'90 2.4 oil pump replacement

[royster]

Something the manual says to do next, I had no idea why, nor do I have any concept now, but I will share with you what the manual says, and what I did.

It instructs you to open the pressure relief valve and take out the plunger and piston. “Take out” could mean dinner and a movie…we WERE trying to get that screwdriver in the hole. The problem I had at this point in the operation is that I couldn’t locate my 22MM wrench, and even if I had it, there wasn’t space enough to get the box end over the bolt.
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I ended up taking the unit apart after removing it. I cleaned it out real good, and put some assembly oil in things, then reassembled it. The manual’s instructions for re-installation seemed rather casual, so I don’t think this is a crucial step, but it is good to get this component clean, since you’re not replacing it.
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You see the oil filter unit to the left: it is the first to come off, and the last to go on. It is part of the overall bolt pressure against the oil pump plate, so it will be torqued in sequence as the new pump goes on.

But let’s get the old pump off, first.

If you loosened the bolts and placed them on the cardboard holder, then you’re ready to remove the oil filter unit, then the oil pump plate. Tapping with the block will help loosen it, a nudge here and there will get it to come off, but keep in mind there are two oil seals and a balance shaft fighting you a little bit. Keep an eye on the balance shaft end, and make sure it doesn’t come out attached to the oil pump, itself.

At this point, conduct a real good clean up, get the old gasket material off the front of the block, and clean it real good with acetone. If you haven’t done so yet, get under there and clean off the oil pan surface of the block. You’re now at the halfway mark of your journey.
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Almost everything you removed can only be put back one way, so you need not panic about which side of this or that goes where. Take note of the two crankshaft gears, and note the "photographic" impression the gears have left on each other. Note also the flanges between them, as it's important to put these back correctly. The 'photographic' impressions are a big help in re-installing them right. Observe that the timing marks are clear on each part.

It is VERY important to have these parts as clean as possible, as they conduct the timing of the whole engine by way of a rubber belt...a belt that does not want oil or grease on it.

You'll find that if you open the old oil pump, even those gears are marked with timing marks. Note that the balance shaft end can only be put in one way: this all helps eliminate guesswork and mal-placing the pieces. It is the oil pump that turns the balance shaft.

An important note I pass along is that the new oil pump didn't seem to turn clockwise: it bound up, but WOULD turn counter-clockwise. This caused me to panic, but later I found that when the balance shaft is in place, proper orientation takes place. Remember to never turn the engine counterclockwise more than a scoash, a kunt.hair or a tad. This is more important once timing belts are on, but I took caution in not forcing the new pump to turn clockwise.

It all comes out in the wash.

[royster]

The information I’m sharing here is intended to be a supplement to the technical manual you should be working from. I performed this task using a Haynes manual, and a lot of common-sense. I find the Haynes manual isn’t too “beginner~friendly” and this is why I chose to produce this thread: to share what I learned, and to clarify steps which are vague or missing in the manual. For those who just want to keep their trucks running good, a repair like this is likely something you‘ll only do once, if it‘s done right.

PREP FOR RE-INSTALLING
Check to make sure all your gasket surfaces are clean and ready. It is your choice to replace the pan with just silicone sealant or use a gasket. The nice thing about this engine is there are no main bearings to go around: the entire oil pan surface is straight and flat.

You’ve probably already removed the oil dip-stick. Now is a good time to cover the dip-stick hole so gunk doesn’t get into it. I also flushed my dip-stick hole, but that’s a personal issue I’m sure many don’t want to hear. One of those spray can caps can be used to cover your own, personal dip-stick hole, just don’t tell your wife. Sticklers-for-detail might want to take this time to paint the dip-stick handle and let it dry. Remember: nobody likes a dirty dip-stick…except my first wife, and unless she’s in your neighborhood, you don’t have to worry about her. Just get a restraining order and you’ll be fine. Mirrors, garlic and crucifix’s can help keep her away, too.

The bottom of the engine block needs to be clean for the new oil pan gasket or the sealer to do any good. While you’re down there, clean the oil sump surface. You don’t want the oil pump sucking any air, so the surfaces and gasket should be installed with care.

The front of the block should be clean, too. If you’re installing a new water pump, now is a good time to do it. Once that’s done, you won’t be getting any gasket shavings into the new oil pump work. Be sure to remove any gasket sealer on the pump plate mounting surface of the engine block.

