49 dodge 218 oil pump question

[doogan]

Let me start by saying "listen to experience"!   I grew up working with mechanics being my father and grandfather.   So what I did was something I had been told all the time not to do.    So now being 74 I guess I thought I could get away without "listening".    Was jacking my b1b up to sit on blocks so I could replace a faulty throw out bearing,  I  set the jack in the center of the front axle.     wrong, wrong, wrong.    Had been told not to do that with a floor jack for years.    But with no one here to see me do it thought what the heck.    

wanting to hurry up the process I jacked the front end up with floor jack in center of axle so both wheels are up for blocks to be placed under wheels.   As i had been told time and time again it happened.   The jack slipped off axle, short forward and yep, right in center of oil pan well, the deep spot for the oil pump, and bent pan up about 3-4 inches.   After all the various sayings I heard all my life run through my mind,  only one stuck for the moment.   "I told you not to do that, now fix it".    Knowing the dent was up high enough to bust oil pump, dropped pan and all looked good.    The dent was toward front of engine only hitting the round screened portion of pump.

 

My question, after all this is...........................does the round screened portion of pump pivot on a hinge allowing it to "float" so to speak, up and down or is it stationary?    this one now will lift up about half inch as though it is on a hinge.    Normal or should I start saving for a new pump?

 

Moral of story "listen to experience"

[JBNeal]

Flathead oil pumps are on the side of the block, directly opposite of the distributor...sounds like ya dinged up the pickup float that pivots on the oil pump draw tube,  that can probably be massaged back into shape

[doogan]

Thanks.    Wasn't sure if pickup float was supposed to pivot.   It did have a small ding that straightened out with a pair of duckbill pliers.   Thanks again and will take what I was taught seriously once again!!

[Dodgeb4ya]

The oil pickup does have a certain amount of travel up and down...limited by two tabs on the pickup float oil supply pipe.More than likely the float is out of travel limits.

The float  drops most all the way down to the pan bottom but stays about 1/2" off it.

If the float floats too high in the oil going around corners the oil pump gets starved for oil and the oil gauge will drop. Fixed a couple of those situations.

Make sure the float will stay submerged in the oil.

Now is the front motor mount torn loose?

Better look at it.