new oil pump, few questions

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 12:41 am

is there a break in time on a new pump cause i put all my crap back together after doing it and noticed low vacuum, so either the timing is off a tooth or the pumps just new. maybe i tightened the accessory belts to tight.

Any thoughts?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:56 am

The oil pump shouldn't really have anything to do with manifold vacuum. The most likely explanation in my mind is that you forgot to hook up a vacuum line or something when reassembling. Does it idle poorly?

With the belts, again, I don't see how it'd affect manifold vacuum.

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:49 pm

Ya thats what I think it is too. I checked everything one and it seems to be in order, so many damn hoses i probably didn't get one all the way on. What about off a tooth for timing

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:56 pm

You didn't answer by question about whether it idles poorly.

Yes, valve timing being off could definitely cause low manifold vacuum.

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 1:54 am

doesn't idle rough at all just watching the vacuum gauge and its showing lower than before i changed the oil pump, so either its off a tooth which sucks cause I'm not good at getting it back in timing or its something else. noticed the vacuum drops real low when i turn my lights on. I think my alternator needs to be laid to rest. 20 years of service is long enough

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:45 am

If the vacuum level is low with a smooth idle, then it probably is a timing issue; if it were due to a leak then you'd expect a bad idle.

Take the belts and crank pulley and timing covers off and try again. One thing that I find helpful is using these spring clamps to hold the belt in place on each cam sprocket after getting the marks on the sprocket and belt to line up. They're gentle enough not to hurt the belt but they still keep it from slipping. Get it lined up on the passenger-side sprocket, clamp it, get it lined up on the crank, get it lined up on the driver-side sprocket, clamp that one, and then install the tensioner.

If you're on the original alternator, that's kind of amazing.

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:28 am

ya original alternator. might cause a problem. ill just have to redo timing when i get a chance. so stupid trying to do it.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:33 am

Don't be hard on yourself. We don't know tht the timing's off, but even if it is, it's an easy error to make. Just give it another stab. It really won't take that long.

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:04 am

ya i just lack the tools to comfortably do it, looks like harbor freight is my next stop. might just buy a new timing belt to get the little hash marks on it, the ones on the car now have worn away.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 3:58 pm

Oh, yeah, it's probably worth putting a new timing belt in. You might consider also replacing the tensioner, pulleys, and water pump, if you haven't already. Also the cam and crank seals; that way you shouldn't need to go back in there for a long time.

I don't understand quite what you mean about lacking the tools to do the job comfortably... You removed the radiator fans to make room to do the job? Did you jack the car up and put it on stands? It's a lot easier if you don't have to bend over the entire time.

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:03 pm

i just need a big breaker bar and something to hold the fly wheel with i don't jack it up most the time i just kneel on the ground, the whole timing job was done in august so everything is relatively new.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:21 pm

Ah, I see. Yes, I agree that you need a big breaker bar. I use a six-foot steel pipe over my breaker bar when I'm doing crank pulleys.

Isn't your car a 5-speed? You can just put it in fifth gear with the parking brakes on and that should hold the crank in place so you don't have to worry about the flywheel. When you go to tighten or loosen the crank bolt you'll first feel it taking up the slack in the drivetrain. If your parking brake isn't strong enough you can chock the wheels. (But fix the parking brake too!)

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:25 pm

So do I turn the motor over or will being in gear hold it

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:47 pm

I've used the starter trick successfully numerous times. Put the breaker bar and a pipe extension on the crank bolt, then turn it to where the pipe is against the ground or a sturdy place on the frame of the car. Then pop the starter very quickly (turn the key to Start and immediately release it). That should break the bolt loose.

Make sure you're using the right marks on the crank sprocket. You want to use the line on the sensor tooth on the back, not the arrow on the front... although if you did that your car wouldn't run at all. Don't feel bad if you don't have the timing right... I did the exact thing I described above on my grandfather's old 93 wagon. Had to take it completely back apart again.

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vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:58 pm

It being in gear will hold it. The engine won't turn. Not very much, anyway.

When you apply torque to the crank pulley, it'll go through the tranmission to the wheels and try to move the car. 5th gear gives you very little mechanical advantage, though. As you start to try to loosen the crank bolt you'll see the car start to try to move backwards, but it should take less torque to loosen the crank bolt than to overcome the parking brake, especially since you've recently removed the bolt.

Again, if you find that the car moves, chock the wheels. Or, even better, get a friend to sit in the driver's seat and press the brake pedal.

You could try DerFahrer's starter trick instead, Lots of people use it with success but it kind of scares me; I'd rather apply the torque myself so I can feel if something's going wrong.

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:40 am

ya both methods are worth trying and both are a great tidbit of help, my question is do i still need to "block" the flywheel from moving to break free the crank bolt? Also I've noticed the car is either having a lot of blow by or is just burning more oil from being out of timing.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:46 am

No, you don't need to do anything to the flywheel with either method. With the fifth-gear method, the car itself will serve to keep the flywheel from turning. With the starter-bump method, the flywheel actually will turn; the starter will turn it, and that's what'll loosen the crank bolt.

If that doesn't make sense, reread carefully and maybe draw yourself a little diagram or ask some more questions. Make sure you understand what you're doing and why.

These cars have a lot of blowby normally. Have you noticed more since the oil pump replacement?

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:57 am

just a lot in the Y pipe where it meets the throttle body.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:03 am

Have you noticed more since the oil pump replacement?

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:45 am

haven't taken it all apart again yet to see but i hope not. Cars just old thats what i assume, catch can might help with all that. gonna redo timing this weekend hope i can get it. When i go to retighten the crank bolt can i just leave the car in 5th gear and torque as needed?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 5:30 am

Yeah, like I said, our engines do produce a fair bit of blowby, and if it's been a long time since the intake was cleaned out (if it ever was), a lot of oil will have collected.

Yes, you can tighten the crank bolt by putting the car in 5th with the parking brake on. Again, if the car starts to move forwards, get a buddy to press on the brake pedal while you do it.

lucas · Post by **lucas** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:04 pm

word. Thanks guys.

How hard is it to rig up a catch can

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