Using focused care, you can set the gasket onto the oil pump plate back, and the oil filter unit. Note there are very small passages in the oil pump plate, and you DON’T want gasket sealer plugging up those passages. I used enough sealer to hold the gasket in place: more is not better. I smeared it around with my finger to make sure it covered all the surface area necessary, and took care to remove slop-over with a cotton swab. As the oil pump sticks “out”, laying the plate on the work bench, gasket-side down, means the pump needs to hang over the edge of the work bench, but this allows you to squish down on the oil pump plate gasket and assure an even set. Flip it back up and make sure all the holes and passages align, and sealer that oozed out is removed. Set the gasket for the oil filter unit, too.

Your oil pump kit SHOULD HAVE the oil seals already in place. Just for shits-and-giggles, make sure the old seals didn’t remain on the crankshaft or the balance shaft. While you’re inspecting those, wipe them clean with a rag to remove any dirt or first-wife residual particulate. Using either clean motor oil or assembly oil, give those dudes a thoughtful coat of lubricant…just enough, not too much. Give a coat (or sweater, if the weather’s nice) to the inside of the new seals on the oil pump, too. If your gaskets are set up enough, slowly and carefully set the oil pump plate in place. See if it all matches up good, get a feel for how the whole thing sets. Take note of the right-hand side balance shaft, and how it needs to install. It can only go in one way…unless you removed the mirrors and garlic and my first wife is in your garage/carport/living room.

Set the oil pump plate back on your work bench. If necessary, call the cops on my first wife to have her removed.

I’m writing this a week after my own installation, and the Haynes manual is over in my garage. So be sure to follow the instructions in your manual in case I’ve forgotten any important details.

Get your cardboard bolt-holder at the ready, and clean off any really gunky nuts or bolts. Remember that the oil filter unit’s bolts are separate from the oil plate’s bolts, but work in conjunction with them.

Remove the screwdriver from the side of the engine: you’ll want to turn the balance shaft in order for it to engage in the oil pump.

I placed gasket sealer on the gasket surfaces about to mate with the engine surface, with the same care I used for setting the gaskets. It is very important to keep the small oil passages clear of gasket sealer, guys. Poor oil circulation was partly what got me INTO this mess.

Oil leaks in this area of the engine are fatal: you don’t want ANY oil EVER getting on the timing belt or gears. Oil on the gears can allow the belt to slip, and oil on the belt will cause it to deteriorate. Let this be the cleanest phase of your repair, and that means your hands are clean, too. The gasket sealer on both sides of the gasket are the best we can do to keep dirt OUT of this timing chamber, as well as oil IN its passages.

With its gasket in place, install the sump pick-up, using the manual’s torque specifications. The sump can only go in one way.

Place the oil pump plate into position…take your time, don’t force anything…and engage the oil pump/ silent shaft connection. Turn the oil pump shaft to engage the balance shaft’s alignment. When everything is aligned press the plate on, making sure all surfaces are unobstructed and ready for bolts. Be sure to guide the plate over the shafts with new oil seals, and make certain they seat properly.

Get a couple bolts in place, finger-tight, to hold the plate onto the engine block. Put the oil filter unit in its position and get a couple of those bolts on, too. Press the units against the engine block to get a good seal.

Set your belt tensioner in place with its bolts. Include them in the torque process. You will need to loosen those bolts during the timing belt phase, but for now, they are an important part of oil plate installation.

Set the remaining bolts into position, only finger tight. When they’re all in, start with the inner-most bolts, and tighten one-quarter (¼) turn. Work in a clockwise pattern to slowly tighten the outer bolts a quarter turn. Take the time to tighten them all in this way: it will take several ¼ turns, but in doing it this way, you are assuring a good seal against the engine block, and you are avoiding cracking the new oil pump plate.


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Yes, you in the third cylinder: you have a question?

Yes. Wudduh ya mean inner-most clockwork orange ya glad t’ see me?

Here is a Serving Suggestion:
Note this photo is of the pump further along than where we are now. It is only for illustration.

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Torque the bolts to manual specifications. Go have a smoke break.

[royster]

why, you dirty dip stick!

