Oil pump replacement questions?
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Oil pump replacement questions? I'm contemplating tackling a heads/cam swap on my own. I've read into it, and it seems the only scary parts are measuring for pushrod length, and the oil pump....
In the writeup, it says you should loosen the bolts on the oil pan in order to access the bolt/o-ring for the pickup tube: which leaves me with a few questions:
I know the oil pan gasket is riveted in... But will lowering the oil pan and reusing the stock gasket open up the possibility for leaks?
I know most people say to use some RTV when mating the oil pan and timing cover, but what about the rear seal, behind the transmission?
And how easy is it to crimp the O-ring? Any tips to prevent it from crimping?
In the writeup, it says you should loosen the bolts on the oil pan in order to access the bolt/o-ring for the pickup tube: which leaves me with a few questions:
I know the oil pan gasket is riveted in... But will lowering the oil pan and reusing the stock gasket open up the possibility for leaks?
I know most people say to use some RTV when mating the oil pan and timing cover, but what about the rear seal, behind the transmission?
And how easy is it to crimp the O-ring? Any tips to prevent it from crimping?
The oil pan gasket is reuseable. When assembling the oil pump to the pickup tube, use vasaline on the NEW o-ring and wiggle the pump when mating to the tube. Put o-ring on the tube, then slide pump up onto it. Just go slow.
I just got done with a cam swap on my 02. Changing the oil pump isn't bad. Be slow with it, check and double check the o-ring before you tighten the pickup tube down and put some oil on it. Clean the threads real good on the bolt and oil pump housing, and use blue loc tite. A lot of people say to stuff rags under the pump incase you drop the bolt. I found the rags to be more in my way, and i did it without them. Like i said, take it slow, and use a magnet on a stick when putting the bolt back in.
My pan gasket did not seal at the back. The motor had been rebuilt, and the previous owner used rtv in the back corner. RTV wont seal up a 2nd time once its dry like that. I have a very good sized oil leak from the back now. Will be dropping the pan this weekend to put a new gasket in. Oh joy...
My pan gasket did not seal at the back. The motor had been rebuilt, and the previous owner used rtv in the back corner. RTV wont seal up a 2nd time once its dry like that. I have a very good sized oil leak from the back now. Will be dropping the pan this weekend to put a new gasket in. Oh joy...
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From: Boston, MA
My pan gasket did not seal at the back. The motor had been rebuilt, and the previous owner used rtv in the back corner. RTV wont seal up a 2nd time once its dry like that. I have a very good sized oil leak from the back now. Will be dropping the pan this weekend to put a new gasket in. Oh joy...
How are others handling this? Is it a non-issue on an unmolested motor?
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if it is the original gasket it's 14 years old.. I'd bet that it's gonna leak if you disturb it by removing it and put it back without replacing it.
I just posted this in a different thread, but in case you, or anyone else needed it anyway:
Loosen motor mounts. Place floor jack on bell housing and lift motor up slightly to give room between pan and K member.
Take the pan down as far as possible. Now there's 2 rivets from GM that hold that gasket on, towards the middle of the pan on the outsides. Take a sharp"ish" flat tip screw driver and knock the head off on the ground side. I'd advise a piece of duct tape or a rag between the inside pan lip and block just in case it pops "up" and that other little piece of rivet pops out. You don't want that in the oil pan.
Then, actually REMOVE the pick up tube and lay it flat in the pan. It's a single nut on a stud that holds the pick up tube. Nothing hard at all. That's the only way you can snake the old gasket out and the new one in.
Once it's in place, put a few bolts through pan and gasket to keep it aligned and in place. Put pickup tube back in oil pump, and THEN reattach to the stud that holds it in place on the windage tray.
RTV Ultra Black the front and rear lips. Secure bolts to pan/block. Re secure motor mounts.
Crack a beer.
Loosen motor mounts. Place floor jack on bell housing and lift motor up slightly to give room between pan and K member.
Take the pan down as far as possible. Now there's 2 rivets from GM that hold that gasket on, towards the middle of the pan on the outsides. Take a sharp"ish" flat tip screw driver and knock the head off on the ground side. I'd advise a piece of duct tape or a rag between the inside pan lip and block just in case it pops "up" and that other little piece of rivet pops out. You don't want that in the oil pan.
Then, actually REMOVE the pick up tube and lay it flat in the pan. It's a single nut on a stud that holds the pick up tube. Nothing hard at all. That's the only way you can snake the old gasket out and the new one in.
