<< Hi Lynn,
 You said that if the shaft for the oil metering pump is removed, the
 pressure oil feed gallery has to be plugged. To do that we must
remove the
 front housing. How about if we still have the shaft, can we just
pushed in
 from the outside (with gear removed) through the shaft opening? Or
just an
 aluminum rod with tight fit to fill the shaft hole?
 I don't have an extra front housing to look at, so I'm just guessing.
 Buly

Buly,

Quite some time ago there was a lengthy discussion on this subject at the
other web site. Yes, plugging is necessary. If you look at the front cover
front surface you will see an oil passage leading down and then across the
front to just below the outside bump for the shaft. This feeds
pressurized oil
into the necked down portion at the center of the metering pump shaft.
If this
oil passage is not blocked by a dowel per Tracy's book then you must block
both the inner and outer ends of the shaft opening.

Much of the discussion centered on whether the shaft opening should be
fully
blocked since the hole leading up to shaft from the oil passage
continues up to
the inner surface of the front cover. There it is partially blocked by a
roll pin.
Some felt that this was intended to provide some "spray" oiling for the oil
pump chain. If so, then the best course would be to block the hole with the
metering pump shaft. You would have to make certain that the shaft can't
slide
back into the sump. If the "spray lube" is not correct then a rod
filling the shaft
hole end to end would be just fine. Perhaps Tracy could tell us if he
has had
any problems from just blocking the passage.

Fred Osborn