Oil Pump cleaning

[griswald]

Ok,
Am considering dropping the oil pan and cleaning the oil pump filter/screen.

Is there anything I need to know about how to clean it, or is there anything else to check? I do not believe the oil pump needs to be removed to do this.

Anyone done this with good/bad/indifferent results?

Thanks,
Griswald

[kevkon]

It's relatively easy. The screen is straighforward. It's the oil pan that will require more work to clean if the pan has not been dropped before. It's a good time to check out the lower end of the motor as well. Look at the cylinder walls for excess scoring. I usually check the torque on the mains and con rods. Look around for forign debris and sludge deposits around the block, just be careful if you start scraping and removing it so you don't just dislodge it and leave it in there. Before you re-install the pan and gasket take a razor to the mating surfaces and then wipe them with a solvent.

[griswald]

Thanks, has it been your experience this is helpful?

[SafeAirOne]

Thanks, has it been your experience this is helpful?

I'm curious about what prompts your screen cleaning. Is it an oil pressure light?

[Bud]

you might also ensure that the pan is as flat as possible, and not bowed around the bolt holes.

[griswald]

Well, my oil pressure is low at idle, and I have a valve that "ticks" at idle but the ticking goes away once the enigine RPMs and oil pressure increase.

I will also be checking the rocker shaft, and rocker arms for wear. The head is a new turner about 4 years old with around 10k miles on it...

Trying to determine why the ticking comes and goes...

[daveb]

if it goes away with higher oil pressure it probably is not worth chasing. unless it is really loud i.e maybe in the bottom end.

how low is low? 15-20 is ok. for idle rpms as long as it goes up. think about 10psi per 1000 rpm as a base line. some engines run higher some lower.

Well, my oil pressure is low at idle, and I have a valve that "ticks" at idle but the ticking goes away once the enigine RPMs and oil pressure increase.

I will also be checking the rocker shaft, and rocker arms for wear. The head is a new turner about 4 years old with around 10k miles on it...

Trying to determine why the ticking comes and goes...

[kevkon]

Definitly sounds like a top end problem. Check for valve lash and oiling at the rockers.

[griswald]

Thanks, it is absolutely top end, and either valve number 1 or 2.

This started this summer on start up with cold motor from time to time when truck sat for a week or so...then started coming more and more. Now the tick comes about once every fourth or fifth time the engine returns to idle, but I can make it go away if I rev the motor. Oil pressure is around 15psi at idle and 35psi at 3k rpms. I have adjusted the valves, and also watched the oil come down the rocker shaft with the valve cover off...it does come out pretty well through all of the rocker arms, and shaft...so, as it is a new ish head from RN, I suspect either low oil pressure or some issue with the rocker shaft or rocker arms...I do not know what valve lash is? BTW compression is good 130 across all, and my vaccuum gauge (that is mounted to my dash) reads 21in/hg and does not bounce...

[griswald]

One other thing, the oil pressure light works and does warn when pressure is too low, like when I need to add a quart when the light goes on while braking hard