Feedback

Learn All About Oil Pump & Engine Block

Did you know your car needs oil to function properly? Do you have questions about how the oil pump works? There are several highly stressed and flowing components in any vehicle that need continuous lubrication to help minimise the risk of excessive wear and prevent the components from seizing up. When parts are under strain, the ultimate purpose of an oil pump is to supply sufficient quantity of oil to those parts. Read along to know about your vehicle’s oil pump and engine block.

What Is A Car Oil Pump & Engine Block?

Oil Pump

It is an internal combustion engine which circulates the engine oil under pressure to the rotating bearings, the sliding pistons and the camshaft of the engine. It lubricates the bearings and further allows the utilization of the higher-capacity fluid bearings. It also helps in cooling down the car engine.

Engine Block

The main structural constituent of the car engine is the engine block. It supports as well as helps in maintaining the alignment of internal and external components. The engine block comprises a cylinder block and a crankcase. It can generally be produced as a one-piece or two-piece unit. It is the engine component which comprises the cylinder bore, cooling fins on air-cooled engines, and valve train components.

What Are The Types Of Car Oil Pump & Engine Block?

Are you searching for the different types of oil pump & engine block? Then don’t worry! All you have to do is to have a look below, and all your doubts regarding its types would be cleared.

Oil Pump

  1. External gear pump - The external gear pump designs can use spur, helical or herringbone gears.
  2. Internal gear pump - The internal gear pump would also work on the same principle, but the two interlocking gears would be of divergent sizes with one rotating inside the other.

Engine Block

  1. The V Engine - One of the most popular engine blocks in the market is the V engine and it would come in a lot of iterations. This type of engine has a long history and time-tested record of reliability, as it has been used in massive Cadillac V16s, to classic V8s to the tiny V4s used on motorcycles. The major advantage of this type of engine block is its compact nature.
  2. Inline Engine - A series of cylinders are used in the inline- block engines which would run in a single line from the back of the engine to the front. Since these car engines run smoothly, for this reason they are utilized in the applications that need high-rpm power, which makes the configuration ideally suited to the small-displacement engines used in a lot of passenger cars.
  3. Boxer Engines - The boxer engines, used mainly by Porsche and Subaru, are one of the most developed engines. One of the easiest ways with which you will understand this engine is that you should think it off as a V engine which has been pressed flat, so that the heads of the cylinder are opposite each other.

How Does My Car Oil Pump & Engine Block Work?

Are you searching how the oil pump & engine block actually work? Then all you have to do is to have a look below, and then you will understand everything.

Oil Pump:

If you wondering how does an oil pump contributes to the overall health and working of the car engine? How it gets the job done? Have a look below:

Oil Pressure Isn’t Constant

If you drive an automobile with the correct oil pump gauge which tracks the actual pressure, you will notice that the amount of pressure in the car engine will never stay the same. Just keep in mind that it is not the flaw of the design. The engine which is idling doesn't need as much pressure to keep all of its moving parts lubricated as one that runs at a much higher speed.

The direct correlation between the oil pressure and the speed of the engine can be associated with the oil pump design itself. These devices are then linked to the crankshaft of the car engine so that it can get the drive which is required to function, which is working at half crank speed. The amount of pressure produced is a function of the engine speed itself.

Each Design Is Different

There are a lot of engines that run a wet sump oiling system, which means that the bottom of the engine’s rotating constituents pass through the oil pan and throw lubricant up onto the cylinders as it spins. The oil pump pushes the oil to the top of the motor.

There are a lot of pump designs, but each of them centers on the concept of a set of gears or rotors, which pressurizes the oil by forcing it against the housing where the rotation of the gears and rotor takes place. The gear pumps are an older design, while the rotors which are specifically eccentric rotor designs, comprise two rotors which features more lobes on one side than the other. They are common in a lot of the latest vehicles.

There are some designs which use the sliding vanes on a rotor, as well as dry sump oiling systems which eliminate the oil pan fully and then rely on a pair of oil pumps so that the entire rotating assembly can be lubricated.

The oil is pushed through each type of the pump through the engine’s oil filter, and then up through the motor to the top, where it again drips back down again into the oil pan. There are pressure valves that open to make sure that the oil does not go above a particular psi which can damage the internal constituents.

There are various pump designs in the latest vehicles, but it is an important component to make your car’s engine function in the right manner.

What Are The Symptoms Of Bad Oil Pump & Engine Block?

