oil pump failure

[forcedfedmopar]

Well as most of you know i got my spirit back together and things were GREAT! i have put just a little over 2000 miles on it now. I took it on a 1000 mile road trip this last weekend to chicago.

Parked it sunday. Drove it wed. down to the local car show. looked around. started up to drive her home got about 1.5 miles away from the show and the oil psi gauge started freaking out bouncing back and fourth from high to low. I SHUT THE CAR OFF right away and towed it home.

I dropped the pan last night and pulled the oil pump. sure enough almost all the teeth on the pump and intermediate shaft are gone. Pump is a MELLINGS. I used a gauge to install the T-belt. rechecked it right before i went on the trip.

I just cant understand why this happend? car was fantastic up til this point.

PICS coming soon.

-jeff

[86Shelby]

That sucks. I am sorry to hear that. Going to Flashbacks would've been a lot more enjoyable.

[Blue Iroc R/T]

That REALLY Sucks! I suggest along with replacing the oil pump this time, also replace the valve spring retainers with Rick's Titanium ones. I really feel that the less tension will help the Oil Pump Shaft life.

[forcedfedmopar]

i have titainium retainers already. i belive the pump failed. there are full teeth on about 1/3 of the gear on the pump and none on the rest. like as if the shaft were bent. anywho ill be speaking to melling and the part store about this tonite. I will no longer be using melling oil pumps

ill have her back up and running in a few weeks. Im pulling the engine tonite and spending the 3 day weekend getting everything cleaned out. all I will have to do is wait for the I shaft to come and have my machine shop install the new I-shaft bearings. then re-assemble.

-jeff

[LowSL2]

Is this a problem with the Melling oil pumps? What pump are you going with as a replacement?

[turbovanman²]

That really sucks dude.

I have used Melling and never had a failure. Wonder if your pickup had some crud in it or maybe the int shaft teeth were worn thru and you didn't see it. I have also seen people not seat the pump properly and this will do what yuors did. It will work and provide oil pressure but will sit crooked on the block and bind the gears.

[1FastCSX289]

Was it a high pressure high volume pump? THis happened on my CSX, maybe 6 mos ago. It had a high pressure melling pump. I did not install the first pump, so I cant vouch for the installation.

I put a regular melling back in.....really just for lack of a suitable replacement in short order. Seems to be running fine for now. My eye is always glued to the oil pressure gauge though.

You must have a T3....otherwise, the car would have shut down.

[Directconnection]

I have a few questions for your situation:

#1) was this a STOCK melling pump you installed, or the HV version?

#2) was it new?

#3) what shape was the intermediate shaft in? The teeth on the shaft... perfect? T-III intermediate shaft or 8v?

#4) was the pump seated crrectly against the block like simon said

#5) intermediate shaft bearings in the block...did you inspect both and what shape were they in, and what shape are they in now?



I am thinking that if #5 is bad NOW.... they are the culrit or you installed the pump not seated and it chewed up the gears and the bearings as well. I am thinking this anyways...

[turbovanman²]

You must have a T3....otherwise, the car would have shut down.

He shut the car down.

[1FastCSX289]

He shut the car down.

I know. If it was an 8V motor, he wouldnt have had to. The distributor would have most likely stopped turning. Good thing he was watching the pressure gauge.

[turbovanman²]

I know. If it was an 8V motor, he wouldnt have had to. The distributor would have most likely stopped turning. Good thing he was watching the pressure gauge.

Ahh, I thought you thought it shut down by itself, lol!

[Directconnection]

Ahh, I thought you thought it shut down by itself, lol!

It will. If it jumps a tootjk or two the ignition timing will be too far off for it to run. Happened to me.

[turbovanman²]

It will. If it jumps a tootjk or two the ignition timing will be too far off for it to run. Happened to me.

Not a TIII though, which is what he was getting at and I missed it.

[forcedfedmopar]

THEN;

The pump was new "stock replacement" for the engine
The I-shaft was cryo treated re-man from FWD

The bearings were new when the engine was gone through just over 2000mi ago.

this is not the first Turbo mopar engine i have built so i assure all of you that the pump was installed correctly.

NOW;

The gear on the oil pump is missing about half of the teeth on one side. the other side has most of the teeth (they are just worn down) As if the shaft was bent on the pump

I-shaft has all of its teeth and they are just worn. none missing

I-shaft bearings are ok still. They are alittle worn in one spot which may have been from the lack of oil psi and the tension from the T-belt.

I will take some pics of it tonite and try post them up.


-thanks for all the intrest
jeff

[forcedfedmopar]

pics of pump;






i-shaft





The i-shaft is obviously not reusable but did not get torn up anywhere near as bad as the pump.

-jeff

[turbovanman²]

Can you spin the oil pump easily?

[BadAssPerformance]

One of the SDAC-Chicago guys just had the same thing happen in his bone stock Spirit R/T.

[forcedfedmopar]

yea the pump spins freely. there is one spot where it hits a "bump" or something like that. but no its not hard to spin.

I dont know what to think.

[turbovanman²]

Try spinning it fast?

Take the pump cover off and have a look inside.

For that kind of damage, its an alignment issue or the pump is fubared. Maybe the oil pump gear doesn't like a cryo'd int shaft gear?

[BadAssPerformance]

How do the intermediate shaft bearings look? The front one on Lowell's car was missing metal