Once it's in place, put a few bolts through pan and gasket to keep it aligned and in place. Put pickup tube back in oil pump, and THEN reattach to the stud that holds it in place on the windage tray.
RTV Ultra Black the front and rear lips. Secure bolts to pan/block. Re secure motor mounts.
Crack a beer.
It's riveted in two places. Pop the rivets out and replace the gasket. It's $30 for the gasket. And you can do it with the engine in the car and the k-member in the way.
From dr_whigham:
Loosen motor mounts. Place floor jack on bell housing and lift motor up slightly to give room between pan and K member.
Take the pan down as far as possible. Now there's 2 rivets from GM that hold that gasket on. Take a sharp"ish" flat tip screw driver and knock the head off on the ground side. I'd advise a piece of duct tape or a rag between the inside pan lip and block just in case it pops "up" and that other little piece of rivet pops out. You don't want that in the oil pan.
Then, actually REMOVE the pick up tube and lay it flat in the pan. It's a single nut on a stud that holds the pick up tube. Nothing hard at all. That's the only way you can snake the old gasket out and the new one in.
Once it's in place, put a few bolts through pan and gasket to keep it aligned and in place. Put pickup tube back in oil pump, and THEN reattach to the stud that holds it in place on the windage tray.
Secure bolts to pan/block. Re secure motor mounts.
Crack a beer.
From dr_whigham:
Loosen motor mounts. Place floor jack on bell housing and lift motor up slightly to give room between pan and K member.
Take the pan down as far as possible. Now there's 2 rivets from GM that hold that gasket on. Take a sharp"ish" flat tip screw driver and knock the head off on the ground side. I'd advise a piece of duct tape or a rag between the inside pan lip and block just in case it pops "up" and that other little piece of rivet pops out. You don't want that in the oil pan.
Then, actually REMOVE the pick up tube and lay it flat in the pan. It's a single nut on a stud that holds the pick up tube. Nothing hard at all. That's the only way you can snake the old gasket out and the new one in.
Once it's in place, put a few bolts through pan and gasket to keep it aligned and in place. Put pickup tube back in oil pump, and THEN reattach to the stud that holds it in place on the windage tray.
Secure bolts to pan/block. Re secure motor mounts.
Crack a beer.
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LOL damn. And yes, RTV black the corners on the front and rear covers. I dropped my pan and did all that. No leaks. About to do it again when I replace the k-member. Going to add an Improved Racing Oil Pan Baffle and Crank Scraper...
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Verdad Gallardo Enough to get the gasket in and out; an inch or two extra. I don't remember offhand but I needed the room to get my hand in there to remove the nut from the stud that holds the PU tube.
Man i sure am glad i saw this thread. 2 hours tonight and here we are!! I may have cheated on the beer though, i called it a night and had one as a victory for getting it out.
Now, this is going to be interesting. It wasn't bad getting the pick up tube in with the timing cover off where i could see everything. This will be a bit more challenging. I am thinking leave the pick up tube loosely bolted to the windage tray to allow me more flexibility installing it into the oil pump.
Edit: i just re-read the original directions, and it was almost exactly what i was thinking.
Now, this is going to be interesting. It wasn't bad getting the pick up tube in with the timing cover off where i could see everything. This will be a bit more challenging. I am thinking leave the pick up tube loosely bolted to the windage tray to allow me more flexibility installing it into the oil pump.
Edit: i just re-read the original directions, and it was almost exactly what i was thinking.
Last edited by 69gto96z; Feb 12, 2015 at 10:21 PM.
Thread Starter
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From: Boston, MA
Hmmmm.... I'm starting to wonder if the oil pump is even a project I want to tackle. That looks like a royal PITA.
If you can do that without pulling the timing cover off, maybe I'll roll the dice with the stock gasket?
If you can do that without pulling the timing cover off, maybe I'll roll the dice with the stock gasket?
I would go with the stock gasket, but clean the old rtv off the block, that was my screw up the first go round. If you are putting a new cam in, i wouldn't do it without a new oil pump. You will want to upgrade the timing chain anyway, and the pump has to come off to do that.
Well got it finished up today, let it dry for about 6 hours. Filled it up, all looked good. After about a half hour it started leaking again! Looks like the transmission, clutch, pp, and flywheel are coming off to take a closer look. On the bright side, i got it back together and have great oil pressure.