just changed my oil pan gasket, but the oil leak is from the oil pump. Bought a new oil pump gasket, is there anything I should do to the oil pump since I have it out. Seems to be working fine. Ray in Seattle.....

just changed my oil pan gasket, but the oil leak is from the oil pump. Bought a new oil pump gasket, is there anything I should do to the oil pump since I have it out. Seems to be working fine. Ray in Seattle.....

 

did you get just the gasket for mating to the block? should really put all new O rings in the pump while you have it out... they tend to harden up pretty good, and crack...

just got the gasket, thanks will replace o rings also.

just got the gasket, thanks will replace o rings also.

 

I believe there are 4 o-rings total for the EA81 oil pump, and you should replace them all. You can get a "kit" with all of them from NAPA and some other shops. I think they call it an oil pump rebuild or reseal kit. Two of the o-rings are visible once the pump is removed, but you have to remove a sort of cover plate from the pump to reach the other two (held on by a few screws on the gasket side of the pump). If I remember correctly there's a little ball and spring inside, so disassemble slowly as not to lose anything.

 

My '86 Hatchback had a bad leak from the oil pump that appeared to be coming from the mounting gasket, but it turned out to be coming from the large internal o-ring. I bet that's actually your problem as well.

thanks , i will replace all O rings....

Holy Hannah I'm glad I kept poking around.

 

This boys and girls is why you should search beyond the first page.

 

In a six year old thread, there was something found I hadn't seen before.

 

I'm off to take that old pump apart now and replace the internal o-rings.

 

I know there were some other guys looking for this information so I'm bumping it for their sake. My apologies if that is poor forum etiquette.

 

 

 

Dan

I think I mentioned in your thread that you need to dissasemble the pump and inspect it. That should always include a reseal with new o-rings. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

 

GD

I think I mentioned in your thread that you need to dissasemble the pump and inspect it. That should always include a reseal with new o-rings. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

 

 

GD

 

You did indeed. That was my fault, not yours.

 

Judging by how clean everything else was, and the fact you said you had never seen one of your own damaged that way, I was going to go with it as is.

 

When I pulled the plate off, everything looked great, no scoring on the shaft at all. BUT, the big O-ring was hard as a rock and had two splits in it all the way through.

 

I think I found my oil leak........

 

Thanks for your indulgence GD. I will read and heed next time.

 

Dan

Yeah, I think there are 4 phillips head screws that hold that inner plate in place. WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! Do not strip them! Yep, experience talking. If there're really tight and they don't appear to want to budge soak them a few times over an hour or so with good penetrant. You can try taping them LIGHTLY with the screwdriver on them and a small hammer. WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! Small hammer!!! Don't pound the crap out of them or you'll break the pump housing itself.

 

Also, that little ball and spring are related to the oil pressure. How was yours before you took it off? If it was low get yourself a REAL thin flat washer and install it under the end of the spring opposite the ball. That'll boost your oil pressure a bit for you.

I always just take a small brass punch and hit each of the screws to dislodge them. They usually spin right out after than.

 

GD

Rebump

 

I was just looking to rebuild my oil pump, as my oil pressure has sucked since

I bought the car, and I'm going on a 500+ mile roadtrip in a couple weeks.

 

Thanks to all who posted up the info.

I will definitely be replacing those O-rings as well as the mating gasket.

 

Twitch

Ok, does anybody have the O-ring sizes off hand?

Napa didn't have a rebuild kit available, and that makes me think that

Schmucks/O'reelys won't either.

 

So what exactly are the sizes I'll need for the pump?

 

Twitch

They are metric - I'm not sure what the availibility of metric o-rings is going to be in your area. You need to measure the diameter and cross-section. Should be pretty simple with a digital caliper.

 

NAPA can get the seal kit with the paper gasket and all the o-rings. I've checked into it before. You just need a counter-person that can properly lookup that stuff. Though it was cheaper though the dealer when I checked the price.

 

Your best bet is a dealership frankly. They should be able to order the seal kit and have it in a day or two at most. They are in-stock at all the regional warehouses.

