At 12:04 PM 2/22/2015 -0800, Byron Kane !- wrote:
"On the later oil pump strainer, how close is that metal disc (spot welded to the screen) suppose to be to the pickup tube?
What Byron is talking about here is a small metal disc that it inside the sump screen immediately below the open end of the oil pick-up pipe. This disc should be spot welded to the screen so it won't move. This may be intended to protect the screen from perforation if the screen might get bumped up against the pipe during handing. I have seen these discs come loose (broken spot weld) so it could slide around in the bottom of the screen, but I have never seen any detrimental affect to the engine from this minor failure. But now Byron cites another possible problem.

"I've been having a curious problem where my oil pressure will go down as I approach 4k RPM and continue going down with acceleration but comes back up as RPM falls below 4k. I removed my oil pump and found that metal disc about 1/32-inch from the pickup tube. Despite the apparent great shape of the screen (not all mis-shapen from being thrown around a parts bin), the close proximity of that disc to the pickup tube inspired the thought that the oil flow with increased RPM may actually suck that disc up flush and choke the oil feeding the pump. I know there's that little cut out on the pick up tube that would account for some flow if that disc were in fact being drawn flush to the pickup tube. I have two other oil strainers, that while a bit beat up (screen misshapen), are perfectly usable. So, I swapped out the one that came with my car and that oil pressure curiosity has gone away".

I don't have a direct answer to his question. I'm sure the disc is not supposed to be touching the tube. It will be okay if the screen ends up pressing against the bottom of the sump, but the sump should not be bent up enough to smash the screen against the pick-up tube.