I've read, and been told, that when I put the oil pump back on the motor it should be centered before it's tightened up. The inner gear on the pumps floats around quite easily. So, my question: If the four bolts on the motor hold the pump in place, and the pump is fully assembled with the floating gear, what exactly am I suppose to center? Thanks

 

I'm not entirely sure what you're asking but you want to line up the little dots on the gears that hold the timing chain in place. It's a bitch to do if you've never done it before but Cody(1slow01z71) did it on my truck in about 30 seconds.

The dot should be at the very top

Also be sure not to pinch the oring for the oil pump, if you do, then prepare another 4 hours tearing down the engine to fix it when you don't get oil pressure.

 

There is a little bit of room for the pump to move around if you thread the bolts in but don't tighten them down. If you buy a feeler gauge I thin you're supposed to shoot for something like .002" or .020" (can't remember which) clearance between the teeth on the pump and the teeth on the timing gear. I read about this awhile ago though and I don't think it's much of an issue. I tried it and got it close, but I'm sure it's not exact.

 

Its hard to measure on the engine stand and damn near impossible in the truck to get it centered. Just thread all four bolts in and kind of center it best you can. I have done a few trucks that way with no problems. IMO its a waste of time to try and center it with the feeler gauges because when you start tightening the bolts down the damn thing shifts and all the trucks I have just "eyeballed" have perfect oil pressure and running fine.

 

I apologize for the repetition, this is my first tear down and reassemble and I'm going by the book not by experience. Are you saying that when I tighten the 4 mounting bolts the inner gear will no longer float? I guess possibly experience will show me the way but I can not visualize centering that inner floating gear .002 on the crank.

 

The gear rotor will still float in the outer rotor its just when you tighten the four bolts down it shifts one way or the other.

 

It's .002 and very easy.

 

If it was that easy then you didnt do it right James