Greetings all

I have a 1984 F-150 with a 351W that needs an oil pump. While the bearings probably aren't the best, the symptoms of oil pressure dropout are just too random to be consistantly worn bearings - not to mention that stopping and restarting the engine clears it up until the next time. Hopefully a high volume oil pump will not only fix the problems but get me a few more miles out of the engine down the road.

I talked to several shops around town and most give the impression they didn't want to do it - one even took it in for service and called me back and said the mechanic had come in and didn't want to mess with it or couldn't or something.

They actually referred me to a shop that I called and talked to. This guy said "try heavier oil because the engine has to be taken most of the way out to drop the pan and it will cost at least $450 to change the oil pump and that may not even be the problem anyway".

Jeez - does that sound right? I do most of my own work but I'm staying in an apartment complex while my house is being remodeled so that's out. Is it really that difficult?

Should I shop around or accept the $450?

Is there any way to distinguish for certain between shot bearings and an oil pump? I can get a used low-mile engine installed for not much more than double to triple - and if it's too far gone, I might as well not waste the money?

Thoughts?

Help!

Thanks,
Kevin Highsmith

 

Kev,
Are you sure it is the pump and not a elec problem with gauge?

The $ they are quoting you is close. Drop the front axle or pull the motor up to remove the pan (to do a good job).

I would wait until you hear some realy funny noises before I condem the motor. Make sure you are getting good info from a REAL pressure ga.

2 pennies

 

Does this engine use any oil? How many miles are on it? I think most of the mechanics are reluctant to do the job because there is no guarantee that it will fix it. The 450.00 is all labor, for a 40.00 oil pump. I agree with the other poster, get an aftermarket oil pressure guage that hooks up with the tubing. If it still gives you trouble, just keep an eye on it and save up about $1200-$1500 for a rebuild or a new motor, and then pay them the $450 to swap the motor out.

 

>I would wait until you hear some realy funny noises before I
>condem the motor. Make sure you are getting good info from a

Thanks for the replies

I have ordered a mechanical gauge, but what I didn't mention is that the engine starts to get noisy when the pressure drops out leading me to believe that the gauge is at least somewhat correct.

I just got the truck a couple weeks ago and knew it had sat for a year. The problem didn't reveal itself until the first time I got it on the highway. The pressure started dropping slowly and the engine getting noisy so I decided to pull off. When I slowed down to exit, the pressure dropped to zero. Cutting off the truck for 30 seconds and restarting returned it to full pressure and got me down the highway about the same amount.

The original theory was that the pickup was getting sludge at high RPMS and blocking off - so I put some Marvel Mystery Oil in it to clean it up before an oil change. This actually made it worse, so I figured it either broke more sludge loose or was causing a viscosity problem. But as always, stopping the truck and restarting it cleared up.

Then I got the oil and filter changed and that didn't seem to help.

Thanks again for the replies

So there's no way to pinpoint the oil pump as the problem before going in?

Thanks all

Kevin Highsmith