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When a big block Dodge decides to lose oil pressure it takes right around 5 minutes to notice.
I checked the oil line for leaks, there were none and you could hear the valve train start to rattle. A shining light on the moment was that my friend Dylan was at the farm and my Power Wagon was pulled back to the shop by another Power Wagon. To start my diagnosis I disconnected the battery. Followed by the removal of the distributor.
Then came the oil Pump drive shaft, a unique shaft with a gear the lives between the distributor and the oil pump. The first problem was the end of the drive gear was twisted off and inside of the oil pump.
Once I saw this damage I knew the oil pump must be removed.
From the top side of the motor to the underside of the truck, a W200 is enjoyable to work on due to the amount of room.
The oil Pump was seized solid. Once taken apart I found a small piece of rubber that had wedged inside the oil pump itself. How did it get there? Some how this small piece of rubber plastic material stopped my W200 in its tracks.
Consulting was required, A friend of mine with an immeasurable amount of big block Dodge experience was called. Somehow this piece got passed the oil pump screen. Impossible I thought.
Next step was oil pan removal, oil was drained bolts were removed and the pan came down easily, again atleast there is alot of room under a W200. What did I see but an oil pump screen, bare no baffle with a perfect hole in the center the size of a dime.
Confusion, heartache, frustration followed. Again more consultating with Doug, followed by sheer terror that no matter where I searched I couldn't find a front sump pick up assembly for my truck.
Days turned into weeks, I pulled the main bearing caps and inspected them, Standard bearings with very little wear were found. Still unable to find an oil pick up assembly.
One day I had the idea to go through the sealed power engine catalog, not finding a pickup anywhere near the shape and size of mine, although I did find a screen that dimensionally was exact to my screen. It happened to fit a 455 Pontiac and had a crossbar baffle built into the screen.
Thirteen dollars later I had a screen, I do not have a tig welder and not trusting my skill as a mig welder on the oiling system of my beloved W200 I decided to just replace the screen in my factory oil pickup tube.
Pondering how to do it over a bottle of Coca Cola I decided to slowly grind away at the new pickup and remove the screen. Around and around on the grinder I went until the outer ring of the pickup came off much like opening a tuna can.
With the factory pick up assembly I couldn't do that, I had to be able to save the small outer lip to reinstall the new screen. With a small chisel the tip measures a 1/16 of an inch wide I worked my way around until I had a nice edge and the screen with the hole was laying on my bench.
Taking the new screen placing it into the factory pick up assembly and then spending the next few hours re crinping the edge.
Satisfied with the look and feel of the screen, I re installed the pick up the windage tray the pan. Installed the new oil pump and filled the system with castol GTX 20w50 oil. Needing an oil pump priming tool I used my badsaw for a straight cut I lost a snap on allen wrench and a really nice 5/16 masonry bit that measured 2 feet long. I felt my skills with a welder were good enough to make these 2 pieces one.
It worked, remember when priming a Big Block oil pump it runs backwards or counter clockwise. In a few minutes I had 50 plus pounds of oil pressure, I knew this because I set my cell phone to record and turned it around, clipped to the steering wheel pointing at the oil pressure gauge. Hang on tight to your drill, at this point when it builds pressure the drill will kick back, much like a 44 magnum.
Installing the distributor, plugging in the electrical connections and He fired, "chewbaca, chewbaca, chewbaca." Sounded of the 440 as he came to life.
I will attach pictures of this repair.
I checked the oil line for leaks, there were none and you could hear the valve train start to rattle. A shining light on the moment was that my friend Dylan was at the farm and my Power Wagon was pulled back to the shop by another Power Wagon. To start my diagnosis I disconnected the battery. Followed by the removal of the distributor.
Then came the oil Pump drive shaft, a unique shaft with a gear the lives between the distributor and the oil pump. The first problem was the end of the drive gear was twisted off and inside of the oil pump.
Once I saw this damage I knew the oil pump must be removed.
From the top side of the motor to the underside of the truck, a W200 is enjoyable to work on due to the amount of room.
The oil Pump was seized solid. Once taken apart I found a small piece of rubber that had wedged inside the oil pump itself. How did it get there? Some how this small piece of rubber plastic material stopped my W200 in its tracks.
Consulting was required, A friend of mine with an immeasurable amount of big block Dodge experience was called. Somehow this piece got passed the oil pump screen. Impossible I thought.
Next step was oil pan removal, oil was drained bolts were removed and the pan came down easily, again atleast there is alot of room under a W200. What did I see but an oil pump screen, bare no baffle with a perfect hole in the center the size of a dime.
Confusion, heartache, frustration followed. Again more consultating with Doug, followed by sheer terror that no matter where I searched I couldn't find a front sump pick up assembly for my truck.
Days turned into weeks, I pulled the main bearing caps and inspected them, Standard bearings with very little wear were found. Still unable to find an oil pick up assembly.
One day I had the idea to go through the sealed power engine catalog, not finding a pickup anywhere near the shape and size of mine, although I did find a screen that dimensionally was exact to my screen. It happened to fit a 455 Pontiac and had a crossbar baffle built into the screen.
Thirteen dollars later I had a screen, I do not have a tig welder and not trusting my skill as a mig welder on the oiling system of my beloved W200 I decided to just replace the screen in my factory oil pickup tube.
Pondering how to do it over a bottle of Coca Cola I decided to slowly grind away at the new pickup and remove the screen. Around and around on the grinder I went until the outer ring of the pickup came off much like opening a tuna can.
With the factory pick up assembly I couldn't do that, I had to be able to save the small outer lip to reinstall the new screen. With a small chisel the tip measures a 1/16 of an inch wide I worked my way around until I had a nice edge and the screen with the hole was laying on my bench.
Taking the new screen placing it into the factory pick up assembly and then spending the next few hours re crinping the edge.
Satisfied with the look and feel of the screen, I re installed the pick up the windage tray the pan. Installed the new oil pump and filled the system with castol GTX 20w50 oil. Needing an oil pump priming tool I used my badsaw for a straight cut I lost a snap on allen wrench and a really nice 5/16 masonry bit that measured 2 feet long. I felt my skills with a welder were good enough to make these 2 pieces one.
It worked, remember when priming a Big Block oil pump it runs backwards or counter clockwise. In a few minutes I had 50 plus pounds of oil pressure, I knew this because I set my cell phone to record and turned it around, clipped to the steering wheel pointing at the oil pressure gauge. Hang on tight to your drill, at this point when it builds pressure the drill will kick back, much like a 44 magnum.
Installing the distributor, plugging in the electrical connections and He fired, "chewbaca, chewbaca, chewbaca." Sounded of the 440 as he came to life.
I will attach pictures of this repair.
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