Reply to "Oil Pump Drive Shaft - ARP or OEM"

Dear Larry and George,


There may be some thread drift here, but this discussion reminds me of something that I recently heard about this very topic. The topic was oil pump drive shafts. My very experienced friend asked me why I was using a big thick aftermarket drive shaft. I replied that *all* the reference texts and "everybody" said to upgrade to one rather than the "weak" stock Ford shaft. He told me that it was his opinion that this "truth" of Cleveland engine building may date back to the early seventies. Ford cars with high performance Clevelands running thick high viscosity oil (common at the time), would induce high loads with the high rpm launches and the relatively cold thicker oil leading to some failures that became the foundation for the myth of the bigger is better Cleveland oil pump drive shaft. Perhaps, now it can be told.....? I find this plausible, but still hearsay.


Warmest regards, Chuck Engles