Weld oil pump pickup?
 

These 540,s have a sealed power oil pump.
The pans are 10 quart Gil offshore style.
The pickups are welded to the pump the depth distance
is 8 1/4 inces below the pan rail.

I ordered the Morroso Hv #22160 oil pumps to replace the old sealed power.
I ordered Hardin Marine Pickups that are very similar to the old
gil style pickup.
Will I have to weld the new pickups???
The casing of the pumps appears to be cast iron.
after closer inspection and filing the weld bead on the old pump
pickup assembly it looks like Brass "brazed"
What is the recomended procedure for attaching the new pickup???

Please respond
Thanks
Gerry

Yes, the pickup should be welded. This is just a preventative measure. You can easily weld cast iron with a special rod. The rod will join the iron to the the steel with enough strength for the application. Depending on the iron content it could be tig or mig welded too.

We use a silicon bronze brazing rod and tig. Welding or brazing is an absolute must.

Make sure you remove the spring prior to welding, the heat will cause it to lose it's tension = low oil pressure.

GERRY , HOW'S IT GOING??? LOST YOU'RE # PM IT IF YOU GET A CHANCE. HOW'S THE BOAT COMING?? ...... RICKY

Thanks for the response everyone!!!
So I take it the weld must be airtight...

Marc just ordered 1\8 silicon bronze tig rods.
hope it flows good. 1\8 was the smallest he had.

Cord I have the cast rods for my Arc. Dont think I
would wanna go near it with the Buzz box.

Monty I will punch the pin out and remove the spring.
the tig will most likely concentrate the heat. but Good
insurance.

Tunnelvision Check your pm...

Thanks again everyone...

The weld is to keep it from falling off, not to make it 'airtight'. The seal is obtained from the assembly itself.

So it only needs to be tacked on.

I have received the new oil pumps. I have not received
the pickups. Inspection of the old pumps with welded
pickups indicates a airtight seal. "Nice bead 360degrees
around the tube". If one were to just weld "tack"for
strength what seals the pickup tube as it enters the pump???


Thanks in advance.
Gerry

The pickup tube has an interference fit and that is how it is sealed. The tack is added measure so it don't fall off.

I have seen them fall off. I wouldn't ever put a motor together without tacking it.

My welding sucks, so i have friends do it for me.

The oil pickup tube is slightly tapered and it has to be driven into the pump housing.I apply a 1/4" long "tack"
Tig Weld with evedur, (a rod similar to Silicon Bronze) on the bottom, away from the surface that the gears ride on.I would be concerned that a full 360 degree weld may distort the surface.I have only seen them tacked .


Just My 2 Cents:)

Rob

My opion on securing the pickup is to braze, that is the way I have done it in the past. My reasoning is cast will distort or crack if to much heat is apllied. Cast iron needs to be heated evenly not just in one spot, I learned this splitting manifolds on 6's ahwile back, quite awhile!

Phil

tack it

"panther" and "ragtop" have it right. A "ZIT" with a good nickel rod to tack it will not create any harmful heat damage and keep your pressed-in pickup tube where you want it. If you are anal enough, you can go to the other, even more foolproof extremes. --- Jer

I like the new style pickup tubes that have a holddown bracket made on the pickup tube, if that is not an option then take out the spring and use a bronze rod with a propane torch, the key here is use as little heat as possible

H2Xmark you know were you can get them to fit in Stock motors?

Jon

If you have access to tig, that is the best way I have found. The heat is pretty local to the actual bead area, as Rob says do it on the side away from the cover. As Phil pointed out brazing is a good way to go on cast iron. The tig brazing is the best of both. Not trying to start an argument, but I have seen lots of pickups fall out over the years. It is a very embarrassing way to lose an engine. The built on brackets are great, but I have seen them crack without the attachment at the inlet/

For really extream applications, some people will even fabricate a bracket to help support the pickup. A boat bouncing can really crank on that tube. Hey, you can't will many races with 0 oil pressure.

I would weld a bracket to the tube and bolt it to the pump as well.I had a tube break where it is swaged up to stop going in the pump further.It left the small welded in piece in the pump and broke outbourd of it.I herd that this is usally a vibration problem that causes the tube to break.

I would agree. The broken one that I saw definetly broke from vibration fatigue.

312 stainless is also good for tig welding dissimilar metals Tripps

How about a roll pin? I have heard about this but not tried it. Guy told me to install the pickup, drill it and install a roll pin. Sounded like a good idea at the time, but aren't roll pins hollow? Would it suck air?

I had one fall out with a bracket. (Moroso) I didn't weld it and it broke at the braket and fell out of the pump on my drag car. Funny story too, we were at Rockingham NC in the 3rd round of a big money bracket race when the oil pressure went to zero as soon as I lifted on the other end. I got the win light and killed the motor and towed it back to the pits. Checked the oil level and fired it up and it had normal pressure. There was no way we were going home because of a oil pickup tube. We added 2 qts of oil and lined up for the 4th round. Made it 2 more rounds shutting it off at the finish line. Got home pulled the pan and checked the bearings and they were fine!!!! Lucky
Needless to say, all my pickups get a bracket and welded now.

practicing on old

new assembly before I Hack it up

Very important step here that a lot of people forget.

Good call Monty

Roby