How hard is doing an IP, really?

[Eric Deslauriers]

I have the dealer quoting me 7 hours labor at $88.50 motorhome rate. Ugh to say the least.

What's an eta for someone with air tools and a first time effort? I've swapped & rebuilt motors, trannies, cams, heads, you name it. Oh, it's in a motorhome and the front of the engine is NOT accessible without yanking the rad and everything in its way.

Lately, tho, I'm a little slow (as my fuel filter saga may indicate).

TIA,

[NH2112]

The air tools won't really come in handy except for removing the intake manifold. You definitely don't want to take a chance of dropping one of the nuts holding the pump drive to the drive gear into the oil pan! Seeing as you have to remove the radiator and everything, 7 hours or so is probably pretty accurate. Just changing the pump on a pickup can take as little as 2 hours if you've done it several times, or as much as 4 if it's the first time.

[gavio]

I just finished that job in my van - it wasn't as bad as I expected, though not exactly easy.

The only thing you have to be able to access from the front is to remove the oil filler to stick a socket in the hole and also perhaps loosen your AC compressor, so it might be possible that you don't have to remove your radiator. The rest can be done from the top of the engine. I must confess, however, that it took me nearly an hour to get that darn oil filler out and another half hour to get it back in.

I can't speak to how long it took me to change the pump as I did a bunch of stuff along the way and I'm really slow. Nevertheless, i can say first hand that it's doable.

The DP R&R guide was quite a help. One thing it doesn't mention is to make sure you don't lose the plunger and spring which fit in the front of the IP shaft and be SURE you put it back in! I had to do the pump twice 'cuz I didn't know. Also, beg, borrow or buy a magnetic extension to do those IP shaft bolts - it's SO worth it!

I don't know if any of that's helpful or not, but good luck either way.

[Eric Deslauriers]

Gavio,

Thanks for the tips. I saw your thread and am glad you're up and running. I think the van perspective is the right one.

I'll check out the filler when it gets back from the shop. The AC wasn't working either.

The R&R guide, eh? I'll look through my book and see what it looks like, then prolly spring for the guide.


NH2112,
Thanks for the eta. Book was always high when I used to wrench on cars, but I didn't realize it was off that far (at least, I hope so!) for this project.

[Eric Deslauriers]

Gavio,

Thanks for the tips. I saw your thread and am glad you're up and running. I think the van perspective is the right one.

I'll check out the filler when it gets back from the shop. The AC wasn't working either.

The R&R guide, eh? I'll look through my book and see what it looks like, then prolly spring for the guide.


NH2112,
Thanks for the eta. Book was always high when I used to wrench on cars, but I didn't realize it was off that far (at least, I hope so!) for this project.

[Eric Deslauriers]

Gavio - one thing - you got at the oil filler from the front of the van - through the hood, right? (please say no, please say no, please say no)

I hope not, because that's where the rad comes out. :eek: And the condenser. And the tranny cooler. And the tranny cooler fan. And the...

[gavio]

Weeeellllll.. .

I COULD say no, but it wouldn't be true, unfortunately.

See if you can reach behind your radiator down to front of the engine although if you can't get at least some visual contact, it will be harder. Or, maybe, depending on how your doghouse is configured, you can do it all by reaching in from above/behind the engine. Either way, it sounds way harder than it is in the van.

The oil filler is really a PITA to get out because it really sticks in the grommet, especially after it's been installed for a long time. BTW, when you get around to putting it all back together, NAPA sells that grommet - it's called an "oil separator grommet" and it's in their special order catalog. Get a new one as it'll really help with reinstallation.

The more I think about it, the more I think that unless you can get visual contact with the oil separator, it will be worth removing the radiator. I had my radiator out a while back (had to take apart the whole front of the van to change the 3 inch long coolant bypass hose above the water pump) and was able to leave the condenser attached - just moved it a little. maybe the same will apply to your oil coolers. If you do dissassemble that much to get at the IP, seriously consider a water pump, timing set and that d*mn coolant bypass hose while you are in there.

I feel for ya. I hope when you get it back and have a look at it, it turns out that there's more space in there than you remember.

If you can't reach past the radiator, how do you change belts and hoses???

Good luck.

[britannic]

A mirror or one of those mini spy type security cameras feeding a video monitor (if you have such a thing! :D ) may be of assistance too.

[TuckerMadey]

I know this is a little late, but if you still haven't done the pump, I would definitly recommend doing it yourself. I just put one in my '86 6.2 van, and was hesitant at first, but it really wasn't very difficult. Not to mention that the pump only set me back about $200(including shipping). I would watch out for dropping the spring that sticks out the back of the pump into the timing cover when you're yanking the pump out, and also check the slack in your timing chain so you can advance the pump accordingly if the slack isn't to much(like 3-4 degrees or so). Also, I would try to remove the pump without removing the steel lines from the injectors. I was able to get mine out without really bending the lines, and it probably saved myself alot of frustration and confusion, especially in a tight engine compartment like that of my van. Hope this helps.

[Eric Deslauriers]

Actually, I yanked the one on my junk motor for practice.

Wow, that was easy. Even without a magnetic socket I failed to drop the bolts into the timing cover. Regardless, I went and picked one up for the real job.

It took me about an hour to get the IP out of my motorhome. I had trouble with one of the studs on the oil filler backing out and tweaking the bracket. ;)

That took it from a $1200 job to a $220 (w/ shipping) job.

I pulled the lines off after I had the pump in hand.

The pump and injectors are being done now. They should have arrive din MI at accuratediesel by now. Word to the wise, Fed Ex ground is way cheaper than USPS. Almost half.

Next I need to find some cheaply priced AC 60G glows.

[ 07-31-2003, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: Eric Deslauriers ]