Constrictor 98TA

Well, some of you may be aware that I had difficulty getting the oil pickup tube bolt installed into my car. I don't know if it was bad luck, or too fat of fingers or a combination of both, but I just wasn't getting the bolt in with conventional tools. So I took a trip down to the local Sears store hoping they would have something that would help me. Well, sitting there in the wrench aisle was this beauty. It is a 10mm ratcheting box wrench. The thing costs $17.99, which may see high to some, but any amount of money I could spend to help alleviate the hassle of that one bolt was worth it to me. Here is the tool:



This thing worked like a beauty! It works just like a normal socket wrench. You can flip the lever for tighten or loosen, and the closed end is angled like a typical box wrench. I was able to rest the bolt in the head of the wrench and move it into position to push it up into the oil pump and while putting upward pressure on the bolt, I was able to tighten it up without ever taking pressure off the bolt. I didn't need to use any tricks like stiff wires or needlenose plyers or anything. Don't get me wrong, its still very tight, and theres only one initial angle to get the bolt into position, but once I got the hang of it. I'm sure with this tool, I could do someone else's oil pickup tube bolt in 5 minutes.

This tool came in quite handy in other things too. I was able to reach two of the bolts holding the oil pan to the block very easily with this tool.

As someone else had suggested, since I am using a Rollmaster double chain, my oil pump needed spacers. You need to install this bolt with the spacers removed and the oil pump not bolted to the block as it needs to wiggle around a little while positioning it. once the bolt was in, I put the spacers back on, put the bolts in place and torqued them down!

For those of you who have never seen this installed, look at the clearance between the chain and the oil pump. It's kinda hard to see in the picture, but I would guess its less than 2mm of clearance. I hand threaded my old crank bolt back in and turned the enigne over several times to make sure it wouldn't scrape and it didnt. Heres a picture of the clearance. For more pictures of this install, check out my webpage!



Thanks to everyone who offered advice on this procedure. I am not saying this still can't be done without this tool, but damn, does this thing make it so much easier. I highly recommend this tool, or something like it to anyone planning on changing their oil pump.

jmX

This is why on my oil pump install page it says at the top "gear wrench" and in the install I say "this is where I use the gear wrench". I wasn't kidding.

I'm assuming you got this idea from my page, since your IP is in my weblog

Anyway, its a good tip! I'm glad Visceral introduced me to gear wrenches a while back.

Z 2 L8ter

iTrader: (6)

Prolly a dumb question but where do you get the spacers for your oil pump? I am going to be doing an oil pump upgrade soon and i have plans for adding the rollmaster chain also.

Tin Indian

Well, if you purchase a double chain set, it will come with the required oil pump spacers. If you buy a single timing set, you won't get the spacers, nor will you need them...

Be advised... If you install a new oil pump (or remove your old one) get a [NEW] O ring seal. New ported pumps do not include the O ring.

Ron,

Constrictor 98TA

Yes, your site has been a holy bible for me during my cam swap. I've actually sent you a couple emails about one or two things specific to an A4 that you don't mention, but I never heard back from you!

And, I am tool name ignorant, so I didn't realize this was the same thing as a gear wrench. The guy at Sears called it a ratcheted box wrench.

Nevertheless, its a great tool to have, and I thought showing a picture of the actual tool would help anyone else considering changing their oil pump.

As for the spacers, you have to bolt up the pickup tube with the spacers out. Once the pickup tube is in, you slide the spacers back in. I actually have a bit of trouble getting the spacers back in, because the pickup tube wants to hold the oil pump too close to the block. They will fit, but I had to gently tap at it with a screwdriver to get them to go into place.

I can't wait to fire this bad boy up!

robertbartsch

I will do the same mod with an SDPC double roller timing set and a new SLP pump. I have heard that the oil pump spacers cause the crank pully to bind up the pump and timing gears....

...some have milled the pully down so it won't bind and others have said there is no problem.....

Also, apparently, the oil pump pick up tube does not line up when oil pump spacers are used...so why don't they include a new oil pick up tube with the kit?

This is B/S!!!!! I may go with a stock timing set now...

Constrictor 98TA

Although this isn't confirmed, it seems that the majority of people who use ASP pulleys and Rollmaster chains do not have a problem. It seems the SLP chain causes more of a problem (can't imagine why). I have not yet put my ASP pulley on yet, so I can't report on fitment, but Im just crossing my fingers that I don't have any problems.

As for why there isn't a new oil pickup tube, is because there would be no way to put a new pickup tube in with the oil pan in place. And I don't think you can pull the oil pan with the engine in the car. If you can, its gotta be a TON of work, cause the engine cradle and K-member go beneath it.

The oil pickup tube does bend. I was able to make it fit, but it is VERY tight now. With the oil pickup tube bolted in place, the oil pump was so tight, that it took a bit of effort to push the spacers back in so I could bolt the oil pump down.

black00WS6

How did you get it to fit? I have a set of ratcheting wrenchs and it wouldnt fit. I had to put some gasket maker on a boxed in 10mm wrench, put the bolt in, and put it in the pick up tube bolt hole.. Then I stuck a finger in, held on the bolt and took the wrench off. Then about 30 mins of SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW turning with 2 fingers, I got it on far enough that I didnt have to worry about it falling out. then used the open end of the 10mm wrench. It was a nightmare.

TaTommyWS6

The ol' wire trick worked great for me.

I stiff piece of wire while removing and inserting the bolt worked wonders...

Tommy

robertbartsch

Thanks ...this is interesting.

I have the new SDPC double roller set and a GM replacement timing set. The more I think about it, I am more inclined to use the new GM stock replacement setup....I really do not want to deal with bending oil pickup tubes, binding pulleys and other problems from replacement parts that are poorly designed.

Thanks...