Front Cover Locating Pins

September 28, 2012, 11:13:52 AM

I have a missing front cover locating pin and need to find a source of these things as quickly as possible. They are, according to Joe at the local Ford house, still available in Detroit stock, but no one else, and I mean NO ONE is able to locate these from a 3rd party. It could be because they might be called something else, it could be that no one else makes them... I just don't know.

[COLOR="red"]HELP!!![/COLOR]

Ford Description / Part Number

Locating Pin / 388192-S

Front Cover Locating Pins

Reply #1 – September 30, 2012, 12:37:06 PM

Update:

I was able to fabricate some new pins for a grand total of $0.68. I began by using a bolt spacer available at the local hardware store into a drill chuck. I turned the diameter down to match the original, cut the pin to the correct length and then chamfered both ends. I made two, even though I only needed to replace one... just in case.

These little jewels locate the front cover in relation to the block and crank and prevent leaks by keeping the crank snout centered in the front seal when applying torque to the oil pan bolts and as a result, not chewing up the seal. It seems that there are lots of people that had no idea that these pins were even there or if they did, what their purpose was.