oil pump acessiblility?

[drunkclever]

Can the oil pump be removed from the car while the engine is in? Why? because I think its leaking.

Problem: while the car is idle it does not leak. while the car has pressure on it, it leaks. I cleaned the engine compartment and found out that the leak is coming from the passenger side of the engine. I have looked around and can not say for sure where the leak is coming from. Theres oil above the "axel" on the outside.

I want to try an see if its that cloged hose thing around the throttle body and intake area, anyone have a pic of where I should be looking?



OR.. should I just get a new engine? reason: when I start the car it chatters like a "mofo" I think its the valves or the lifters. Then again that could be caused by low oil pressure at start up???

The oil pump where I live cost about $99 buks + a core charge. I guess I can get a newER engine for 4 or 5 depending on where I look.

What should I do? battle it out and cure what woes my 1990 wagon dx 4cy?

[Doctor J]

There is a rubber gasket between the pump body and a pump cover. When it hardens, it begins to leak. The pump shaft seal may leak also, but once pump is out of the engine, it fairly easy to change.Unless the pump parts are badly scored and pump shaft has radial play, the pump is not needed to be changed. To service gasket, the timing belt needs to come out.

[drunkclever]

Is that something that can be done with the engine still in the car.. X that.. Do you believe that the oil pump is accessible while the engine is in the car?

It apprears that once the wheel is out and the timing cover is out, the belt would come off easyly and then access to the oil pump would be alot easyer. However, I am not by far an expert or have tons of time on my hand to dedicate 3 or more hrs for what appears to be an easy job. Since the start of the leak I have noticed that while adding differnt types of leakage stoppers while the leak was minute, the oil leak continued to get worst and worst, at this point I have to add about a 1/4 qt a day before I take the 30 minute trip to work. I have a few hrs tomorrow, should I attemp a fix??


thanks for all your help, this car is gettn me my bread and butter, I need to keep it going untill I can afford to do lots of work to the engine and drivetrain. The bushings on the lower control are gone and the control arms slide back and forth with lil work. Its kind of scary, but I do have the bushing. I bought them off of ebay. Maybe next week I am going to take care of that, right now I need to make sure the engine is going to last that long.

[Kep]

Personally, it would take me a lot longer than three hours to do the timing belt. Do a search on the back posts. There are several very good descriptions of how to do it. However, it is a "doable" job. Also, if your timing belt has gotten oil on it it will likely need to be replaced at the same time. You also have some engine seals under there that could be leaking.

I don't know how to evaluate the chatter that you are hearing. Your guess seems logical. By the way, when you start disassembling the control arms keep an eye out for a small spacer ring. They're easy to forget where they go and they affect your alignment.

Kep

[fredk]

its the pump o ring, mine leaks, moms leaks, they all leak, the banging around issue, run the fist sized oil filter and 10w 30, get a purolator or wix or napa filter