Have a look at some symptoms of faulty oil pump and engine block:

Oil Pump

  1. Low Oil Pressure - It is an oil pump which pressurizes the engine oil and pumps it through the automobile’s engine. An oil pump which is faulty loses its ability to adequately pressurize and pump engine oil, therefore resulting in low pressure of the engine oil.
  2. Increased Temperature - If the flow of engine oil is adequate, then it helps in keeping the car engine functioning temperature down by decreasing the engine friction. The defective oil pump leads to a rise in the engine working temperature which restricts the normal flow of the engine oil, decreasing the engine oil lubrication and raising the engine friction, leading to an increase in the engine working temperature.
  3. Noisy Hydraulic Lifters - An essential valve-train component is the engine's hydraulic lifters that require an enough amount of oil lubrication to function properly as well as quietly. If there is a reduction in the oil flow and pressure, caused by the faulty oil pump, then it would decrease the oil flow to the engine's hydraulic lifters. This would further lead to the hydraulic lifter noise and wear.
  4. Valve-Train Chatter - An engine's valve-train system includes pushrods, valve guides, and seals. It needs enough amounts of oil flow and lubrication so that it can function properly as well as quietly. The defective oil pump makes the engine's valve train becoming noisy by decreasing oil flow to the entire valve-train system.
  5. Oil Pump Noise - There can be some rare cases when the oil pump starts making noise, which can be a loud whining or whirring sound which can be heard when the automobile is idling.

Engine Block

  1. Antifreeze in Oil - If there is a cracked engine block, then it might allow the car engine oil to mix with circulating antifreeze, and the opposite scenario can start taking place: the antifreeze can start mixing up with the circulating engine oil.
  2. Low Engine Compression - The result of engine combustion is the engine compression. It is housed within the engine cylinders. They are within the main engine block. Now if the engine block gets cracked, it will cause the low engine compression.
  3. Engine Smoke - The automobiles which have cracked engine blocks have to face engine smoke.
  4. Visual Crack in Block - A lot of times, while doing a routine check-up of your vehicle engine, you might find a cracked engine block.
  5. Engine Overheating - The overheating of the car engine can start taking place if a cracked engine block is severe enough to allow engine antifreeze to leak out of the engine. This causes a rise in the engine temperature leading to overheating.

Which Tools Do I Need To Repair My Car Oil Pump & Engine Block?

Do you want to repair your car oil pump & engine block? If yes, then you surely need some tools to meet the demand of your car body structures. There is no need to worry as we are here to help you out. Have a look at the tools below which you will need while repairing your car oil pump & engine block.

Oil Pump:

  • Set of hand tools
  • A gasket scraper
  • An oil drip pan
  • A car jack and jack stand
  • A new oil filter and new oil
  • The correct oil pump for your particular vehicle
  • A new gasket

Engine Block:

  • A complete set of hand tools
  • A gasket scraper
  • Piston ring compressor
  • Torque wrench
  • Engine brushes

Which Top Brands Oil Pump & Engine Block Parts Should I Choose?

Searching for a specific brand for your car oil pump & engine block? In that case, you have arrived at the correct place. Have a look below at some of the best brands:

  • Elgin Oil Pump & Engine Block
  • Blue Streak (Hygrade Motor) Oil Pump & Engine Block
  • Pioneer Oil Pump & Engine Block
  • Dorman/Autograde Oil Pump & Engine Block
  • Melling Oil Pump & Engine Block
  • Mr. Gasket Oil Pump & Engine Block
  • Sealed Power Oil Pump & Engine Block

Which Parts Are Related To My Car Oil Pump & Engine Block?

We believe that an investment in knowledge pays the best interest. So why not learn more about the associated parts of the car oil pump & engine block? 

What Is The Repairing Cost Of My Car Oil Pump & Engine Block?

Failure in the car oil pump & engine block comes in a lot of forms. But take note it is not an inexpensive repair. Sometimes in the end you might find out that there is a need of complete car oil pump & engine block replacement. There is no fast and hard number how much a car oil pump & engine block replacement would cost as it depends upon a lot of factors like the brand, make, model and the mechanic who is going to repair/replace it. The Oil Pump & Engine Block replacement cost depends largely upon the type of automobile, brand, as well as various other factors. If you want to substitute your oil pump, then it would range between $300 to $600.

What Are The Steps Of Changing My Car Oil Pump & Engine Block?

Have a look at the following steps to change your car oil pump & engine block:

Oil Pump:

Step 1

Search for a dry and clean area. It would be the best if you want to do the work indoors, like a garage. Keep in mind that the area should be spotless and dry.

