Yep, I had a 63 Pontiac 389 that one of the teeth on the plastic timing gear came off and went into the oil pan. Coincidentally, the pickup had fallen off the pump so it was a straight shot for the piece of plastic to get sucked into the open hole, jam up the pump gears, and shear the pump drive. When I rebuilt it I made sure I brazed the pickup on the pump and put a steel timing set in place of the plastic type.

One of Detroits "better" ideas that wasn't.

Don