Engine Assembly: Oil Pump

Final task before closing the bottom end was installing the oil pump. I had a new pump and after checking the old pickup tube, I decided to replace it too. The old one was pretty dirty and I did not want the crud getting loose in my new engine. Weird thing about the new pump was that it included the gasket between the pump and the tube but not the one between the block and pump. None of my other sets included it either but luckily my friends had an extra that I could use.

Before installing the pump, I unbolted its cover to check the inside. Everything seemed to be clean and good for use.

I put the cover back on and started the install. I lubricated the pump drive shaft and dropped it in its hole. Next I placed the correct gasket on the block and bolted the pump in place. Monroe said not to use any sealant in the pump gaskets so I left it out. But I did use a little drop of thread locker in the bolts so they would not come out while driving. I also checked that the drive shaft could not be pulled out of the pump and torqued the bolts to 25 ft-lbs.

Now I could bolt the pickup tube to the pump. The gasket went in first and then I just bolted the tube in place. Again using some thread locker before torquing the bolts to 15 ft-lbs.

Disassembling The Engine Part 1

With the course laid in, it was time to tear down the engine. First I drained the coolant and removed the radiator. This gave me enough room to get the fan out. Then I disconnected the alternator wires, unbolted it and lifted it out. Now I could get to the water pump and remove it.

The harmonic balancer was a bit more tricky to get out. I removed the three bolts that hold the pulley to the damper and then had to get the large crank bolt out. It is so tight that you need to prevent the engine from turning. I did that by adding two of the flywheel bolts to the back of the crank, placed my jack handle between them and turned the engine until the handle touched the exhaust. Now the crank would not turn and I could get the bolt out.

Finally I needed a puller to get the damper out. My friend had one so I borrowed it. He had made it by welding two pieces of iron together and drilling four holes to it. Simple but effective and I soon had the balancer out.

DIY harmonic balancer puller

Now the road was clear for the timing chain cover. I unbolted the fuel pump from it and then removed the cover itself.

The timing chain itself can be pulled out by just removing the fuel pump eccentric and then wiggling the gears until they come free. The chain had quite a lot of play so it's definitely time to replace it.

Before continuing to drop the crank, I removed the oil pump and then cleaned the parts a bit to see what new stuff I needed. Luckily most were in pretty good condition. The chain cover was almost like new. No rust, just a lot of dirt. I'll clean it, paint it and put it back.

The water pump was also really good. So good that I suspect that it has been replaced at some point. No rust inside or out and no play in the shaft. No need to replace it either.

Finally I checked the damper and again found nothing wrong with it. The rubber seemed good so it can be reused after some more cleaning.

So only the oil pump, timing chain and bearings need to be replaced. Unless I find more surprises...

Old and new oil pumps

New Federal Mogul timing chain