Ok, picked up new oil pump for my 83 and I am now confused as to who and where it was built. Napa pump,box says sealed power made in mexico,plastic bag says melling,pump is cast made in USA.So any ideas on this Hodge,Podge,Dodge oil pump Oh yeah,napa thought it would be a clevitt pump and it was 77bucks,other parts stores were saying 98 to 127bucks for sealed power.I hate being cornfussed when I'm sober

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

99.9% Melling.

It's very likely all or most of the slant-6 oil pumps at this late date are coming from one source (or, at most, two). In the auto parts industry, when volume drops on a given part, that's what happens: its actual manufacture gets discontinued by each of the companies making it, some of whom choose to continue offering it by buying it from a company still making it, until nobody's left making it. The "Made in USA" casting is probably just an artifact of old tooling shipped to wherever the pump is now made.

It often seems like all the makers discontinue a given part within a short time of one another. That's because they all use the same accounting techniques, all make about the same amount of profit on the part, and all experience the same drop in demand for the part. Once a major maker discontinues a part you need, figure it'll be gone from the rest of the makers' catalogues within 2 years tops, and any availability beyond that is a "borrowed time" bonus.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks guys,I guess parts these days is " sorta like a box of chocolates" Anyway next question is where did my oil pressure go? Started acting funny a few weeks back and I posted a question on that.We figured it was the relief valve,tried cleaning that and pressure got lower,20-25 max,2-5 idling.New pump today and another oil/filter change,ta da,same same.Tried a diff oil pressure gauge last go around and it ain't that,now what It was doing so good until this started like 40-45lbs idle/hot now the idiot lite flickers some times.Its my baby and I don't want to ruin it.

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

Hello? Anybody? Down here,help!

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

You break your pickup tube so that it's sucking air?

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Joshua

If the pump and the pick-up tube are in good working order, then there is another "painful" reason why the oil pressure is dropping... a bearing is failing.

Do you hear any "different" sounds out of the engine, especiall during cold start-up when there is no oil pressure?

This one of those "I hope I am wrong" answers but ideas & information is a good thing.
DD

Also make sure you pan is not beat up, cuz I recently had a 440 with good pressure when cold. About 1 min after start up it would drop to almost zero. Turns out the pan was up on the screen (and it got bent when the engine was hot) so when the metal was cold it had room to get threw when it heated up and the metal would expand it would not let any get threw. Replaced the pan now back with plenty of pressure.

Thanks guys.The pan is good not even a chip on the paint.As far as noises go,sounds good to me.I get a little clacking from the hyd lifters at startup but only for a few seconds.No howling which I remember from my old Yblock ford days as mains going south.No knocks,rattles,banging or anything that would make me think something is bad.Its only got about 8k on it and it started real sudden like.I watch the guages like a hawk and it was doing fine till I stopped at an intersection one day and oil ps dropped down to maybe 20lbs.Stopped and checked,level was up no leaks or such.Shes just gottin worse and I am stumped Doc,you think the mains would go bad that quick,and why? No evidence of destruction in the oil and she not been over rev'd.I've changed the oil/filter maybe 7-8 times since install so I'm sure I'd of seen any metal pieces or sparklies

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

If a bearing was going bad in there, you will see it in the oil but you may want to cut open the next oil filter for a closer look.

Keep on it... I would be trying a diffrent mechanical oil pressure gauge at this point, to get a "cross-check".
DD

Thanks Doc. I'll figure it out sooner or later, just might be from the shop at the "funny farm"though.

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

Possibly the pick up tube? My sons car had a crack in the threads right where it left the block. Oil pressure would drop to near nothing while idling but would pick up some at higher RPM. Tried a new oil pump but it was the same. Pulled the engine and the pan. Slightly bumped the pick up tube and it proceeded to fall onto the floor. Good luck!

Rick

Rick,Josh,I see you both mention this and danged if it's a could be.It bugs me that this could happen after a year and 8grand on the clock.The tube looked good when we did the install,the motor had never been touched and while there was no blatant cracks or such I guess after 25yrs metal can get a little fatigued.Anyway it's winter time here in the northwest and since I don't have a garage she'll just have to wait till next dry season.I was planning on putting "quicksilver" in the bodyshop this winter so maybe next spring she'll look good but not be runable Oh well,it ain't like I don't got more projects around here A 68 a108 followed me home,318 but close enuf(actually it followed my wife home on the end of a tow rope I steered) Thanks guys

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

Is it possible that some gunk got into the 1/8 inch line going to the gauge when you swapped the pump? I know I covered my line but somehow during the change out, it came off so I had to clean out the line or it would have been plugged and not allowed oil to get to the gauge or idiot light. If it is the light only, it could be the sender is plugged. I ran a gauge at a tee from the pump. The sender comes off the end of the tee opposite the pump and the gauge runs up from there at the tee.

Mszauner,thanks for reply.Allready been teed an tubed since the get go,I've got both idiot lite and guage and I did the new oil pump tryin get my press back.No changes to anything to cause the drop in press.When it's warm the lite will flicker some if I let it idle so just about has to be for real.Darned if I know why but whats a poor boy to do?

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed