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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

oil pump?

  • Thread starter Thread starter warriorpluto
  • Start date Start date May 28, 2010

warriorpluto

Member
Aug 1, 2007
267
1
19
monroe.LA
May 28, 2010
#1
  • May 28, 2010
  • #1
well i have a 90 mustang gt 5 speed. all stock 114,000 original miles. i noticed that when i drove the car previously the oil pressure gauge would jump from the middle mark to below past zero. ok.....everytime i get on it the oil pressure gauge dropped to zero. well today i got on it again to around 5,000 rpms. never really even pushed the car hard since i had it. oil pressure dropped below past zero again. on my way home i could now hear tapping. got home opened the hood. i hear a little loud tapping under the driver side valve cover. before the motor ran like a quiet sewing machine. i hooked up a mechanical gauge. reads 40 psi at idle but as soon as i rev it up the oil pressure drops to 20psi then sometimes zero. i didnt drive it anymore. but when i cranked it up again i heard slight tapping then all sounds went away. no tapping. oil pressure at 40 psi still. broken shaft? oil pump bad? was about to try to get rid of the car since it was in really good condition mechanically and interior was above average. just needed a paint job but i guess that has come to an halt. anyone ever change oil pump with engine in the car?
 

Beasty306GT

Active Member
Dec 19, 2002
671
4
28
Oxford,Mass
May 29, 2010
#2
  • May 29, 2010
  • #2
it should have 50 psi at least on cold start and like 25 at hot idle
 
M

mr_josh

Founding Member
Oct 11, 2000
87
1
9
May 29, 2010
#3
  • May 29, 2010
  • #3
I would guess a failing pressure-relief spring in the oil pump. The tapping... that's bad. Replace the oil pump, and while you've got the oil pan off, you might take a look at your rod bearings.
 
T

thethirdeye88

New Member
Apr 22, 2008
113
0
0
paragould arkansas
May 29, 2010
#4
  • May 29, 2010
  • #4
quit driving the car immediately...i lost my bottom to a situation similar to this...
 

warriorpluto

Member
Aug 1, 2007
267
1
19
monroe.LA
May 29, 2010
#5
  • May 29, 2010
  • #5
what if i wanted to just go on ahead and replace the bearings while im in there? how would i do this? it would be my first time messing with the bottom end. i think the bottom end is ok though but if a possibility its not can i just go to parts store and get new bearings? any special tools?
 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.
15 Year Member
Jul 6, 2006
5,232
2,652
223
gainesville
May 29, 2010
#6
  • May 29, 2010
  • #6
at this point for simplicity sake i wojuld find a low dollar explorer block and swap everything over.
 

Beasty306GT

Active Member
Dec 19, 2002
671
4
28
Oxford,Mass
May 29, 2010
#7
  • May 29, 2010
  • #7
agreed if u have no expierence ..just swap it with a good explorer motor and swap parts
 

warriorpluto

Member
Aug 1, 2007
267
1
19
monroe.LA
May 29, 2010
#8
  • May 29, 2010
  • #8
this put me in a real bad spot cause i i already have another mustang with a fresh rebuild i cant even get started. money is really tight right now. i just have to gamble on this one. i wont mess with the bearings ill just change the pump and shaft. i have a ford racing hardened shaft. is this pump any good? a ford racing standard? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/86-8...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories
 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.
15 Year Member
Jul 6, 2006
5,232
2,652
223
gainesville
May 29, 2010
#9
  • May 29, 2010
  • #9
to be perfectly honest if you have been running low oil pressure the bearings have suffered. the ones that take the most abuse are the rod bearings and you have no way to service them while they are stiill in the car. changing the pump is a bandaid that most likely will only buy you a short time.
 

warriorpluto

Member
Aug 1, 2007
267
1
19
monroe.LA
May 29, 2010
#10
  • May 29, 2010
  • #10
when i do a cold start oil pressure stay at 50psi. rev it up past 5000rpms and oil pressure drops to 20 psi. could be the shaft? if i could find a nice running gt40 engine for 300$ i can afford that. no junkyards have 5.0 explorers out here.
 
H

Haus

Member
Jul 20, 2005
408
0
16
May 29, 2010
#11
  • May 29, 2010
  • #11
warriorpluto said:
when i do a cold start oil pressure stay at 50psi. rev it up past 5000rpms and oil pressure drops to 20 psi. could be the shaft? if i could find a nice running gt40 engine for 300$ i can afford that. no junkyards have 5.0 explorers out here.
Click to expand...

check craigslist.org in your area
 

warriorpluto

Member
Aug 1, 2007
267
1
19
monroe.LA
May 29, 2010
#12
  • May 29, 2010
  • #12
Haus said:
check craigslist.org in your area
Click to expand...

already did. a no go. i checked the whole ark-la-miss
 
H

harvey86gt

New Member
May 20, 2010
4
0
0
May 31, 2010
#13
  • May 31, 2010
  • #13
I would go ahead and pull the motor and rebuild the bottom end. You can rent a hone from Autozone, and if this is your first problem with your oil pressure, you should not have excessive wear on your crankshaft but a machine shop will normally charge about 20 bucks to polish it and mic it so you know wether to order standard or undersize bearings. 107.99 for a complete gasket set from autozone. 48.99 sealed power main bearing set. 46.99 for a new ring set sealed power. 46.99 for new rod bearings sealed power. for about 250 to 300 bucks you can rebuild the entire bottom end. add another 50 bucks for a new oil pump and pickup tube and you have a fresh motor.
 

warriorpluto

Member
Aug 1, 2007
267
1
19
monroe.LA
Jun 1, 2010
#14
  • Jun 1, 2010
  • #14
i might go that route. but if i were to buy a stock pick up tube there shouldnt be any reason to adjust it right? even if i were to reuse the stock pick up tube? cause i read somewhere that people had to adjust where the pickup tube sits between the oil pan. and what about the oil pump drive shaft. where should i put the stop?
 
V

v8only

Active Member
Jul 3, 2003
2,378
22
49
Jun 1, 2010
#15
  • Jun 1, 2010
  • #15
Lot's of negativity here...nothing wrong with a poor mans bearing swap down below. You've got to do what you've got to do to keep your **** running.

fire it up one more time, since it does have pressure at idle...take a screw driver and put it to the valve covers and to your ear, then to the pan and to your ear. If you don't here the rod bearings down below knocking, just swap the pump and leave it alone. If you do, then swap out the bearings, making sure the crank isn't damaged.
 

warriorpluto

Member
Aug 1, 2007
267
1
19
monroe.LA
Jun 1, 2010
#16
  • Jun 1, 2010
  • #16
no knocking at bottom or up top anymore. but im still going to change it out.
 
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