For an extended period of time?

My VP is just a gutted cover and does not touch the timing device at all, so the intermediate shaft doesn't have a constant force pushing it against the front bushing. This intermediate shaft bushing was replaced 10k miles ago and now I have significant shaft play again, and wondering if this lack of force pushing the shaft against the bushing is significant.

Any thoughts or corroborating evidence?

Thank you.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

No evidence, but I'm not running one either. There were marine 617 engines available without the VP-they just had a stamped cover(still available, ~$250). No idea on any particulars beyond that.

It seems odd that the bushing would wear so fast-all the load is on the sides of the bushing.

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

Not extended ... but tag me in a year or so.

So, to paraphrase, more or excessive wear by less contact?

More wear at places other than the bushing due to a lack of pressure holding the intermediate shaft against the bushing.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

It doesn't make sense at 200 hours to excessive wear.

Unless the marine engine's cap had something hiding under the cover, or a different IP assembly.

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

Do you know what it is hitting or rubbing against to cause the excessive wear ?

Is it possible it is something else? I cannot see how not running the vacuum pump or having some pressure against it is causing slop in the mechanism to cause artificial wear ??

I have longitudinal play rather than radial, and was thinking the intermediate shaft might be rubbing on the back side, towards the IP. The bushing I installed a couple years ago is probably just fine.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

no problem doing this--its the same basic motor as the 621, the unimog guy in las Vegas runs his with the cover plate --- 60mog?