Attachment 8040

[royster]

Since you have access to the left-side balance shaft from the engine bottom, you might do well to put the B belt cog in place and tighten it. Holding the balance shaft from below allows you to tighten the shaft’s nut without clamping (and possibly damaging) its gear teeth. Be sure to put the flange back properly, and I remind you of the “photographic” image left on the flange face. The crankshaft flange is important, as it keeps the two belts in their own corrals. (Check your manual for an exploded view of the parts to assure you have them in the right order). So we need to put the crankshaft B belt cog on, and there you pay attention to the flange timing mark positioning...but it can only go on one way, so have some confidence. Set the balance shaft gear to its timing position, get the belt tensioner on, and the belt. Get the belt teeth into the crankshaft gear teeth, and pull the belt so there is tension going up from the right-hand side to the shaft gear. Watch that sneaky crankshaft gear so it doesn't move from your pulling on it. Holding the shaft gear, engage the teeth, then loop the slack part of the belt above the tensioner. Tighten the tensioner according to the manual’s instructions. Make sure the 2 timing marks...the shaft gear and the crankshaft...are still perfectly aligned after the tensioner is tightened. If not, loosen the tensioner and work them until they are. The tensioner is pressed against the belt "finger tight", according to the manual. It does not need a lot of tension...it's only turning the balance shaft...and too tight of a tension will cause Feng Shui issues with your wife and second cousin, according to Lilian Too, but only in the Year Of The Tiger.

Check your manual's photos for timing positions, and I have also provided one for you below.

Once the B belt is installed, we’re ready for rock ‘n roll.

NIT-PICKY DETAIL: Trim any gasket material from the oil pump gasket that might be hanging down along the oil pan surface of the block. I used a single-edge razor blade to insure that the block bottom and oil pump bottom had a smooth transition, keeping the oil pan facing nice and flat all the way way around.

After coating the engine block side of oil pan gasket with silicone sealer, smear it real good with your finger; the inside-the-pan-side of the bolt holes is the most important: we want to keep oil in the pan. Sealing the outer edges only allows oil to possibly seep up and down the bolts. Be careful not to block bolt holes...that can haunt you later.
The photo below shows the important area to coat with sealer highlighted in orange.
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Reinstall the oil pan, getting a bolt on one of the corners to hold it. (Hold the pan in place so it doesn't sag or drop down from that one bolt). That frees your hand up to get another bolt in, to hold an opposite corner. Get the rest of the bolts in place, all of them finger tight. Work the bolts from the center, outward, in increments of ¼ turns until tight, then torque to specifications. (In all honesty, after tightening all the bolts equally with 1/4 turns, I just tightened mine good n' snug, but not too hard). Make sure you put the drain plug back in.

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In the photo below, engine block timing marks are highlighted in red, and pulley/gear marks are in green.
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SETTING THE TIMING BELT

This area of repair is notorious for errors, myself included. One of the reasons for these errors is that the instructions are not crystal clear in any manual: a collective of information got me to the point of knowing how to do it right, and I pass this along to you. By suggestion, I took photos for clarity. Take the time to study them so you’ll KNOW.

Taking the time to read this information, and checking out a video or two is well worth the time spent. It isn’t an impossible task to take off the timing covers…again…after removing the pulleys…again…but if you do this right, from the very start, you won’t have to repeat the operation.

BradMPH provided a good instructional video HERE.

With everything torqued to specifications, check around for some of the small details: go ahead and connect the oil pressure sending unit’s wire. The pressure relief valve is back in and tight, yes? The oil pump shaft and balance shaft can turn freely, yes? Okay, then.

The next step is to install the B belt. That’s the small one that goes on the left balance shaft.
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The only thing the manual doesn’t talk about is HOW to get the balance shaft nut tightened. I started this post with a tip on that. This is how I did it, and it worked for me.

Remember that the only reason for this B belt and tensioner is to turn that balance shaft: it serves no other purpose. But without it, your engine will shake like a dog shitting tacks. The balance shafts are to counter-balance the vibrations the engine naturally makes.

Your crank pulley should be at #1 TDC, as you left it. As well, the cam gear should be close to TDC, too. Remember your timing marks on the cylinder head, because this is one of the errors guys make: using the top of the cylinder head instead of the actual timing mark, slightly below the top.
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With the flange properly placed, get the next timing cog on the crank, and note that the timing marks are all in places you can clearly see.

