87 Power Ram

[85Ram50]

What drives the oil pump on this veh? I have no motor info. The description is this "But the other day the chain for the oil pump sounded like it broke. I haven't had time to check it out. It will start and drive..."

The guy is selling it so I wanted to know what kind of work it would be to diagnose and deal with the issue described if I grabbed it.

Thanks

[DroppedMitsu]

If its the g63b 2.0 then the timing belt drives it, if its the g54b 2.6l then I think the timing chain drives the pump.

[85Ram50]

Thank you. He says he bought a chain for it so I figure it must be the 2.6 He's tired of the project or found out something he no want to fix :)

[85Ram50]

New Questions. Its the 2.6. He said he got it and the balance shaft went out?? I should have asked more about that. Anyway He got another motor and he took the balance shaft out of it and put it in the Power Ram. Apparently there are 3 separate chains?? It worked fine after that. Since then it made a noise and he lost oil pressure when he started it and thinks he heard a chain flopping. So he figures the chain broke. He was going to rebuild the other motor and tore it down some but now he's quit.
Where is the oil pressure sensor on this motor? Can this motor balance shaft be altered in the method that removes the need for the balancer chain? I've never read up on it but I have seen claims that there is a fix to remove the balance shaft.
I'm going to look at it now I'll start it and listen.

[85Ram50]

I've seen it. He had to jump it to get it running. I missed that it is 4wd. I heard the rattle he thinks is the chain it was quiet under the noise of the motor which sounds like it is as old as it is. The ODO is 276000. Its got a Pontiac throttle Body Injected throttle body on it installed by the previous owner. !? Has a CB radio and antenna. He says the other motor he has has its carburetor with it. Its all over his garage with a lot of other stuff on it. I didn't think of it until now but IDK how the gas is pumped but the fittings on the throttle body for thew two hoses going in were pressure fittings like you would have on power steering.
There was a lot of shiny oily surface on the frame under the front of the motor. Looks like the EGR was cut off and I could not see where it was meant to go. The opening for the little hose that connects from the exhaust to the intake on the air cleaner is open and the air cleaner doesn't have the hose that connects it to the grill.
The body is beat and it looks like its meant to be the hunting rig he wanted it for. The oil gauge he had on it is after market on top of the the dash to the left side of the driver. Its got a lot of neat stuff but nothing to get excited about unless you need the parts not involved in appearance.
So IDK if I want to mess with it unless that balancer shaft can be eliminated and the other motor can be built. tag on the firewall said G54B. Edit-He also has the factory service manual

[pennyman1]

don't run it long without oil - it will lock up quickly. I bought a conquest parts car that the motor was rebuilt, but the chain on the lower balance shaft for the oil pump came off - locked it right up.

[85Ram50]

It has oil low on the dip stick. Do you know if I need to have the balancer shaft in this one? I'm not sure which chain is supposed to turn the oil pump.
EDIT- Well I read some about the balancer and as long as it seems doable for me I will go ahead and install the chain since he bought it. My real intent here is to get this thing running and sell it off to hopefully pay for rebuilding the other motor and put in my 85.

[geezer101]

It has oil low on the dip stick.

I think pennyman meant don't run the engine without oil pressure. If the pump sprocket has sheared or some other catastrophic shaft failure has occurred, it won't matter how much oil is in the sump if the oil pump can't circulate it. If the engine hasn't seized, worst case scenario you might be facing is a replacement shaft and pump assembly. Not cheap.

[pennyman1]

That is what I meant - pull the timing cover to see what it wrong before you fire it. crank over the motor with a breaker bar before you pull the timing cover to make sure the motor isn't already seized.

[85Ram50]

He started it and it idled fine after a jump. Apparently the sound he heard and pressure drop happened while he was driving to the store and he just turned around and drove home. How bad is the replacement shaft job?
I'm going to look for the manual info on here.
Thanks

[85Ram50]

So Geez can you describe the process if the worst case scenario has taken place. Start with how I would diagnose it please.

[geezer101]

I think you will be safe as far as a shaft failure is concerned. If you are going to experience a failure it will be a chain/guide. The oil pumps in these are robust gadgets as well. I am not the guy to ask about the 2.6, there are far more qualified members that would have a better idea on how to diagnose a pump/shaft failure.

[85Ram50]

thanks. I half think the sending unit is bad but the guy doesn't think so. It may not be reading because the oil is so low. I didn't think to look at the coolant but the oil on the stick seemed normal. I'll post in 2nd gen and ask about how hard this is for a noob

[85Ram50]

I moved this discussion here http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/showthread.php/6163-Looking-at-87-4x4?p=53496#post53496