Is there any way to prevent or preemptively dianose an oil pump failure that will ruin the engine on a DII?
oil pump failures
- Thread starter expectthebest
- Start date
Oil pump failure is statistically likely on 2003 DII 4.6's within VIN range of the TSB. Although identical failures have been seen outside the VIN range, they aren't common. DII 4.6's within this VIN range should be avoided; that is the only "preemptive" measure. FWIW several on this board have 2003's within the VIN range and have experienced no oil pump failure at over 100K miles. There is a high probability the dowels which secure the front cover to the engine blocks in this VIN range were misaligned overly stressing the internal gears. The LRNA TSB indicates there is no fix but to replace the block.
BenDronsick said:
Sort of true.
There are a number of 4.6s outside of the VIN that have had the exploding oil pump, as well as ones that have had broken pump gears that were caught before exploding. Original thinking was that most pump failures occurred within the first 20K-ish miles; some busted pumps have been seen now at higher miles.
After 7-8 years, if the pumps were going to go, they likely have gone. Now reports are the slipping liners. Bottom line, a used 4.6 (from '03/'04) will be crap shoot. But then again, so will any other used motor.
If the gears are not cracked on any '03 by 50K or so miles I would guess the dowels are fine and would not check them again. If they are cracked, replacing will not help; new ones will eventually crack too. Go Hokies is right! ('94)
So would most agree that an 03 with 60k plus hasn't had this problem it's very unlikely that it's going to?
it's a crap shoot seen guys with high miles and cracked gears still running...I'm in the death range with 90k runs great for now..
If I'm at a dealer looking at a used Disco, would I be able to identify the cracked gears or is this something a shop would need to diagnose?
You are better off avoiding 2003 VIN's in the TSB range altogether instead of trying to intuit an exception to the casting defect; unless of course you can steal one for next to nothing and pop in a new Coscast block from RPI for $6K. Then you're indestructible.
ptschram
Well-known member
For the love of God, this site has a search function! This topic has been beaten to death.
There is no guarantee when, or if the gears will let go.
It happens well outside the VIN Range.
Replacing the gears and removing the dowels has been done MANY, MANY times by many, many people with great success.
There is no guarantee when, or if the gears will let go.
It happens well outside the VIN Range.
Replacing the gears and removing the dowels has been done MANY, MANY times by many, many people with great success.
BenDronsick said:
Or you can pull the dowels, and carefully position the front cover so that the drive hub is clearly not binding (you can freely slide it forwards and backwards with no resistance), drill a couple of new dowel holes in the outside flange, and save that $6k for something else.