How to Replace an Oil Pump in a Ford Explorer

An oil pump is a necessary tool for the survival of the engine. It keeps the Ford Explorer engine components lubricated. Without lubrication, an engine is destroyed. In most cases you don't need to replace an oil pump, but in some cases, such as an engine overhaul, you might want to.

Instructions

Remove Oil Pump

1

Drive your Ford Explorer up onto ramps or lifts so you have room to work as you pull out the oil pump. You could also use a jack, but make sure you brace the front wheels so they don't roll. In addition, set the emergency break firmly into position so the car doesn't roll.

2

Disconnect the negative battery cable and remove the starter motor. Take out the air cleaner outlet tube and drain the engine.

3

Remove the oil pump pickup tube and lower the block cradle bolts. Next, remove the bell housing-to-lower block cradle bolts, the bell housing-to-lower block cradle spacer and the lower block cradle nuts.

4

Take out the upper air deflector and remove the weather strip. Some vehicles have screws in the radiator fan shroud, but not all do.

5

Remove the screws if they are there and throw them out. Take out the bolts and fan shroud and remove the next bolt. Install the right lifting eye with the bolt you already removed. Secure the lifting tools in 4x2 Ford Explorer vehicles, take out the motor mount nuts and raise your engine.

6

Install the special tools so you can raise the right side of the motor in 4x4 Ford Explorer vehicles. Take out bolts (there are four of them) and the crossmember, then remove the right motor mount nut. Look for the left side through-bolt and -nut and raise the engine.

7

Back off the set screw until they are under the lower block cradle boss on both 4x2 and 4x4 vehicles. In the 4x4, take the bolt from the right side of the axle housing, then the left side lower axle housing nut and bolt. Remove the upper side housing axle bolt and nut on the left side and throw out all the bolts and nuts, then lower the axle.

8

Take out the lower block cradle and the gasket. Remove the oil pump bolt and the oil pump. Clean all surfaces of debris, contaminants and old sealant.

Install the New Oil Pump

9

Apply silicone to the points of connection and line up the lower block cradle and gasket assembly of the new oil pump.

10

Tighten the outer bolts and nuts, the rear lower block cradle bolts by hand, and the two rear lower block cradle-to-bell housing bolts after installing them. With a straightedge, line up the transmission fact of the lower block cradle with the rear face of the cylinder block.

11

Torque the outer bolts, the rear lower block cradle bolts and the eight inserts. Put in the two silver-covered bolts and new washer seals and hand-tighten them. Do the same with the six blots left over.

12

Torque the lower block cradle bolts in stages. In the first stage, torque them to 11 ft-lb. In the second stage, torque them to 25 ft-lb.

13

Reinstall the parts taken out in Section 1 in the reverse order of how you took them out. Add clean oil to the Ford Explorer engine and start it. Check for leaks.