ticking noise/oil pump/HLA issues

[ruscles]

I never found out if it works. My probe crapped out. I have the plunger laying around somewhere if anyone wants to try it.

[joshrea]

On Monday July 30, 2001 6:39 AM, KnightRider wrote:
Hey Honey???

[trmoser]

did Anybody Ever Figure Out If This Works???????

[neilh2o]

it will work..i took apart my old oil pump (the gear cover comes off on both new and old pumps)...anyway the oil pump problem affects 93 thru 5/96 2.0 engines (Ford tsb)..almost all lifter tapping is from air getting into the oil pump and then the air travels into the lifters..the pressure relief valve plunger gets uneven wear due to hanging up at the pump port that runs into the pressure relief valve passage..i would buy a new plunger and spring ...get the newest revision parts from Mazda..to get access to the plunger i dont believe you have to remove the oil pump..remove the oil pan and the block stiffener and access to the relief valve is on the bottom of the pump ... the pressure relief valve is behind a tiny round cover the size of a dime..remove the snap ring and the tiny round cover and the spring will fall out..the plunger would come out with a small magnet if its steel (which i think it is)..if its aluminum then blow compressed air into the oil pump gear chamber..access to the pump chamber is under a pipe plug at the left top of the oil pump..the pipe plug is located under the alternator and is for checking the oil pump pressure

[neilh2o]

Tsb

HERE IS THE tsb: AERA Technical Bulletin TB1633
Manufacturer: FORD
Displacement: 2 Ltr.

Engine Ticking Noise on 1993-96 Ford 2.0L VIN A Engines

The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information regarding an engine ticking noise on 1993-96 Ford 2.0L VIN A engines. This metallic ticking noise has been heard at idle and may be associated with rough running, stalling, or reduced power of the engine.

This condition may be caused by an uneven wear pattern in the oil pump control plunger, which results in air entering the oiling system. When air enters the oiling system, the hydraulic lash adjusters will bleed down causing a ticking noise in the upper area of the engine. To test for air in the oiling system, Ford recommends starting the engine and letting it idle for 10 minutes. If a ticking noise is present, replacement of the oil pump is recommended.

The plunger within the oil pump may also stick, causing rough running, stalling or reduced power of the engine. Starting the engine and running it at 3000 RPM while monitoring oil pressure can detect a stuck plunger. Normal oil pressure may first be 100 psi at startup and then drop down to 80 psi after maximum engine temperature is reached. Normal readings should be 57-71 psi at 3000 RPM. If the engine oil pressure stays near 100 psi, replacement of the oil pump is recommended.

The revised oil pump, Part#F72Z-6600-AA, has an improved oil pump plunger which reduces the possibility of the above mentioned problems.

The AERA Technical Committee

December 1998 - TB 1633

Courtesy of Probenet.com

[Steve428]

Is there any disadvantage to just replacing the plunger with the updated one? Does anyone know why Ford and Mazda both recommend changing out the entire pump, and not just the plunger; is it purely profit motive? I guess the one major disadvantage I can see would be that you don't get a fresh oil pump out of the deal if the engine is already partially torn down for a timing belt install, water pump install, tensioner install, etc.

[archangel76]

1. Where exactly can we get just the spring and plunger? Details! (or did I just miss it?).
2. Can we really fix this while its on the car?

[neilh2o]

go to Trussville Mazda.com...they are a large volume Mazda dealer..the complete oil pump was $115 plus a couple bucks for the strainer gasket and the pump o-ring ...i can assure you the plunger and spring alone will cure the hla tapping...i didnt know the plunger was available separately at the time i bought my pump...the only wear in my old oil pump was on the pressure relief valve plunger...i would get a plunger and the relief valve spring too...ask for Marshall in parts..he doesnt mind selling Mazda engine parts for Probes or rebuilt distributors cause all Probe 2.0 motors are built by Mazda...its no secret if you didnt know...Mazda is usually much cheaper than Ford...you can either remove the timing belt and the oil pump ...or... the fastest and easiest way is to drop the oil pan (hit the nut welded on the oil pan edge on the front side of the motor left of the header with a long prybar and a hammer..it takes a good amount of force cause they used silicone sealer and its really stuck on the block stiffener)...next remove the block stiffener (there are two kind of hidden bolts by the flywheel dont miss them)..its glued on to the block with silicone..now you will have access to the bottom of the oil pump..get out your snap ring pliers and remove the snap ring and the pressure relief valve cover (size of a dime)

[archangel76]

should i get the strainer gasket and the pump oring too? Oil pan gasket too? Anything else?

[neilh2o]

all you need is the pressure relief valve plunger and spring (get at a Mazda or Ford dealer) and the oil pan gasket (any auto parts store has this gasket for $3-4)..if you remove the oil pump you need the strainer gasket and two oil pump o-rings..this is a really cheap but effective fix for hla tapping for those Probers short on cash..if the oil pump pressure is low then i would advise a new pump ($115 cheapest ive seen at Mazda)..the pressure specs are 57-71psi at 3000 rpms. you can check the oil pump pressure with a separate pressure guage threaded into the top left point on the pump. first you have to remove a pipe plug with a metric allen wrench then thread the guage into the threaded hole.. access to the pressure port is under the alternator

[Steve428]

---:Quote:---
The problem is that the pump gears wore down, and that can't be fixed with just a US$4 plunger. There are 2 problems, a possible sticking plunger (too high pressure) and worn out gears (air in the oil system and HLA's ticking).....So just replacing the oil plunger will not be a complete fix.....
---:End Quote:---

I know that this issue has been beaten to a bloody pulp a hundred times, but I have never heard that out of tolerance pump gear lash is the cause of air in the system??? If this is the case, then a new pump is always in order, but I've always thought that the plunger wear pattern, as the TSB suggests, is the only problem with the pump, and not the gears being out of tolerance. I've never seen anything from Ford or Mazda to suggest otherwise....After reading a bunch of posts, it seems like there are two camps when it comes to this issue. Those that are dead set for putting a new pump in there, and those that just change out the plunger/ spring. Either route has been shown to work. It just depends on the amount of cash one has to spend, and how long one wants to keep the car around. If you plan on racking on 300K miles, then a new pump would probably be the best route, as it will probably be significantly worn by the time these miles are racked on. If you just want to make the damn tick go away, and are going to dump the car off in a few years, throw in a plunger/ spring and forget about it. I think that when the first timing belt change is done at 100K miles, the pump gears are probably not that worn, and a whole new pump may be a bit excessive. When the second timing belt change is done, at roughly 160K miles, that may be a more appropriate time to change the entire pump out, as the gears will probably have a lot more wear. Am I way off here?

[neilh2o]

ive worked on hydraulic pumps for ten years ...they can go bad from oil starvation actually caused by contaminated oil and cavitation destroys them.. air pockets and air bubbles and /or water in the oil reak havoc on pumps..i think the plunger and spring replacement would be sufficient if the oil pressure is good...when a pump goes bad (physical damage in the vane catridge) they get noisy and eventually lose pressure..ive found from experience that gear pumps seem to last the longest..