You probably don’t often think about your vehicle’s oil pump. But when it begins to fail, it’s one of the most important things you’ll need to replace.
But how do you know your oil pump is failing and how much should you expect to pay to replace it? This guide will dissect everything you need to know about this component. First, let’s jump start this vehicle by looking over the short list of important indicators relating to oil pumps.
Symptoms Of A Bad Oil Pump
The most common symptom of a failing oil pump is low oil pressure warning light on your dashboard. You may have already noticed that your engine is louder than typical as well. This can be heard when opening your hood at idle and listening for any metallic noises.
These symptoms aren’t many, as you probably noticed, but the symptoms that exist can be pretty strong indicators.
Here is a more detailed list of signs of a bad or failing oil pump. Pay attention to these:
#1. Low Oil Pressure/Oil Pressure Warning Light.
The oil pump pressurizes the oil system and, as it begins to fail, it makes sense that your vehicle will have low oil pressure.
It’s unlikely that your oil pump will fail completely, so you may have low oil pressure, not no oil pressure.
If your engine does not have an oil pressure gauge, it should have an oil pressure warning light that indicator. When this light turns on, you need to stop driving immediately! Low oil pressure can cause engine problems, and it could cost thousands of dollars to repair.
You should not drive your vehicle until you fix the reason for low oil pressure, even if it is to the mechanic. Have your vehicle towed.
#2. Increased Engine Temperature.
If the oil pump in your car isn’t circulating oil through the engine as it should, the first thing you’ll notice is the temperature of your engine spiking.
While there should be more symptoms along with this, such as noise in the engine or an oil pressure warning light or something to that effect, a bad oil pump will cause your engine to overheat, if you keep driving.
#3. Engine Noises.
If the oil pump fails, there are many parts of your engine that could be making noises. One of the more common places you will hear noise from the oil pump, but it is still not uncommon to hear valve train noise.
The reason for this is that the valve train uses oil to keep everything lubricated, and they will most certainly make metal-to-metal contact when there is no oil. Not only will this cause damage very quickly, it will also create terrible noises.
#4. The Vehicle Won’t Start.
Many modern vehicles have a low oil pressure switch connected directly to the ignition. If this switch sees the oil pump is not operating correctly, it can prevent your engine from starting at all!
This is designed to protect the engine while you are researching what is the problem with your vehicle.
This is meant to keep you from killing your engine because many drivers want to limp their vehicle to the shop if it has a problem, and low oil pressure can mean thousands of dollars of engine repair.
However, the low oil pressure switch that prevents the engine from starting, and other safety switches, is found almost exclusively on newer vehicles, so if you drive something older, you will need to use other methods of protection.
If you have been driving the vehicle with low oil pressure long enough to make the engine stop, and it won’t crank at all now, you likely have some major issues and may need to replace the engine.
Oil Pump Function
Though motor oil has several functions, the purpose of the oil pump is a little more straightforward – it takes oil from the oil pan and pushes it around the engine. By pushing oil around the engine, the oil pump helps build pressure and allows the oil to do its job.
Almost all oil pumps are crankshaft-driven, so as soon as you start the engine, the oil pump should run.
Oil Pump Location
Usually, your vehicle’s oil pump is situated in the oil pan. The oil pump is usually located in the upper part of the pan and uses a pickup tube to take oil out of the pan and move it throughout the engine.
However, in some engines, it can be located near the top of the crankshaft at the front of the engine instead of in the oil pan. Unfortunately, if the oil pump is in that location, the only way to exchange it is to drop the oil pan, and this will take longer and be more complicated.
To make matters worse, you’ll often need to take the front main cover off on many vehicles, and, as a result, you’ll need to remove and reinstall a ton of parts in the process.
Oil Pump Replacement Cost
On average, you can expect to pay an oil pump replacement cost of $300 to $2500, characterized by labor cost more than every other component. Parts can range anywhere from $50 to $150 for the oil pump above. You’ll also be replacing the oil pan gasket as well as almost certainly needing a new front main gasket too.
Depending on how the manufacturer designed the front main, you may also end up replacing all gaskets of the entire upper-end rebuild. No matter your situation whatsoever, you’re going to drop another $150-$200 in gaskets if you replace anything in addition to your pump.
Then you’ll need new oil, a filter, and depending how you removed the front main, you could end up needing to add new coolant as well. Altogether, that’s another $100-$150 in fluids.
Finally, there’s the labor. This will vary, considering the number of components to remove are different with vehicle to vehicle. In the end, it’ll take a mechanic anywhere from 4 to 8 hours to complete the work so take that as anywhere from $200 to $800.
Just remember, the more labor intensive, the more you save doing it yourself but it’s also that much more of a headache.
What does a bad oil pump sound like?
Most of the time, a bad oil pump is not going to create noise from the oil pump itself, although it most times will cause a drop in oil pressure.
This drop in oil pressure will create more noise from the engine compartment than you are used to, and if you hear a metallic sound from the engine you should turn the engine off and have it fixed as soon as possible.
Can you drive with a bad oil pump?
No. Driving with a bad oil pump can cause the engine to seize, destroying your engine. A bad oil pump can cause low oil pressure, which is catastrophic to a car engine both in the short and long term.
How do you check a car oil pump?
The easiest way to check for the operation of a car oil pump is to connect a manual oil pressure gauge and check the oil pressure.
Getting to the oil pump for a visual inspection is often quite a project, so oil pressure should be adequate in most cases.
Will a bad oil pump make a banging noise?
Yes. A bad oil pump will cause oil pressure to drop, which can cause engine noise. If you are hearing banging noise from a bad oil pump, chances are more likely you are hearing rod knocks, which could be an expensive repair bill.
Therefore, you should never run an engine with a bad oil pump.