Oil Pump Shaft.

[GideonBowles]

I was having an old timer of mine, help me put my engine together and in doing so we may have forgotten to put the oil pump shaft in. Initially tried to drop the shaft from the top, but it has a pined sleeve over it. now the old timer says you don’t need the sleeve, he said, I should just take the sleeve and pin out and drop it in, but I’ve been able to find very little information on this topic. The engine is a 1974 gen IV 454, but I had it rebuilt at an engine shop, so now it’s an entirely different engine. Thank you for any input.

[Scott S.]

Gideon, without the sleeve, the shaft has nothing to keep it aligned and will skip out of the pump drive.

Depending on which sleeve you have, it may not be possible to do from the top..... The plastic/nylon sleeve can be "popped" onto the pump IF you get the alignment right.(not very easy from what I understand)

But the steel sleeve must be installed from below. 

Good luck, Scott.