oil pump driveshaft snafu

[Mercmarquis]

Today I began figuring out the reason to why my distributor would not seat. My first and hopefully only engine problem. I found out that the little metal "umbrella" on the drive shaft was not allowing the driveshaft to go all the way down. Which caused my dizzy not to seat and the driveshaft did not even get close to the oil pump. So I slid off the little umbrella and everthing was engaged and looked good. I'm using an ARP oil pump driveshaft and I also had the same issue when I tried the old shaft for kicks. So is that little umbrella needed or am I ok without it?

[Grand Marquis GT]

The little umbrella I think just centers the thing in there, making it easier to put the disty back on, without the shaft moving around...

[Pirate]

That snap ring is what keeps the shaft from coming up and out of the engine, if you take the dist. out. Is it under the block, or on top between the dist. gear and the block? It is supposed to be under the block, between the block and the oil pump.

[turbo2256b]

The umbrella as you call it is susposed to be between the block and oil pump to keep the oil pump drive shaft from pulling out with the distributor when removing the distributor. With out it or installled on the distributor side it could even fall in the oil pan when removing the distributor.

[DuceAnAHalf]

Mine does not have it. Ive got the big ass ARP drive shaft, AFAIK it did not have one in the package, im pretty sure i have the package around here somewhere i could check.

[Mercmarquis]

I got the bigass ARP one too. Mine had a ring, ARP has 2 different ones, one with the ring and one without. So should I be ok with it out?