[jd0n88]

I'm wondering if anyone has their old oil pumps rebuilt or just buy a new one? I have a 455 that has been in storage for years that I want to rebuild in the near future. I plan to send out the original water pump for rebuild and started thinking about doing the same with the oil pump. Any pros or cons compared to new one?

[steve25]

1) You have a original 60 psi that is likely made a tad better the. A new one.
2) it’s very easy to check a used pump for ware and any used pump I have ever checked from a motor that had no failure take place was always good to be reused, and I did so once I drilled and pinned the pickup tube in place.

3) the pressure spring I have always reused also unless I knew or saw signs that the motor had been overheated.

[Dragncar]

Time, is it worth it for a pump that is less than 100$ ?
I have spent a lot of time blueprinting my oil pumps and its time consuming .
I have had great results but for the average guy you are better off buying new or maybe spend the coin on one of Butlers best pumps.
My last pump that I have many hours in, deburing steel gears, dimpling the bottom of the gears, setting clearance between bottom plate and the gears, adding oil hole on idler gear, 5/8 ball and shimming it and making my own larger dia pickup was a ordeal.
My pumps turn out great. I do not even know what it is when folks say its fine to have 15-20 lbs at idle.
They have 40+ at idle and 60-75 lbs down the track.
Its just not for everyone and many have great luck buying a new pump, cleaning it and just running it.

[steve25]

1) You have a original 60 psi then it is likely made a tad better the. A new one these days.

2) it’s very easy to check a used pump for ware and any used pump I have ever checked from a motor that had no failure take place to put crap through the gears was always good to be reused, and I did so many times once I drilled and pinned the pickup tube in place.

3) the pressure spring I have always reused also unless I knew or saw signs that the motor had been overheated.

Keep in mind that unlike many other brand motors a Pontiac oil pump is fully submerged in oil and as such wares little even after 70K miles if the motor has had normal oil change intervals.

Check your used pump top to bottom a put the money savings into something like new valves or better valvetrain parts.

[jd0n88]

thanks for the opinions guys. The pump is from a '71 455 with unknown history. I believe it has low miles based on no ridge at top of cylinders. Engine will be used in a street cruiser, no racing.

[PAUL K]

Take it apart, clean it and inspect things. Set the gear to cover clearance and run it.... It's a bunch better quality pump than the standard replacement unit available today.....atleast that's what I would do.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Worth going through your old pump (3/4" pickup series) for inspection for re-use.

[Dragncar]

Nightmare has some nice Pontiac oil pumps, oil pump components.
The 20$ 1/4" thick steel bottom plate is a nice option.
They sell a blueprinted pump for 180 $

http://nitemareperformance.com/prices2.html

[chuckies76ta]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

Nightmare has some nice Pontiac oil pumps, oil pump components.
The 20$ 1/4" thick steel bottom plate is a nice option.
They sell a blueprinted pump for 180 $

http://nitemareperformance.com/prices2.html

Yes they do have nice products, and are very good to deal with.

[67Fbird]

deburring the gears but DO NOT ROUND THE EDGES OVER. It is common ideology to ROUND ALL edges. You want the edges of the gears SHARP....with no burrs. If you chamfer the edges of the gears they produce a LATERAL pressure on the end plate causing more damage than a scrape in the plate.

[steve25]

The above is true and a rounded edge cuts into pump efficiency.

[Dragncar]

These are my bottom gears. They have been slightly de-burred with a jewlers file and edge polished with Scotchs-bright.
This pump has so much freaking oil pressure with 30 WT I had to put some 10-30 WT in just to get it below 80 lbs. It was pegged at 100lb with 30 WT.
I am not leaving mine sharp. The last pump I did this to 30 years ago had 45 lbs hot and 60 down the track with over 1000 passes on engine.
So I will de-burr them.

[Cliff R]

"Take it apart, clean it and inspect things. Set the gear to cover clearance and run it.... It's a bunch better quality pump than the standard replacement unit available today.....at least that's what I would do."

That's all that's really needed. Common sense applies here. Oil pumps are typically in very good to excellent shape. If the gears and housing aren't all scratched and gouged up it will be fine. Any light scratches on the bottom plate are each to remove. One thing I've found is that the pick-up tubes can fall out easier than you think. Those tubes don't seem to have the "memory" required to keep them in place and most folks don't have the proper tools to drive them in straight. I'm NOT a fan of welding them in place. Over the years I've pulled down a couple of engines where the weld took a hunk of the pump with it and the tube was in the bottom of the oil pan. Even had one ill-fated "fresh" build sent here where it broke the weld, came loose and got into the crankshaft.....NOT pretty! Here I either make and weld a strap from the pick-up tube to one of the bottom plate bolts, or even easier drill/tap and retain the tube with a hardened #8-32 machine screw, it's not fussy.........

[steve25]

If one sands the body to get only the needed .004” gear to case clearance that seems to be worth like 6 to 8 lbs more cold psi and when hot I have noticed that the pressure rises faster in regards to rpm.