New oil pump lost a tooth

[Pamela H.]

Well, Im entering a new phase of Corvette ownership! On my way to Virginia from Ohio the NEW oil pump locked up and sheared the oil pump drive off the end of the distributor...original cause was determined to be a chipped tooth...
Any idea why this would happen on a brand new oil pump (less than two weeks old) and do you think I should go back to the purchase site for recourse?

[William C.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

When you say a chipped tooth, do you mean internal to the pump? Why was the pump replaced in the first place?

[Clem Z.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

for the oil pump to "chip" a tooth it sounds like it ingested something. any holes in the pickup screen ????

[William C.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

Clem we think too much alike...

[Pamela H.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

The old one was leaking and I was planning on taking the car to VA to have it worked on while I was working down there. (I can drive it in VA in late fall but not so much in Ohio...Trying to make sure it would make the trip without problems! I guess the jokes on me... Not sure but I think the pump may have been original...

[Pamela H.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

No, from what they tell me the screen was ok. Pickup hadn't come loose which is what we thought it was in the first place cause the guys that worked on it didn't spot weld it like we ask them to.

[Pamela H.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

We were changing the oil pan and thought it prudent to change the pump as well as it had 90,000 miles.

[Duke W.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

Oil pumps rarely wear out because they are... immersed in oil, and not highly loaded. About the only thing that can kill an oil pump is debris ingestion. Also, current replacement pumps appear to have design/quality issues which can lead to failure, and they often generate too high oil pressure. An OE oil pump in good condition is a much superior alternative.

It is very simple to disassemble, inspect, and "blueprint" Chevy oil pumps, and this should always be done in lieu of apriori replacement. The only legitimate reason to replace an oil pump is if inspection shows that it is damaged, and about the only way it can be damaged is if it ingests debris from something inside the engine that has disintegrated.

I would prefer using an OE junkyard pump that passes inspection rather than a current replacement pump.

Duke

[Richard M.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

Pam,
I sent you a PM

Richard Mynatt (22503)

[Clem Z.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

I saw this happen on a recently-overhauled big block boat engine. The builder had drilled the pump body and pick-up for a roll-pin to secure it. After the engine was in service (second day), the burr on the inside of the tube from when he drilled it broke off, jammed the pump gears, and sheared the drive. Fortunately the operator heard lifter clatter, noticed the loss of oil pressure, and shut it down before catastrophic failure occurred. But the bottom end and crank still suffered significant damage.

i never heard of doing this before drilling and installing a roll pin.

[Duke W.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

For at least 40 years we've been told to braze the pickup to the pump body, but has anyone ever heard of a pickup separating from the pump body on a ROAD, not racing engine?

If it works, don't fix it!

Duke

[Joe L.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

For at least 40 years we've been told to braze the pickup to the pump body, but has anyone ever heard of a pickup separating from the pump body on a ROAD, not racing engine?

If it works, don't fix it!

Duke

Duke-----

If a NEW pick-up screen is installed PROPERLY, there's no way it's ever going to dislodge itself in service. However, if a previously installed screen is re-installed, that's a whole different story. The interference fit is then substantially lost and the tube needs to be tack welded to the pump.

Even if a new tube/screen assembly is used, it's very easy to get it in "crooked". It seems like this could not happen but it can. In this case, it will dislodge itself pretty easily. The tube has to be driven in perfectly straight.

[Joe L.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

Oil pumps rarely wear out because they are... immersed in oil, and not highly loaded. About the only thing that can kill an oil pump is debris ingestion. Also, current replacement pumps appear to have design/quality issues which can lead to failure, and they often generate too high oil pressure. An OE oil pump in good condition is a much superior alternative.

It is very simple to disassemble, inspect, and "blueprint" Chevy oil pumps, and this should always be done in lieu of apriori replacement. The only legitimate reason to replace an oil pump is if inspection shows that it is damaged, and about the only way it can be damaged is if it ingests debris from something inside the engine that has disintegrated.

I would prefer using an OE junkyard pump that passes inspection rather than a current replacement pump.

Duke

Duke-----


One of the biggest benefits to re-using an oil pump, especially if it's the engine's original pump, is that the pick-up screen is already installed and is properly adjusted for the oil pan.

I do agree that oil pumps are just about immortal if the oil in an engine is regularly changed. However, most rebuilt engines, even the "el-cheapo" variety, almost always have new oil pumps installed. I also prefer a used OEM pump to a new aftermarket pump. However, I still prefer a new OEM pump to a used OEM pump.

[Pamela H.]

Re: New oil pump lost a tooth

Well, I still have the orignal oil pump...the new one is sure no good to me now!

Will have to have it shipped from Ohio to Virginia to have it re-installed!