Need Help replacing oil pump 03 windstar

[jrdodgerfan]

I took my 03 in for an oil change (didn't feel like doing it myself) & the guy told me that I had a leak at the oil pump. Now my chiltons doesnt really give a great picture of the location & what needs to be done can anyone help please? Thanks

[wiswind]

As I understand it......the oil pump is mounted on the front cover.....the flang that the oil filter mounts to is connected to the oil pump.
This is the first post that I have seen that stated that the oil pump was leaking......not that it cannot happen.....just not common.
There are others on this forum that have FAR more knowlege on this than I do.

What IS common is the front cover gasket (aka timing cover gasket) leaking....although that is normally coolant leaking....but I can see how oil could leak also.

Of course the real common leak would be at the oil filter gasket mating surface.

All 3 of these things (front cover gasket, oil filter gasket, oil pump) are all so close to each other.......I would be challenged to determine what was leaking .

[jrdodgerfan]

Thank you for your reply I will check out the filter gasket.

[phil-l]

While I haven't done this on a Windstar, I did remove and re-mount the front cover on a '96 Mustang 3.8, which uses the same 3.8 engine design in a RWD configuration.

The name "front cover" is a bit misleading: It's a casting that combines the functions of:

- timing chain cover
- water pump mount (and supplying associated coolant passages)
- oil pump mount (and associated oil passages)
- oil filter mount
- cam position sensor mount (which would have been the distributor mount location in pre-coilpack days)
- crankshaft position sensor mount
- front main seal mount

The front cover is the casting in the lower-left of this photo:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...56340866ObDdbH

Quick background: The Mustang belonged to a friend, and ended up in a shop that botched a repair, claiming he needed a new engine. He couldn't afford it, and was ready to junk the car. In a fit of inspired insanity, I had the car towed to my house - and reassembled it after lots of research. Thankfully, my guesses as to what the shop did wrong worked out: The car ran like a champ after I was done.

The one big difference between this job on a Mustang 3.8 and a Windstar: The Windstar is FWD, so access space is *VERY* tight.

It is my understanding (those who have done it, please chime in) that replacing a water pump on a Windstar requires unbolting the engine mounts and moving the engine slightly to gain access space. Given what I learned on the Mustang, and what I've seen on this board, I can't recommend a do-it-yourselfer tackle removing the front cover unless you've got a lot of experience, a well-equipped toolbox, are willing to work through some mistakes, and have a good bit of spare time.

ONE CAVEAT TO THE ABOVE: If you zoom into the picture I linked (view it at full size), you'll see that the oil filter mount is really a separate casting that's bolted to the front cover. If that's where you're seeing a leak, it *MIGHT* be possible to remove this casting and replace the gasket without removing the front cover. This is purely a guess on my part, but it's about the only oil leak scenario (well - that isn't just the oil filter gasket itself, as wiswind mentioned above) I can come up with that doesn't involve removing the front cover.

Of course, note that all of the above is based on my knowledge of my '00 Windstar (on which I haven't had to touch the front cover) and a '96 Mustang 3.8 (whose engine is very similar *BUT NOT THE SAME* as a 3.8 Windstar). Your mileage may vary.

[jrdodgerfan]

Thanks Phil & wiswind, I appeciate any & all info I can get.

[tartersauce]

Originally Posted by jrdodgerfan

Thanks Phil & wiswind, I appeciate any & all info I can get.

Not common at all.. Clean everything down, and run it hot 20 30 miles, then looks around.. Remember higher speeds spray oil everywher..

Front cover or oil pan gasket, crank seal more common.. Check up high at the valve cover as hot oil runs like water..

[jrdodgerfan]

Thanks alot Tartarsauce, much appreciated.

[jrdodgerfan]

So while I was changing the brake pads I found the leak but I am not sure what the part is. The Haynes manual doesnt help me any. It is on the passenger side and looks to be an aluminum part & sits directly behind the oil filter. If anyone can help it would be great. Thanks