broken oil pump photos

So, I experienced the dreaded oil pump breakage. Curious as to whether or not they all break in the same spot.??
Mine broke right at the base - 3 pieces. A mounting bolt in a piece on each side, the center broke out.

BLES wrote:I experienced the dreaded oil pump breakage. Curious as to whether or not they all break in the same spot.??
Mine broke right at the base - 3 pieces. A mounting bolt in a piece on each side, the center broke out.

Most people would be surprised to learn how often this is really due to the engine builder (who is none-the-wiser) and not the oil pump.

Perhaps a more productive question might be, "my oil pump broke--what are the best ways to set them up for high performance use so as to diminish the possibility of this happening?"

Thanks for your reply. I was hoping to learn some of the cause of this from past failures. But, yes, you have likely worded what I was wondering much more effectively. I would like to learn "the best ways to set them up for high performance use so as to diminish the possibility of this happening".

I have been racing bbf engines since the mid 1990's and never broken an oil pump but a good friend would break them often. I never use the gasket under the pump and always use a file to get the base of the pump flat and the pad where it mounts on the block flat and smooth also. I do NOT know if this is what helps or I just had good luck with stock pumps. I now have an aluminum Kaase pump.

So what is the formula?

Just as additional info for those who are also trying to learn. This is a rear sump in an '83 F100 with about 250 miles on the engine (502ci, Scat, AFR heads, 11:1). When I pulled it apart, it was broken, with no APPARENT stress on the mounting from the pickup. It DID have a gasket between pump and block. Standard Melling pump.

Update: I didn't want to move the engine to make room for a modified the pan to clear the larger Kaase pump. I spoke to Paul Kane and he was very helpful and courteous. I am going to address some of the potential breakage problems before installing a new pump. Thanks for all the advice.

Ive never broken a pump. Ive been using the same pump since 1997 on my street strip motor. Front sump. Gasket with stock bolts, no support. Its been on two different blocks.

BLES. Can you share what you learned of potential break issues?

tbirdmike wrote: BLES.    Can you share what you learned of potential break issues?

Well, I'm certainly no expert, and I'm not sure the experts agree anyway, but....

- Many stock and modified go MANY, MANY miles without problem.
- Some may be in very abusive environments that contribute to breaking.
- Some have been changed and may have been incorrectly mounted causing strain on the housing when the pickup was mounted.
- Some apparently are not flat at the mating surface to the block (and sometimes the block isn't perfect either).
- Some people blame the gasket or lack thereof.

It would seem the Kaase pump would cover any of these issues and be good insurance. It wouldn't fit my pan/crossmember without modification, so I decided to TRY something different.

My new pump will be checked and mounted VERY carefully, including the pickup and attaching point so as to not stress the pump. Not going to just grab the pump from the box and torque it down! I'm hoping for better results.

I didn't assemble the one that broke so I can't comment as to the procedure. I could find no OBVIOUS reason why it broke.
Hopefully the new setup works and runs a long time like the millions out there that HAVE NOT broke.

Paul Kane was extremely courteous and helpful and has a wealth of oiling system knowledge. He would also encourage careful assembly and checks to ensure good results.

So where are the pictures of the broken pump?

No one replied with pictures and I can't get mine to attach. It broke right at the base just inside the two mounting bolts. The two bolts remain in the block and the oil pump falls down toward the pan.

A friend of mine used to install a very thin copper tube inside the pump body for just in case that very thing happens. I don't think he ever had a pump body break, but this was before Kaase pumps, and billit pumps, etc...
If the pump body broke, the tube would keep both halves connected and there would be no oil pressure loss...or very little.