I assumed from research and comments on my newly purchased 2004 D2 that the ticking I heard was from the oil pump. The ticking is surely from the bottom of the engine as I cannot hear it very well from above. I put the truck on jack stands today and listened through the butt end of a long screwdriver and it sure sounds like the noise is loudest right at the molded oil feed line in the front cover. As a result I assume the truck has a cracked oil pump gear. I have read the rave manual and it does not appear that the process is too complicated but it sure looks like it will be a PITA to do on jack stands.

What kind of pressure readings should I get from a manual pressure gauge with a failing pump vs a new one. What other diagnostic steps should I be taking and what other advice should I listen to before attempting this job?

Thanks

Chris

 

Do you only hear the tick near idle?

Before you do the work, see if the noise disappears above 1,000 RPM because low oil flow can cause an oil pump tick even with a new, working oil pump.

Thicker oil and/or higher idle RPM setting can "fix" such ticks without any real work, if so.

 

Good pump specs...




Mine idles at 50 cold start, 20 when hot.

 

You don't need it to be on jackstands.
You have to drop the oil pan(unless someone has replaced the 3 studs on the bottom of the timing cover with bolts), then 6 or 8 bolts that hold the cover to the front of the block.
The pump gears are behind a flat plate in the cover, held on by posidrive screws(big phillips heads).

 

are you suggesting that the rest of the accessories can stay conneccted to the front cover? And I can just replace the gears with the cover hanging in the engine compartment?

 

The sound does not go away but becomes more frequent as RPM's rise. Also the audible "tick" sounds like it happens less frequently than 1 rotation of the crank which makes me think that the outer oil pump gear is broken/damaged and it only makes the noise when the pump void spins around to the broken/damaged part of the gear. Does this theory hold water?

 

Yup. If the tick doesn't go away then you've got a real problem instead of a simple inconvenience.

Obviously you want to insure that it isn't just an exhaust leak tick or cooling fan hitting the shroud or some such, and it matters if the tick is missing when the motor is cold, but if you hear the tick even with a cold motor and it increases with RPMs and never goes away, then clearly you have a real issue.

 

You have to take the cover off the front of the engine. Sixpack noted that there are "6 or 8 bolts that hold the cover to the front of the block." Taking off the oil pan and then removing the bolts will allow the cover to come away. The RAVE explains the full process.
All he was saying is that you don't need to put the truck up on jackstands. Not sure why you wouldn't you some wheel ramps though. Makes life a lot easier under there.

 

No, as Mollusc said above, you still have to remove the accessories.
The crank pulley gets torqued to 200' lbs after.
Just me, but there's no need to jack it up, unless you want to remove the oil pan and check for sludge/clean the pickup, then you would need to jack up the suspension(wheels stay on the ground) to make enough clearance over the axle for the pan to come out(turn pan backwards and take it out to the rear on driver's side.
For the timing cover, I do all that from above.
I also had an oil pump with the outer gear cracked in 3 places. I replaced it...and it made no change in sound.
The ticking I had was from worn out bearings. So, if you remove the oil pan, you can pull a main and rod cap and check the bearing condition.
Also, save yourself or the next guy future headaches, and remove the 3 timing cover studs on the bottom(jam 2 nuts together and thread studs out), and replace them with bolts.

 

If you don't have an impact wrench, or one that fits the length between the radiator and crank pulley, just use a breaker bar.
Put the socket on the crank pulley, then position the breaker bar handle on top of the frame, bump the starter with the key, and it'll break it loose.
To go back together, it's easier with the pan off because you can jam a piece of wood(short 2x4) between a crank journal and the block while you torque it.
You can also use something to hold the flywheel if the oil pan is on.