Trust me I'm aware. I got triple retailed on the whole motor, then the dude puts on a 5 cent weld. live and learn I guess.

Tig weld entire pickup. Welding to the cast pump is tricky though. Proper welding wire is key also.

I must be really old school. I just stick weld a spot on both side and never had an issue.

TIG with 308l and get a pick up that has a support running to pump housing. Have seen them fail both ways. I always prime motor on stand to make sure oil system is good if possible too. Saves a headache of having to pull motor If something not right.

Never had a problem with oil pickups in any motor I've done ,Which is quite a few. Not patting my back ,just curious why the problems .Make sure on depth and One quick tack. Check and recheck ,just like anything in the motor. Now an out of balance crappy running motor will shake anything loose

I have never had a build of my own fail. Built a bunch of boat, drag, and off road motors. (worked at reputable Upstate NY shop for years. Owner is a douche) Took a lot of customer motors apart and saw a bunch of different scenarios. Short of a billet pump with integral pickup or going to a dry sump set up, this is what I have always done with 100% success rate.

I guess I just have bad luck when it comes to oil pickups. Now that I think about it, the 454 that I pulled out before I put together the 489 had the pickup just barely hanging in there. The spot weld had broken loose (multiple cruiser wakes will do stuff like that), and the pickup was just flopping back and forth like one of those fancy swivel can-am corner burner pickups they used to run back in the day before dry sump systems became standard equipment. Who knows how long it would have kept running like this, maybe forever, but it sure didn't have a weld holding on! I think the Melling Select 10778 pumps had the pipe threads at one time, but those are NLA as far as I can tell. You can still get the 10778, but not with the pipe threads.

I Always TIG weld with silicon bronze about 1/4" long bead. Be sure to remove the spring.
I always lap the surface of the main cap and oil pump housing with piece 400 grit wet & dry on a piece of glass to ensure a good seal between the pump and main cap.

i also will be 60 this year.i keep saying im going to quit doing the engine stuff and move south,but here i am with a stack of people,s engines to do.maybe il quit next year.

If you do move south ,you'll be welcome,but don't tell your friends,It's getting crowded .My wife is from Mass. Her parents just love north Boston weather ,,,,I have to ask why?