other reliable oil pump & timing set videos / white papers on same Melling site
I'm GUESSING that pan is from a light truck or sedan or crate motor etc. ALWAYS choose pickup to match BOTH pump And pan.
And, it's quite difficult to remove ALL varnish from screen.
You CAN phone email with Melling Tech; they will help you choose correct pickup. Sadly, George Richmond may no longer be available at Melling.
Last edited by Rebelyell; Oct 22, 2025 at 06:25 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 598
Based on above pics alone, (resolution/focus & lighting not ideal), I'm seeing a few discrepancies-conflicts.
Inside motor is mostly dirty w/ long-term, cooked sludge coating. BUT, screen is remarkably clean !
Plastic Nylon Oil Pump Shaft GUIDE aka RETAINER appears in place, But perhaps not cracked.
Is this motor Not OE to car ?
OR
Was OE vette pan damaged /leaking and then replaced with Current pan? Thereby, the Current pan could not fit with Vette screen-pickup, So, the pickup was recently replaced with a Non-vette part (which might help explain why screen seems remarkably clean when compared to remainder of motor's insides).
*Not conflict: but note this motor has a cast crank and 2-bolt main caps. Well lit pics from underneath pistons, focused on underhead, may disclose cast or forged.
Inside motor is mostly dirty w/ long-term, cooked sludge coating. BUT, screen is remarkably clean !
Plastic Nylon Oil Pump Shaft GUIDE aka RETAINER appears in place, But perhaps not cracked.
Is this motor Not OE to car ?
OR
Was OE vette pan damaged /leaking and then replaced with Current pan? Thereby, the Current pan could not fit with Vette screen-pickup, So, the pickup was recently replaced with a Non-vette part (which might help explain why screen seems remarkably clean when compared to remainder of motor's insides).
*Not conflict: but note this motor has a cast crank and 2-bolt main caps. Well lit pics from underneath pistons, focused on underhead, may disclose cast or forged.
Last edited by Rebelyell; Oct 22, 2025 at 06:52 AM.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,073
Likes: 65
From: Belgium
Based on above pics alone, (resolution/focus & lighting not ideal), I'm seeing a few discrepancies-conflicts.
Inside motor is mostly dirty w/ long-term, cooked sludge coating. BUT, screen is remarkably clean !
Plastic Nylon Oil Pump Shaft GUIDE aka RETAINER appears in place, But perhaps not cracked.
Is this motor Not OE to car ?
OR
Was OE vette pan damaged /leaking and then replaced with Current pan? Thereby, the Current pan could not fit with Vette screen-pickup, So, the pickup was recently replaced with a Non-vette part (which might help explain why screen seems remarkably clean when compared to remainder of motor's insides).
*Not conflict: but note this motor has a cast crank and 2-bolt main caps. Well lit pics from underneath pistons, focused on underhead, may disclose cast or forged.
Inside motor is mostly dirty w/ long-term, cooked sludge coating. BUT, screen is remarkably clean !
Plastic Nylon Oil Pump Shaft GUIDE aka RETAINER appears in place, But perhaps not cracked.
Is this motor Not OE to car ?
OR
Was OE vette pan damaged /leaking and then replaced with Current pan? Thereby, the Current pan could not fit with Vette screen-pickup, So, the pickup was recently replaced with a Non-vette part (which might help explain why screen seems remarkably clean when compared to remainder of motor's insides).
*Not conflict: but note this motor has a cast crank and 2-bolt main caps. Well lit pics from underneath pistons, focused on underhead, may disclose cast or forged.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 598
Oh, that Cam Sprocket is certainly an OE-type Nylon-Clad, aluminum die-casting. And, unless you're selling car in near future, suggest replace timing set.
On the surface, it seems this motor is OE to the car.
Casting dates & numbers of block and heads may help complete a profile.
? Has this motor spent much of its service life on a lube diet of Low-Detergent OR No-Detergent motor oils (OR suffered Very Long oil change intervals) ?
* while pan is off, suggest R&R that Nylon oil pump shaft guide with a steel one.
On the surface, it seems this motor is OE to the car.
Casting dates & numbers of block and heads may help complete a profile.
? Has this motor spent much of its service life on a lube diet of Low-Detergent OR No-Detergent motor oils (OR suffered Very Long oil change intervals) ?
* while pan is off, suggest R&R that Nylon oil pump shaft guide with a steel one.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,073
Likes: 65
From: Belgium
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 598
That motor is not only oily; it's dirty. If it wasn't dirty, it would have been far easier for you to simply wipe the sprocket clean.
In another thread, but for other reasons yet to be disclosed, we see the coolant passages are filthy.
Can you help to explain why some parts (e.g. cam sprocket) are dirty BUT the pickup is so clean ? Can you understand there's a discrepancy ?
Last edited by Rebelyell; Oct 22, 2025 at 03:07 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,073
Likes: 65
From: Belgium
How long have YOU been servicing this motor that's nearly Fifty years old ?
That motor is not only oily; it's dirty. If it wasn't dirty, it would have been far easier for you to simply wipe the sprocket clean.
In another thread, but for other reasons yet to be disclosed, we see the coolant passages are filthy.
Can you help to explain why some parts (e.g. cam sprocket) are dirty BUT the pickup is so clean ? Can you understand there's a discrepancy ?
That motor is not only oily; it's dirty. If it wasn't dirty, it would have been far easier for you to simply wipe the sprocket clean.
In another thread, but for other reasons yet to be disclosed, we see the coolant passages are filthy.
Can you help to explain why some parts (e.g. cam sprocket) are dirty BUT the pickup is so clean ? Can you understand there's a discrepancy ?
The PO of my vette didn't fix problems or do oil changes. Everything was done by his garage.
The last year he didn't drive it much he said.
As I said I don't know what the garage of this guy did with the engine (oil intervals etc.). I don't think they had lots of experience with Chevy 350's (they are not so common here).
I didn't replace the oil pickup. I only replaced the oil ones.
COOLANT:
The dirty coolant passages are because of the mixing of two different coolants (green-original one with blue one). I will have to do a couple of flushes.
TIMING & TUNE:
The timing was off when I bought the car and also the qjet was not in tune. All that was a couple of years ago fixed. (Still want to do a complete resto of the Qjet in the future.)
I hope this helps with the discrepancy?
Maybe the pickup was replaced by the PO's garage but he didn't change oil that much?