lock washer broke while re-instaling VE

[TFaucette]

while tightening injection pump gear nut the lock washer broke and fell in, do I need to pull the timing cover and look for it or just let it sit in bottom of oil pan and not give any trouble?

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

I would say yes. I saw the results of a inner case bolts comming out - cam shaft broken in 3 places and bent push rods - so I would consider it a crap shoot. BTW that engine survived. Also if you have not addressed the KDP or the 5 inner case bolts you can fix those also.

Good Luck
Bob

 

[Bob4x4]

There is not enough room in the gear case to be sure anything will fall through. Even the key got a vp44 will beak parts if it falls in

 

[Jim W]

My son's small shop; it is his part time job is replacing a customer 6. 7L engine. The customer dropped a washer in the front timing cover after replacing the fuel pump at 67,000 miles. A small dealer in the area told him the fuel pump was failing do to loss of fuel pressure. So the customer and his friend decided to replace the pump themselves, drove the truck an additional couple of hundred miles after the pump was replaced until the engine failed. Will my son is now replacing the entire engine since a valve was driven into one of the pistons and may have cracked the block defiantly cracked the head and loss the entire top end of the engine. The customer told him to replace the entire engine after seeing all of the damage to the engine from this little washer.

I would pull the front cover and find that broken washer I would also not use any lock washers on any component that is being reassembled. Lock washers will never give you the proper bolt torque reading since they will ride on a burr that they create by digging into the mating material. Use a harden flat washer and then torque the joint to the proper torque for that joint.

Jim W.

 

[Bob4x4]

Every pump should come with a new washer. The old washers should not be reused. I have NEVER had a problem with a washer in that app.

 

[mwilson]

I would go fishing with a slender, telescoping, quality magnet before tearing the cover off. If you get all the chunks and can reassemble the washer in it's entirety after fishing have a beer. I have a Snap-On one that is tiny, but will lift a wrench. Don't try it with a Dollar Store jobbie as you may only have one shot at it.

If you can't then the front cover has to come off.



Mike.

 

[Ncostello]

Oh geez. That would drive me absolutely crazy. I'd not sleep until all the pieces are found. I'd swear, cuss and threaten my neighbors to stay outta my way for a few days. But it has to be found.