[grnole]

Hey Folks -

Spitting around with some issues I got rolling in here and how I should go about preparing my fixes before my next rover trip.

Going to swap in some 4.10 gears, lockers, and some HD half shafts. Also need to do the swivels as they are spitting grease, but thats not why I am posting this.

I have been wrangling with some steering issues since my last trip. Swapped out a box, pump and lines after I skipped a few splines up in maine at winter romp.

Most recently I noticed clattering coming from what seemed to be the brand new power steering pump... Yea, I opted for a britpart pump (insert cheap remarks) so I can't exactly trust it. I also run an aftermarket oil pressure gauge ... just in case... well all that said the oil pressure gauge started acting erratically at the same time as I noticed the clattering noise, I also at that time, had some battery cable issues. I fixed the battery cable issues, and found that my oil pressure gauge was not running correctly. I did two things, replaced the oil pressure gauge and added a pneumatic gauge to the oil filter sandwich (mostly because im paranoid) and wanted to double check myself.

Well all was running well, the clattering noise oddly went away and oil pressure was also acting normal about 20-30psi at hot idle and 35psi at RPM. Today I took it to my buddies barn so I have more room to pull axles, and in route, I noticed the clattering noise is back and my oil pressure seems to have dropped. Down to 18-20 at hot idle, and 25 at RPM. (confirmed with the pneumatic gauge) I know this is not factory oil pressure light low, but I am still concerned. Maybe the clattering isn't the PS pump?

A friend of mine told me to run the truck without the belt briefly to see if the noise goes away, that would eliminate the PS pump. I need to do that.

Few questions to you guys... what could this be? on the 95 RRC is the oil pump located behind the PS pump? if it went would it make a clattering noise? or am I hypothesizing too much?

 

[95classiclwb]

a 95 runs a serpentine set up, oil pump is driven by the crank, not the cam. if low pressure is your concern the first to knock or tick would be your lifters.
the ps pump always wines, do not use trans fluid but rather p/s for a smoother running pump. other sources of clatter noise, the water pump, loose pulleys, loose or failing tensioner. 18-25 psi at idle hot in summer is fairly good for a 23 yr old engine with at least 100,000 miles.

 

[grnole]

Hey 95classic

Yes - this is not a noise like a lifter tick or knock. Its a clatter, its loud, sounds bad. We were pretty confident it was the britpart PS pump because when doing the long screwdriver or hose ear test, the noise was centralized to the PS pump bracket area. After having a special cookie last night, i suspected the "what if its NOT the PS pump what could it be" and entered the rabbit hole of this post.

Water pump is new, engine cooling is good brand new tensioner, AC compressor and even running a dayco new belt.

I do agree that 20psi at idle is good. It was just concerning that it never exceeded 25psi at RPM, especially when the last time i drove it, it was hitting 35psi.

 

[95classiclwb]

Hey 95classic

Yes - this is not a noise like a lifter tick or knock. Its a clatter, its loud, sounds bad. We were pretty confident it was the britpart PS pump because when doing the long screwdriver or hose ear test, the noise was centralized to the PS pump bracket area. After having a special cookie last night, i suspected the "what if its NOT the PS pump what could it be" and entered the rabbit hole of this post.

Water pump is new, engine cooling is good brand new tensioner, AC compressor and even running a dayco new belt.

I do agree that 20psi at idle is good. It was just concerning that it never exceeded 25psi at RPM, especially when the last time i drove it, it was hitting 35psi.

oh wow you shut down all of my ideas at once lol...I have made the mistake of loose pulley mount bolts, this causes a rattle which drives anyone bananas. just 1/8 of a turn is enough to make noise.

 

[xalt]

Worst case just pull the dizzy, wp and timing cover to see what's going on, also a good time to change the timing chain.

 

[KK88RRC]

Does the crank driven oil pumps have a pressure relief valve?

 

[95classiclwb]

Does the crank driven oil pumps have a pressure relief valve?

yes it does, it is held by a C clip near the oil pressure switch and the upper cooler line on the right side of the engine.
pull the clip, then the piston cap with o ring followed by spring and the last hollowed by pass piston