 

GD

Ok, thanks GD.

I was talking to a guy who's been working there for way too long, and he's also

an old school Subaru nut.

He couldn't find anything.

 

Stealership it is.

How much did you pay for your kit?

 

I've got a paper gasket and an O-ring coming for $.99 a piece.

Not quite sure what exactly I'm going to be getting...

 

Twitch

The whole kit is like $8 or so from the dealer IIRC. I think NAPA wanted more like $12 for it.

 

This was a few years ago so perhaps they don't have them anymore. I couldn't find them on the NAPA Online catalog either.

 

I think there is only like 2 other o-rings inside the pump besides the paper gasket and the o-ring around the drive shaft housing that slips into the block. I think there is 4 peices total in the kit.

 

GD

OK, sweet, thanks GD.

I'll be running over to the dealership tomorrow.

 

Also, if I've been dealing with low pressures, will I need to space out that little

ball and spring mechanism?

 

Twitch

Also, if I've been dealing with low pressures, will I need to space out that little

ball and spring mechanism?

 

If you have low pressure then the pump is probably bad internally. Seals will only do so much for it. Last one I resealed rather than replaced outright blew a rod through the block about 5k miles later. I haven't owned an EA81 as a driver since without installing a brand new oil pump. I have two extra brand new pumps on the shelf for just such occasions (when a new one joints the fleet).

 

EA81 pumps have a tendancy to destroy themselves if the oil hasn't been properly maintained. Inspect and take measurements.

 

With a good pump you should see 20 to 25 psi at idle when the engine is at operating temp. Much higher when cold.

 

GD

Edited June 30, 201015 yr by GeneralDisorder

Damn.

Well, with my current pump, I would easily see 75+ psi when cold, and then it would drop accordingly as it warmed up.

But as soon as it would hit operating temp, I would have to rev the engine

then coast, rev then coast to keep my oil pressure above the 0 mark.

It was kinda annoying, but when cold it maintained beautiful pressure.

So that makes me think it is just a really bad leak past the seals.

 

Twitch

Could also be the sending unit for the guage. I would take a reading with a mechanical gauge. Anytime I see wild flucutations or readings of zero while running I double check the gauge since they are known to not be accurate.

 

GD

I agree with that, as I have had issues with it occasionally, but if I engine brake

at say, 3k, it'll maintain an oil pressure of around 40 psi.

And it'll pretty much stay there until I start accelerating again.

Then it slowly drops to 0 or nearly 0.

 

But I don't have access to an accurate oil pressure guage.

So its kinda difficult to check right now.

 

Twitch

Edited July 1, 201015 yr by Twitch de la Brat
Forgot Details

Go to WalMart, etc and get a mechanical gauge for $10.

 

GD

Ok, so I got the O-ring issues solved by going to a hydraulics shop.

They had all the metric O-rings I needed in stock.

It only cost me 5 bucks for all the O-rings required.

Since the parts through the dealer were going to cost about $15, plus

wait time, you're better off bringing an EA81 oil pump to a hydraulics

shop and getting the O-rings there.

 

Now, is there supposed to be something on the end of the spring located

inside the pump?

It seems kinda pointless to have a spring just sitting in there all by itself...

 

And I'll be picking up a mechanical pressure gauge asap.

 

Twitch

Edited July 7, 201015 yr by Twitch de la Brat

There should be a ball-bearing in there that is held to it's seat by the spring....

 

GD

There should be a ball-bearing in there that is held to it's seat by the spring....

 

GD

 

Do you happen to know what size ball bearing?

Because, um, I never saw a ball bearing when I pulled it apart

Could that be part of why I saw funky pressure reading?

 

Twitch

 

EDIT Never mind, I found it.

Is it supposed to ride on the top or the bottom of the casing?

Edited July 7, 201015 yr by Twitch de la Brat

IIRC, it goes in the main body and the small end of the cone shaped spring pushes against it. Thus the large end of the cone spring faces to the plate that screws down to the body..... does that make sense?

 

GD