1987 325is M20 engine
Is it really necessary to replace the spacers? I ask because I destroyed them when I removed the oil pump and I don’t want to run around town looking for them.
I read that the stopper’s primary function is to prevent the oil pump drive shaft from being pulled out of the oil pump (and subsequently dropped into the oil pan) when the distributor is removed. I’m assuming on some models the oil pump drive shaft fits into the end of the distributor similar to a Chevy. Obviously dropping the drive shaft into the oil pan is unwanted because you would have to remove the oil pan to fix the drive shaft, a maintenance activity you had no desire to do while working with the distributor.
The M20’s distributor is driven directly from the camshaft and not a gear on the crank and the oil pump is driven by the intermediate shaft; the 2 systems appear to be independent of each other. I’m arguing that removing the distributor will not affect the oil pump drive shaft. Furthermore, if the M20 did have a geared distributor then the only time the stoppers would be necessary would be if you were removing the distributor.
One could argue that the stoppers are necessary to prevent the oil pump drive shaft from lifting out of the oil pump if you were going to remove the gear that drives the oil pump; however I suspect if you were going to remove this gear you are probably doing a full engine tear down and you will have access to the crank case and can properly seat the oil pump drive shaft.
It appears that the stoppers aid maintenance activities and have no impact on normal operation, i.e. driving, racing, etc. In the case of the M20, the stoppers appear completely superfluous.
Any other opinions?
Has anyone failed to replace the stoppers? If so, were there any negative consequences during normal operation, maintenance, or otherwise?
Thanks.
*side note* Probably could have just found the stoppers in the amount of time I used to research this subject and write this post…
Is it really necessary to replace the spacers? I ask because I destroyed them when I removed the oil pump and I don’t want to run around town looking for them.
I read that the stopper’s primary function is to prevent the oil pump drive shaft from being pulled out of the oil pump (and subsequently dropped into the oil pan) when the distributor is removed. I’m assuming on some models the oil pump drive shaft fits into the end of the distributor similar to a Chevy. Obviously dropping the drive shaft into the oil pan is unwanted because you would have to remove the oil pan to fix the drive shaft, a maintenance activity you had no desire to do while working with the distributor.
The M20’s distributor is driven directly from the camshaft and not a gear on the crank and the oil pump is driven by the intermediate shaft; the 2 systems appear to be independent of each other. I’m arguing that removing the distributor will not affect the oil pump drive shaft. Furthermore, if the M20 did have a geared distributor then the only time the stoppers would be necessary would be if you were removing the distributor.
One could argue that the stoppers are necessary to prevent the oil pump drive shaft from lifting out of the oil pump if you were going to remove the gear that drives the oil pump; however I suspect if you were going to remove this gear you are probably doing a full engine tear down and you will have access to the crank case and can properly seat the oil pump drive shaft.
It appears that the stoppers aid maintenance activities and have no impact on normal operation, i.e. driving, racing, etc. In the case of the M20, the stoppers appear completely superfluous.
Any other opinions?
Has anyone failed to replace the stoppers? If so, were there any negative consequences during normal operation, maintenance, or otherwise?
Thanks.
*side note* Probably could have just found the stoppers in the amount of time I used to research this subject and write this post…
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