Step 2

Then the vehicle should be secured with a jack and stand. The jack should be placed under the axles to get the automobile off the ground, and then it should be secured with the jack stands.

Step 3

The oil drip pan should be positioned and then the bolts should be removed.

Step 4

Then the old oil pump should be replaced. It is situated in the back of the motor and then there is a pickup tube and filter to pull oil out of the pan and into the pump.

Step 5

Then the oil pan should be sealed, and it should be reinstalled.

Step 6

Now you have successfully changed the oil pump of your automobile and the needed car engine repairs have been performed.

Engine Block:

Step 1

Before starting, thoroughly research the removal and rebuild procedures for your particular vehicle and engine block and gather all the necessary tools for the job.

Step 2

Then raise the front of the vehicle off the ground, and lower it onto jack stands. Then set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks underneath the rear wheels. Fender covers should be placed on both fenders and then you should proceed to drain the engine's oil and coolant into your drain pans.

Step 3

Now when the fluids are draining, proceed to removing any of the car engine's plastic covers, and any air intake tubes or filter housings that need to be removed before the car engine block can come out. Then the radiator should be removed from the vehicle.

Step 4

After that car battery should be disconnected, and then all of the engine's various harnesses as well as connectors. After that exhaust manifolds and starter should be removed. Then you should remove your car air compressor and belts. Proceed to unbolting car engine from the transmission bell housing.

Step 5

Then position your engine hoist over the car engine block, and attach the chains to the engine in a safe and secure manner. Unblock the engine mount from the motor mounts. The engine block should then be carefully lifted out of the car.

Step 6

When the engine block is removed, place it on an engine stand. Position the hoist over your engine stand and secure the engine to the stand using nuts, bolts and washers.

Step 7

Once the engine block is mounted, you should remove all belts and accessories if they have not been removed already. Now once the engine block is bare, proceed to remove the intake manifold, oil pan, timing cover, flexplate or flywheel, rear engine cover, and valve covers from the car engine. Remove the rocker arms pushrods and cylinder head. After that timing chain and camshaft should be removed. Then it is time to clean tops of each cylinder.

Step 8

The next step is to prepare the engine block and components for reassembly. All the removed components should be cleaned properly. Prepare the engine block and heads for reassembly by thoroughly cleaning them. Check the cylinder walls for any signs of scratching or scoring. After that the cylinder walls should be inspected. Proceed to remove and replace each of the engine's freeze plugs. New piston rings and camshaft bearings should be installed.

Step 9

Reinstall the main bearings, crankshaft, and then the caps. Then you are ready to install pistons. A camshaft should then be installed. Then it is time to install the timing components, the cam, crank sprockets and timing chain. Then the crankshaft should be inspected. Make sure to install the oil pan. Start to assemble the engine block top end.

Step 10

Now its time to reinstall engine block into vehicle. Mount the engine block back onto your hoist.

Buying Guides & Articles on Auto Parts

Articles and Guides written by auto parts experts to ensure you have all the required knowledge to make the correct purchase here at Parts Avatar.

Read all Guides & Articles
FAQ

The ability to properly pump oil into your system will be lost if your oil pump breaks down. Low oil pressure will potentially further damage the vehicle.

Your oil pump is a critical component of your vehicle's engine output, and its failure can cause serious damage to your vehicle. Oil is sucked from your oil pan and pumped into your oil filter onto the bearings by an engine oil pump.

The oil pressure will drop if the oil pump fails. The low oil pressure warning light on your dashboard will illuminate as the first sign of low oil pressure. When this occurs, check the oil level to see where it is. If the oil level is too low, add more oil until it is back to normal.

Oil won't be able to lubricate the engine components if the filter is so clogged that it can't get through. This can create friction between moving parts, resulting in heat generation. You can also hear metallic sounds.

While you and a mechanic won't be able to directly test the pump, you can check your oil pressure to see if there's an underlying issue. You may be able to see or hear signs that your pump isn't functioning properly.

To clean the screen, bend and insert a piece of piano wire through the oil drain opening, then scrub the bottom of the screen. Then pour in around a quart of parts cleaner and leave it to soak overnight before draining. Since the screen is near the bottom of the pan, you won't need much cleaner.

persona image
John Framigllia
Technical Writer
Our technical writer is known for simplifying automotive parts and services. Intuitive with various vehicles and manufacturers, he knows how to simplify complicated problems.