Replacing Front Cover--engine in car

[rsunahar]

I've had oil pressure issues for a couple months now. It's not your average problem. The oil light never comes on. However, when driving, the gauge never gets much past half way--no matter how high I rev the engine.

I was thinking of just replacing the front cover during my next timing belt job.
I looked at the vfaq, and I don't really understand whether the pan has to come off to replace the front cover/oil pump. It looks like I can just crack the oil pump sprocket loose and pull the cover off. Is this right?


Has anyone experienced their gauge not going much past half way?

 

[ADrewzki]

I would suggest dropping the pan. There are 3 or 4 bolts that hold the pan onto the cover as well as rtv gasket material that mitsu uses. If you just put a new cover on, there's a possibility that your pan won't seal correctly at that point and then you'll just have another problem to deal with.

 

[huafist]

The pan has to come off and all sprockets/pullies/accessoris have to come off the front of the block. Oil filter bracket has to come off too if I'm not mistaken (I was disassembling the entire motor anyway, but it looked like it'd have to come off.)
I just now saw that you're doing this with the engine in the car - if so, you're gonna have to fond some way to pop the oil pump cap off the front case (right above the oil pump sprocket) so you can unbolt the balance shaft.

 

[ADrewzki]

Yep. Don't forget the alternator too! That bolt goes through the cover.

 

[rsunahar]

Is it foolish to not do a BS elimination when changing the front cover?

This is sounding less fun with each post.


But I appreciate the replies.

I'm really curious why my oil pressure gauge reads low (middle range) when driving--when everyone on this board seems to have the opposite problem of it being low at idle.

 

[project94tsi]

you might want to delete your balance shafts while your at it

 

[rsunahar]

Well, I need to find time to set aside to do this--seeing as how for one man this could take some time.


I'm just going to put in some 40 weight for now.


But thanks for the replies guys.

If anyone has had this gauge problem, please reply to let me know if it was your pump or a crapped out sensor.