So I was swaping the fuel pump out and the gat dang pushrod slipped down and is now from what I can tell as stuck. It's down and at the full length of it's stroke towards the fuel pump...

It turns freely but I can't get it back up to put the fuel pump in.

Any help or tips?

I cranked the engine and I don't know if it ever even moved. I have to take the girlfriend wtih me tonight to see if it does if you awesome awesome people don't respond first... Which you better... Jerks.

Engine starts damn near GREAT though. Dumping gas or starting fuild in the crarb and starting it gives me those sweet sweet exhaust notes out of the duals I remember from the last time it was started 5 months ago. Really suprized it started so well. I thought I had an engine knock, apparently it was the fuel pump, which is also the reason it would die, and bogged all the time. It may only be a 305 for the moment, but I want a running car to get the rest done, then drop in my 383 or something equally naughty.

Thanks fellas.

Take the plate off if you can't start it moving back into the block... once the plate is off it will fall out. Should be no problem using a dab of axle grease to make it stay put until you re-assemble.

Can't understand why it won't go back up. You may have to remove the fuel pump mount plate and push it back in. Put some heavy grease on the pump rod and it should stay up in place till you get the pump mounted.

Alright. It wont go back up because there is a lip that it is under, hard to explain.

Anyway, is the plate just two bolts from what I saw? Any gasket crap I have to replace?

2 bolts and 1 gasket

There are only 2 bolts that hold the fuel pump plate on. There is a gasket between the plate and the block. Clean the surfaces, use a good gasket sealer, and replace the plate. Be very careful not to overtighten the bolts. Easy enough to break them off. Been there. Good luck.

There is a 3/8" (I think its 3/8) bolt on the front of the block. If you remove it and thread a longer bolt into it, it will hold the pushrod for you. That is what its meant for. Normally this hole is just plugged with a short bolt.

Edit - I know it doesn't answer what you asked. Just a little tip for you when you get your situation figured out.

Wiggle the rod with needle-nose pliers and it'll go back up in the hole without removing the plate (it won't come completely out of the hole if the plate is still on). Hold it there, stick a long screw driver at the end of the rod so it doesn't slide back down again. Put the new fuel pump lever arm in behind the screwdriver and then slide the screwdriver out as you position the fuel pump against the plate. Works like a charm. I do fuel pump changes in about 5 minutes this way. Never had to take the plate off or do anything special to get the pump mounted up. Make sure the fuel pump rod is near the low (fully retracted) part of the cam's fuel pump eccentric lobe when you do this- you don't want to be fighting an inch of fuel pump lever travel as you try to thread up and tighten the bolts.

I usually just peck the steel plate with a wrench and the rod will bounce a bit, hold and move it back up with your finger. A hacksaw blade will hold it up while you get the pump arm in.

Grease kept the rod up..... But I managed to round 3 sockets to get the bolts back in on the pump. Maybe something got in there, gasket sealer or something. I'll have to bring shit to clean it out.

Wiggle the rod with needle-nose pliers and it'll go back up in the hole without removing the plate (it won't come completely out of the hole if the plate is still on). Hold it there, stick a long screw driver at the end of the rod so it doesn't slide back down again. Put the new fuel pump lever arm in behind the screwdriver and then slide the screwdriver out as you position the fuel pump against the plate. Works like a charm. I do fuel pump changes in about 5 minutes this way. Never had to take the plate off or do anything special to get the pump mounted up. Make sure the fuel pump rod is near the low (fully retracted) part of the cam's fuel pump eccentric lobe when you do this- you don't want to be fighting an inch of fuel pump lever travel as you try to thread up and tighten the bolts.

^^this is the way I've always done it. Works!!