Install Tips and Review on DIESELSITE High Volume Low Pressure Oil Pum

Install Tips and Review on DIESELSITE High Volume Low Pressure Oil Pump - HV LPOP

SUBMITTED BY BILL COHRON - POWER HUNGRY PERFORMANCE www.powerhungryperformance.com It's been 10 months and almost 6000 miles since I installed a "beta" HV-LPOP in my 2001 7.3L truck. After I installed it I INSTANTLY improved my oil pressure a minimum of 10 psi across the board and I am still just as pleased with it now as I was when I installed it. Installation was so simple that even the average "shade-tree" mechanic could do it. Removal was easy. I started by removing the fan clutch and shroud to have unrestricted access to the harmonic balancer. I then removed the serpentine accessory belt. (You might want to consider replacing the belt at this time, since you're already there.) Using a breaker bar and socket, I then removed the center balancer bolt. If you have access to air tools, an impact driver would make this job a little easier. With the bolt out of the way, I installed the balancer puller using the 3 bolts provided. (If you don't have one, you can rent one from many auto parts or tool rental stores.) With the balancer removed, you will have clear access to the 4 LPOP mounting bolts. Remove these bolts and then lightly tap the pump housing with a hammer to dislodge the pump from the alignment dowels. Make sure to have a catch pan underneath as some oil will drain back from the output port of the timing cover. Preparation for the new pump is important. Make sure the area around the crankshaft snout is free from dirt or debris. You may want to use a piece of Scotch-Brite pad to lightly polish the timing cover by hand. Remember, this part of the timing cover is the back of the LPOP system. DO NOT use a high speed grinder and Scotch-Brite discs, as this will cause uneven spots in the cover and can affect pump efficiency, cause cavitation, and possibly even cause premature pump failure. With the mating surface prepared, wipe with a clean, lint-free cloth. Now you'll want to focus on the balancer. Make sure that the inside of the balancer is clean and free of debris and old silicone sealant. Use a small screwdriver to dislodge any large chunks of silicone, followed by a piece of Scotch-Brite to polish the inside. Check the outside of the balancer snout for signs of excessive wear on the seal surface. If the grove is small, the surface can often be polished by hand with a piece of Scotch-Brite to help smooth down the groove. DO NOT try to completely remove the grove, just smooth it down. If the groove is excessive, the seal ring on the balancer must be replaced or the new front seal on the pump may become damaged and leak. Since the seal ring is pressed onto the balancer, you will need to consult a local machine shop or other properly equipped repair facility for replacement. Assuming the ring is in reasonable shape, wipe both the inside and outside of the balancer snout with a clean, lint-free cloth. Now would also be a good time to clean the fan assembly and clutch from dirt and debris. Use a little Mean Green or other degreaser to help remove the caked on dirt and oil and the rinse throughly. Reinstallation is simple. With the pump seal facing down, lubricate the pump gears with 1-2 ounces of clean engine oil and then spin the gears by hand. This will help "prime" the pump and also prevent galling of the gears and housing during initial startup. Once lubricated, make sure the front seal has a thin layer of oil on it and that the sealing O-ring in in place in the back of the housing. This is a large, square-cut rubber O-ring. The oil used to lubricate the pump gears should be more than sufficient to hold the O-ring in place during installation. Do not use any sealant on this O-ring as the sealant could be forced into the pump gears during installation. When installing the oil pump, note that there are 2 "flats" on the inner gear. They will mate with the corresponding "flats" on the crankshaft. Position the gear appropriately and then slide the assembly onto the crankshaft. Rotate the pump housing to align the 2 dowel pins with the corresponding alignment holes in the pump housing. Once aligned, make sure that the rear sealing O-ring is still in place and the press the housing onto the pins. You may need to LIGHTLY tap the housing with a hammer to set in place. Reinstall the 4 LPOP mounting bolts and tighten to 15 Ft./Lbs. At this point, you'll want to apply a small bead of silicone around the inside of the balancer snout (where the crankshaft fits) about 1" in from the engine side. Allow the silicone a few minutes to start setting up and then reinstall the harmonic balancer, taking care to properly align the keyway with the Woodruff key in the crankshaft. Some balancer removal kits will also come with the necessary hardware to reinstall the balancer. If yours doesn't, then you may need to use a hammer to tap the balancer in place until the balancer bolt will thread in enough to pull the balancer on. DO NOT tap directly on the balancer, and especially DO NOT tap on the outer ring of the balancer. Use a small piece of wood cut down to fit inside the balancer ring and tap against the wood to drive the balancer on. Once the balancer has been pressed on about ½" to ¾", you should be able to start the balancer bolt. Make sure you have at least 3 to 4 threads started before attempting to pull the balancer on with the bolt. Failure to do so will damage the threads in the crankshaft. Tighten the balancer bolt and once the balancer is fully seated, torque to 212 Ft./Lbs. WARNING: DO NOT USE THREADLOCKER (Loctite) on the balancer bolt threads. Use only light oil (3 in 1, Marvel's Mystery Oil, or transmission fluid). Reinstall the accessory belt, the fan, and the shroud and you're done. This whole process should take about 1½ to 2 hours to complete for the average person. For experienced folks, it should take less than an hour. Engine cranking should be handled as normal and the oil pressure light should extinguish within the first couple seconds after cranking. The results will be immediate. Here are the before and after results from our installation. Keep in mind that these readings were taken using 5W30 Synthetic oil, not the standard 15W40 that is normally used in the Power Stroke. Oil pressure values would ideally be slightly higher running a heavier oil. Stock Pump: Startup (65º) Idle (680 RPM): 40 psi Hi Idle (1100 RPM): 50 psi Warm (170º): Idle (680 RPM): 20 psi Crusing (2200 RPM): 40 psi Free Rev (3500 RPM): 52 psi HV Pump (After initial install): Startup (65º) Idle (680 RPM): 52 psi Hi Idle (1100 RPM): 65 psi Warm (170º): Idle (680 RPM): 32 psi Crusing (2200 RPM): 55 psi Free Rev (3500 RPM): 70 psi HV Pump (After 6000 miles): Startup (65º) Idle (680 RPM): 51 psi Hi Idle (1100 RPM): 62 psi Warm (170º): Idle (680 RPM): 32 psi Crusing (2200 RPM): 55 psi Free Rev (3500 RPM): 68 psi Yes, this pump is a fair bit more expensive than the average replacement LPOP and it is not going to be for everyone. This pump is designed to provide a significant increase in oil volume for engines that run high-demand HPOP (large single or twin pump) systems, and will be geared more towards the serious enthusiast or racer. However, it is considerably less expensive than converting to a dry-sump setup, and having more volume to feed the critical internals means less bearing wear and improved piston cooling. Since I currently run a stock 17º HPOP with Stage 1 Single Shots, I generally don't have to worry about LPOP supply problems, but the new pump gives me the peace of mind that not only am I adequately supplying the main oil galleries, but when I go to a larger HPOP system I know that I won't be worrying about oil supply issues.