# oil pump



## ieathondas (Mar 12, 2009)

i have a 96 nissan 200sx with 114,000 miles on it. the oil light went on two days ago and wont go off, the front of the engine where the timing chain is located is making noises. i was told by a mechanic that the oil pump went and will be around $800 - 1000 to fix. what do you guys think?


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

ieathondas said:


> i have a 96 nissan 200sx with 114,000 miles on it. the oil light went on two days ago and wont go off, the front of the engine where the timing chain is located is making noises. i was told by a mechanic that the oil pump went and will be around $800 - 1000 to fix. what do you guys think?



I think your mechanic is an idiot. Most likely the timing chain. Does it make the noise on the passenger side of the car? Under the valve cover? What are your oil levels? Did you check oil pressure? If you have oil pressure, then you'll know your pump is okay. You have pretty low miles for this motor. Some guys hit over 400k miles and never change the oil pump. The timing chain tensioners are issues on these cars, so I'd say your problem lies within the chain.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

If the idiot light stays on all the time, then basically you have little or no oil pressure. This causes the timing chain tensioner to stop working; now the chain starts to whip thus making the noise you hear.

Don't continue to run the motor as major damage will occur to the rod/main bearings along with the chain jumping teeth and bending the valves.

You can check the pressure very easily by installing a temporary mechanical oil pressure gauge. You would remove the oil sensor which is located near the oil filter and install the mechanical oil pressure gauge in it's place.

The pressure should be as follows:
idle - at least 11 psi


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## sinning (Mar 28, 2008)

YEAH!!!!! what they said lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

rogoman said:


> If the idiot light stays on all the time, then basically you have little or no oil pressure. This causes the timing chain tensioner to stop working; now the chain starts to whip thus making the noise you hear.
> 
> Don't continue to run the motor as major damage will occur to the rod/main bearings along with the chain jumping teeth and bending the valves.
> 
> ...


Just like I said, check the oil pressure. It's the only way you'll know for sure.


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## ieathondas (Mar 12, 2009)

*mhm*

thanks a lot for everyones replies! i changed my oil pump and the car ran good for a while, then i floored it a few times and the car is back to doing the exact same thing again. i hooked an oil pressure gauge up to it and its getting no oil pressure at all. im not sure whats wrong please help!


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

ieathondas said:


> thanks a lot for everyones replies! i changed my oil pump and the car ran good for a while, then i floored it a few times and the car is back to doing the exact same thing again. i hooked an oil pressure gauge up to it and its getting no oil pressure at all. im not sure whats wrong please help!



How does the timing chain look?


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

ieathondas said:


> thanks a lot for everyones replies! i changed my oil pump and the car ran good for a while, then i floored it a few times and the car is back to doing the exact same thing again. i hooked an oil pressure gauge up to it and its getting no oil pressure at all. im not sure whats wrong please help!


What parts did you replace and what parts did you re-use?

Did you get a new front cover ?
What about the Oil regulator parts ?


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Did you check the clearance per the FSM before re-assembly ?


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)




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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

ieathondas said:


> thanks a lot for everyones replies! i changed my oil pump and the car ran good for a while, then i floored it a few times and the car is back to doing the exact same thing again. i hooked an oil pressure gauge up to it and its getting no oil pressure at all. im not sure whats wrong please help!


Did you install a new O-ring between the timing cover and the block? Also is the oil pickup clean and secured to the oil pump with a new gasket?


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## ieathondas (Mar 12, 2009)

i replaced the whole frint cover, it had the oil pump built into it i changed the gaskets. i got the engine to calm down a bit, i put sludge eater in it. the oil was starting to go through the oil line to my gauge a bit when i revved the engine, but its not strong enough to make pressure. i'm going to change the upper and lower timing chain tensioner. thanks again for replies!


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

did you check the oil regulator ( pressure regulator) ???


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## ieathondas (Mar 12, 2009)

the sensor next to the oil filter? yeah i replaced it with a oil pressure gauge


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

ieathondas said:


> the sensor next to the oil filter? yeah i replaced it with a oil pressure gauge


No the pressure regulator.
It in the front case.
i will see if i can find it and post a diagram


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)




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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

The above implies the Front cover comes with a new regulator assembly.
did you see the comment about the pick up and O ring above ?


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## ieathondas (Mar 12, 2009)

*oh*

i changed the whole front cover of the car, so all that was new. could it be a blockage or my main bearings?


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

If I had have no Oil pressure i would dismantle the front cover, check the pump, pressure release, o ring, pump drive spacer, and Oil pick up.
Clean everything including the Sump, and reassemble.
Then check for Oil pressure !!!
You really shouldn't assume that what you buy is all good to go. I purchased a new pump from the stealer ship ( not Nissan) and its clearances were worse than the 15 yr old one I took off.
Learn't a lesson that day.
I have used various flush products and realize they are risky, but if you Know you have a sludged up engine it may be worth a try, you dont have much to lose at this point.


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## ieathondas (Mar 12, 2009)

thank you very much for all of the information, but i think this pump might have callapsed after getting clogged like the other did. i think im going to either replace this engine or get another 200sx


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

ieathondas said:


> i replaced the whole frint cover, it had the oil pump built into it i changed the gaskets. i got the engine to calm down a bit, i put sludge eater in it. the oil was starting to go through the oil line to my gauge a bit when i revved the engine, but its not strong enough to make pressure. i'm going to change the upper and lower timing chain tensioner. thanks again for replies!


Putting in any type of sludge eater product into the motor is a BAD IDEA. If the motor has an appreciable amount of sludge, it'll loosen the sludge and the chunks will plug up various oil pathways and screw up the motor.


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## ieathondas (Mar 12, 2009)

ok guys good news, once again thank you very much for all replies. i put my car into the shop and told them to find out why i wasn't getting oil pressure. sure enough they gave it back with oil pressure. for future reference to everyone i'll tell what the problem was. in my oil sump (the long tube that sucks oil into the pump) was a ton of black debree, it felt like plastick or something and looked like coal. i think it was my timing guides and tensioners after being eaten by the chain.


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