font covers, obsolete ? repairable ?

[Stolen76]

After reading all the stuff here and on other AMC boards about oil mods and cam bearing problems, I figured the 360 was a bad design for lubrication. My wag runs about 18 psi, hot at idle and then 25 is the highest it reaches at 40 mph. From there the gauge goes backwards and psi actually falls as you go faster.

Yesterday I shimmed my relief spring, and that helped a bit. Then I decided to look a little harder. Pump housing is shot, deeply grooved. The crank looks beautiful. Bearings are slightly work, crank has been cut 20/20, and clearances are in the .002 to .003 range. The inside of the engine is very clean, no build up. I put new gears in the pump. My compression runs 168 on all 8.

I think I may be the victim of a bad build by the PO. All that is left is cam bearings, which don't get installed by shadetrees, and this worn out pump housing. My plan is to pull it out and beat in new cam bearings, but if there isn't a repair or replacement for the oil pump housing, is there a point ?

[Crazy_Jeepman]

New front covers are available for around $200.00. I have some used ones that are usable. Some scoring but will be with in spec with new pump rebuild kit.

[andy d]

uhhmn, there is sorta. a new timing cover, or one witha rebuilt pump chamber. either would run around 200$ iirc. chances are, if it is scored that is the source of the low o/p. anyway that is where i would start, because it can be done without taking out the engine and you know it is worn.

[Lindel]

The only way you could "repair" the front cover would be to add metal, then rebore the oil pump housing. Another possiblity would be to "sleeve" the bores, with mild steel. Neither would be cost effective, but sleeving with steel might be a way to have the front covers last almost indefinately.

[Crazy_Jeepman]

There was an outfit that was resleaving used covers, with stainless steel sleaves. They were quite expensive but I would have thought them to be worth it. Now I can not find them anywhere.

[Stolen76]

The bores don't look too bad. With the new gear set, they are in specs. It's the flat surface up in the housing that is trashed. It looks like something had been sucked into the pump, bent the shaft and ground out the housing.

Thanks for the info guys. I'm trying to make it to January. If all goes well, it'll get a 4BT, if all goes bad it'll be getting a 6.2 GM. I run around 350 miles a week so I have another 5,000 to go. It would be great if I had something sellable to help offset costs. I've been around this stuff too long to take a chance on selling junk.