Anyone have experience with 318 engine oil pump drive. I am a ford engine guy but my wifes Grand Cherokee(96) was losing oil pressure, when I drove it last it would lose pressure when you tried to accelerate. So I dropped the oil pan and replaced the pump, while I had it down I went ahead and replaced rod and main bearings, seemed like a good idea since it had been starved for oil a few times. When I got the pump pickup off it was, as I suspected, plugged up completely with carbon deposits. Put it back together and now has no oil pressure at all. My question is could the oil pump drive be stripped at the top end. I checked the bottom end it was good. I am not familiar with the design chrysler uses on top. I would rather not drop the pan again if I dont have to. anyone know if you can pull the drive out through the distributor hole.

sure it's not actually getting pressure, you didn't disconnect the oil pressure sensor by chance? Sure the pump you replaced works? Installed many a bad parts in my day. Where di you get the new pump? Autozone?

Found it. Decided to pull the pan back down and check it. The pump is broken where the drive engages into it. Apparently, you have to be sure it is correctly aligned with the shaft when you tighten the bolts. small block mopars have enough play to get misaligned and split out the hex hole. A very rookie mistake on my part not to double check. God I hate workin on stuff that I'm not familiar with. It really helps to research these little details before you start something. I think its time to trade off the cherokee for an old ford that I know most of those details. :mad3:

No, just live and learn bro. Got it fixed, keep on keeping on...

Yeah, I was just havin a bad week. Both my wife's jeep and my P.O.S. broke down in the same day. Good thing I'm not working so I had time to fix them. Things are startin to look better now though. It is finally starting to warm up, maybe I can get my CJ out of the snow drift it has been in all winter and get started on that engine conversion.:D