Wednesday, December 16, 2009

What is the level of difficulty in installing an oil pump in a 1999 Cavalier?

I'm leaking oil when the motor runs and we can't pinpoint from where. It stops leaking when the motor is off, thinking maybe the oil pump is damaged. We just replaced a broken serpentine belt.What is the level of difficulty in installing an oil pump in a 1999 Cavalier?
Its not your oil pump. If it leaking onto the serpentine belt it could be coming from the timing cover, valve cover, or oil pan. The best way to find where it is coming from is get the UV dye for oil and put it in the oil and use a the UV light to locate the leak then fix it.What is the level of difficulty in installing an oil pump in a 1999 Cavalier?
You'll have to loosen the engine mounts and jack the engine up from above with a hoist, drop the oil pan, and the pump will be inside the engine from there.





It is not an easy, or fun job. In a FWD car like that, you may have to remove the engine from the transmission as well, and basically pull the entire thing. We did in my brother's Dakota, in fact. It is a difficult job, and requires considerable skill and knowledge.





A broken drive belt won't damage the oil pump, because it's driven off the crankshaft. In fact, I don't believe a damage oil pump will cause an external leak at all. You could have either the front or rear engine seals, timing cover, valve cover, oil filter, or oil pan gasket leaking.





First thing to do is clean the engine thoroughly. Place cardboard under it when you park it, and check it daily. Try to determine where the leak is coming from.





Second, are you certain it's a leak, and the engine isn't burning oil? If I'm not mistaken, that year had the old GM Iron Duke-based 4 cylinders, prior to the EcoTech series of engines. Those are known for burning oil. There, it could be the piston rings or valve seats and seals gone bad. Is there blue smoke coming from the tail pipe?





If your oil pump was bad, you would know it very quickly. You'd also need a new engine. So before going and doing very difficult (and probably expensive) work, make sure that's what is wrong. Get a trusted friend to look at it, or failing that, take it to a trusted shop for diagnosis. I personally hate shops and rarely trust my cars to one, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
the pump is inside the oil pan on the bottom of the engine. It is difficult to get to as you need to lift or pulkl the engine. That being said the pump is not causing your leak. You need to wash the engine and find the spot where the new shiny oil leak is. Most likely a rear main seal or something like that.have a mechanic look at it.
Most cars will over heat do to a bad oil pump. Oil pan gasket or rear main seal. Hope this helps!
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