Oil pump issues with 2003...

[RonL]

I have read everything the web has to say, but I still have a question.

Background, 2003(59,000) oil light and noise coming from front cover. It is not in the VIN range for the recall.

This weekend remove the front cover and pump assy. I found pump had exploded. Ordered new front cover/pump, installed, started engine, 30 seconds later, light goes off, engine quiets down. I drive it 3 miles last night everything seems good. Last night I started it and the oil light stalls "on" Let it run for 3-4 minute, light stays on and I can hear that the lifters are not getting oil.

Questions.
1. Could the pump had lost "prime"?
2. What else should I look for?

 

[pokeyYJ]

I have read everything the web has to say, but I still have a question.

Background, 2003(59,000) oil light and noise coming from front cover. It is not in the VIN range for the recall.

This weekend remove the front cover and pump assy. I found pump had exploded. Ordered new front cover/pump, installed, started engine, 30 seconds later, light goes off, engine quiets down. I drive it 3 miles last night everything seems good. Last night I started it and the oil light stalls "on" Let it run for 3-4 minute, light stays on and I can hear that the lifters are not getting oil.

Questions.
1. Could the pump had lost "prime"?
2. What else should I look for?

How dirty is the oil/was the oil? It could be possible that you have a plugged oil pickup in your oil pan.

 

[Antichrist]

If you let it run for 3 or 4 minutes with no oil pressure I'd say probably look for a new engine.

 

[rovertech]

I have read everything the web has to say, but I still have a question.

Background, 2003(59,000) oil light and noise coming from front cover. It is not in the VIN range for the recall.

This weekend remove the front cover and pump assy. I found pump had exploded. Ordered new front cover/pump, installed, started engine, 30 seconds later, light goes off, engine quiets down. I drive it 3 miles last night everything seems good. Last night I started it and the oil light stalls "on" Let it run for 3-4 minute, light stays on and I can hear that the lifters are not getting oil.

Questions.
1. Could the pump had lost "prime"?
2. What else should I look for?

Chances are you have spun a cam bearing. I have seen several '03 4.6's have the rear cam bearing spin due to poor machining. The machinwork in '03 has, so far, seemed to be the worst of the rover v8's in my experience. At this point a teardown and inspection would probably just waste time and money. If you want to keep the disco I would look for a new engine and start weighing your cost options.

 

[RonL]

Here is the rest of the story, This is not mine, I am working on it for someone else. It was left at his storage unit because of the oil light issue. Who knows how long it has been run without out oil. The engine does not knock and it did run Sunday night with the oil light off(after new pump) but last night the light was on again.

I will let everyone know when I find out.

 

[RonL]

Rover is running again with oil pressure. I found a piece of the old oil pump gear in the pick up tube.
This Rover was driven at else 20 miles with no oil pressure.
And now it is quiet as ever.

 

[pokeyYJ]

Same thing happened to me on one of my old rangies. Good to hear you got it worked out!

 

[11b4v]

So, this was an abandoned 03 DII he acquired?

 

[juha_teuvonnen]

I hope you pulled the downel pins out prior to re-installing the front cover, otherwise you will be replacing it again in the next 10-20K. The '03s had holes for the dowel pins drilled incorrectly, which is why the crank-driven oil pumps fail a lot. The oil pumps in 94-01 engines used to last forever.

 

[RonL]

Yes, It was left/abandoned in Kansas in a storage unit since 2007, when it broke down. The owner was on his way back to Washington.
It was in the storage unit from fall of 2007 to 2011.

The Bank did not want it, after he stopped paying on the loan. So for less than a grand it is running.

No Dowel pins are still in. We will see how long it lasts, the first pump made it 59,000 miles.