Put the nut back on the right-hand silent shaft, finger tight. Get your screwdriver into that “secret hole” and see if it can be inserted all the way, or if the shaft is blocking it. Turn the oil pump gear-shaft (use the unbolted gear if you have to) to its timing position. If the screwdriver won’t go in the hole, turn the oil pump gear another full turn, and then you should have it. Leave the screwdriver in the hole in order to tighten the shaft nut to torque specifications.

The oil pump kit likely has an “o” ring for the little cap that covers the silent shaft nut. I remind you of this photograph.
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Replace the oil seal “o” ring, and dab a bit of oil or assembly oil on it, then screw the little door into place. Tap it with your nail-set or center punch clockwise until it feels solid. Good riddance to THAT frikkin’ detail.

[royster]

NIT-PICKY DETAIL: Trim any gasket material from the oil pump gasket that might be hanging down along the oil pan surface of the block. I used a single-edge razor blade to insure that the block bottom and oil pump bottom had a smooth transition, keeping the oil pan facing nice and flat all the way way around.

After coating the engine block side of oil pan gasket with silicone sealer, smear it real good with your finger; the inside-the-pan-side of the bolt holes is the most important: we want to keep oil in the pan. Sealing the outer edges only allows oil to possibly seep up and down the bolts. Be careful not to block bolt holes...that can haunt you later.
The photo below shows the important area to coat with sealer highlighted in orange.
scan0040.jpg

Reinstall the oil pan, getting a bolt on one of the corners to hold it. (Hold the pan in place so it doesn't sag or drop down from that one bolt). That frees your hand up to get another bolt in, to hold an opposite corner. Get the rest of the bolts in place, all of them finger tight. Work the bolts from the center, outward, in increments of ¼ turns until tight, then torque to specifications. (In all honesty, after tightening all the bolts equally with 1/4 turns, I just tightened mine good n' snug, but not too hard). Make sure you put the drain plug back in.

__________________________________________________ ______
In the photo below, engine block timing marks are highlighted in red, and pulley/gear marks are in green.
scan0036.jpg
__________________________________________________ ______

SETTING THE TIMING BELT

This area of repair is notorious for errors, myself included. One of the reasons for these errors is that the instructions are not crystal clear in any manual: a collective of information got me to the point of knowing how to do it right, and I pass this along to you. By suggestion, I took photos for clarity. Take the time to study them so you’ll KNOW.

Taking the time to read this information, and checking out a video or two is well worth the time spent. It isn’t an impossible task to take off the timing covers…again…after removing the pulleys…again…but if you do this right, from the very start, you won’t have to repeat the operation.

BradMPH provided a good instructional video HERE.

With everything torqued to specifications, check around for some of the small details: go ahead and connect the oil pressure sending unit’s wire. The pressure relief valve is back in and tight, yes? The oil pump shaft and balance shaft can turn freely, yes? Okay, then.

The next step is to install the B belt. That’s the small one that goes on the left balance shaft.
scan0011.jpg
The only thing the manual doesn’t talk about is HOW to get the balance shaft nut tightened. I started this post with a tip on that. This is how I did it, and it worked for me.

Remember that the only reason for this B belt and tensioner is to turn that balance shaft: it serves no other purpose. But without it, your engine will shake like a dog shitting tacks. The balance shafts are to counter-balance the vibrations the engine naturally makes.

Your crank pulley should be at #1 TDC, as you left it. As well, the cam gear should be close to TDC, too. Remember your timing marks on the cylinder head, because this is one of the errors guys make: using the top of the cylinder head instead of the actual timing mark, slightly below the top.
scan0038.jpg

With the flange properly placed, get the next timing cog on the crank, and note that the timing marks are all in places you can clearly see.

Put the nut back on the right-hand silent shaft, finger tight. Get your screwdriver into that “secret hole” and see if it can be inserted all the way, or if the shaft is blocking it. Turn the oil pump gear-shaft (use the unbolted gear if you have to) to its timing position. If the screwdriver won’t go in the hole, turn the oil pump gear another full turn, and then you should have it. Leave the screwdriver in the hole in order to tighten the shaft nut to torque specifications.

The oil pump kit likely has an “o” ring for the little cap that covers the silent shaft nut. I remind you of this photograph.
DSCN4906.JPG
Replace the oil seal “o” ring, and dab a bit of oil or assembly oil on it, then screw the little door into place. Tap it with your nail-set or center punch clockwise until it feels solid. Good riddance to THAT frikkin’ detail.

Bumped for thillskier's benefit (hope my PM got through)