Change oil pump while replacing pan gasket

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gliderider06

gliderider06

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Would you change your oil pump while you are replacing a pan gasket? I have a leaking pan gasket on the Ramcharger that I'm changing. Runs great, 140,000 miles, bone stock and has great oil pressure. Just curious
 
You can remove it and use feeler gauges to determine the wear on the pump rotors. Pretty easy check. Rod
 
I dropped my pan to replace the rear main on my 340. Thought about replacing the oil pump while I had everything apart, opted not to because the oil pressure had been good. Figured I'd save a few bucks. Literally 2 days after I bolted everything back together and fired it up, my oil pump failed. Same thing when I pulled my transmission to replace the leaking seals and TQ. Considered rebuilding it when it was out, but hey it was working great. Two months later I found a load of clutch material that clogged my filter. Soooo it's coming back out.

Murphy's law? Maybe. But I've come the the realization on this old car that, the time to replace these hard to get at parts is when they are easily accessible.

Pat
 
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I would replace the oil pump, timing set, and toss a new water pump and thermostat at it too but... We're not talking about my 96 Camry daily drivers. Yeah 2 of them, mine and grand daughters. Both show nearly 300K miles. The way I see it, if it takes me 8 days to get'er done, the labor is free. Total part cost is less that the average monthly payment. In the end I've looked at belts, hoses, replaced everything in questionable condition. I sleep better thinking I invested in dependability, got ahead of tomorrows "hood up".
I wont go on about cheap aftermarket parts, my hard lesson learned, just to say it was the oil pump.
Alas, hood up again almost exactly a year later. Had to pull a good portion of exhaust to replace 2 little water hoses at a oil cooler thingy under the oil filter. It's more common for that cooler to leak oil and need reseal. Both cars running OEM hoses there. Neither leaking oil. Of course I purchased oil seals, gaskets, hoses, all times 2, planning to do the same job on other car. Hopefully before a failure ( fingers crossed ).
So we can't replace everything from radiator cap down. We can't predict whats next. We can know what is not next. Best of luck with yours.
 
Thanks for the validation. pressure is great all around. Actually better than my 97 with a HV pump in it. I'll throw a pump in it while it's apart.
 
Well, if the pressure is 'great all around' then the pumps cannot be too much worn, or any of the bearings. Maybe you got that lucky tightest tolerance factory part...
 
Got the job done today, about 3 hours start to finish. Pretty easy in a truck. Put a pump in it as well. I thought it may have been a roller cam, but nope. Good ole FT. Inside the motor is nice and clean for an 87 that had not been apart besides a timing chain. primed it up before starting and picked up pressure immediately and was higher at idle than before. Shoot, just might get another 140000 out of this old girl.
 
gliderider06 said:
Got the job done today, about 3 hours start to finish. Pretty easy in a truck. Put a pump in it as well. I thought it may have been a roller cam, but nope. Good ole FT. Inside the motor is nice and clean for an 87 that had not been apart besides a timing chain. primed it up before starting and picked up pressure immediately and was higher at idle than before. Shoot, just might get another 140000 out of this old girl.
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Maybe stupid question? How did you prime it before starting? I guess maybe you had intake off as well and pulled the timing gear and used a priming shaft? Or is there a trick I don’t know?
 
I put some gear oil in the pump and turned it with a Allen key for a minute or two then installed the pump. Before I started the truck, I pulled the coil wire and used the starter until pressure built. Put coil wire back on and started it. Pretty easy
 
gliderider06 said:
Would you change your oil pump while you are replacing a pan gasket? I have a leaking pan gasket on the Ramcharger that I'm changing. Runs great, 140,000 miles, bone stock and has great oil pressure. Just curious
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Nope.
Unless I decided to change the oil pump, leave good alone.
 
stumblinhorse said:
Maybe stupid question? How did you prime it before starting? I guess maybe you had intake off as well and pulled the timing gear and used a priming shaft? Or is there a trick I don’t know?
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Always wet the pump with oil before installing it.
This may sound whatever to some of you... but I dont ever prime it before break in.
If you oil wet the pump before it goes together... it will draw oil instantly upon firing...and if you know what you're doing and ...it will fire by the 2nd revolution. Now...if any of you use any kind of assembly lube that's worth a ****, "some just use motor oil", it will be fine, bearings will be fine.
Done them all this way, for almost 30 yrs.
 
I rebuilt my 3406 CAT at 1,918,000 miles and we reused the original oil pump. Shop said it was still perfect so....

That said I've reused dozens of oil pumps but only from engines that showed some semblance of maintenance. Those, crusty deals always got a new pump.
 
Krooser said:
I rebuilt my 3406 CAT at 1,918,000 miles and we reused the original oil pump. Shop said it was still perfect so....

That said I've reused dozens of oil pumps but only from engines that showed some semblance of maintenance. Those, crusty deals always got a new pump.
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Show-off LOL. Diesel pumps seems to be quite a different animal..... I'm alwasy impressed when one of our CTD's picks up cold 15W40 at startup and there's full pressure in 1-2 seconds.
 
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