OK so my trouble started when I lost all oil pressure and the idiot light came on in my 99 E-150 cargo van equipped with the 4.2 V6. I did it right at my garage, I shut it off immediately. Since I bought it used with 220k I assumed it was the oil pump but went to drop the pan and clean it(found out all of what it took to remove the pan) and found alot of sludge. So that was my clue on the oil pump failure. Got a new Melling pump, put it all back together after a good cleaning and installed the new pump paying attention to all the details. Started up fine - oil pressure good on the gauge ran good all day long. Next day, I fire it up, and it was just like the last time - light comes on and gauge reads zero. One day. Did I get a NFG out of the box pump, or would there be something I missed further than the front cover?

 

Could be a bad one. I got 3 fuel pumps for my e 150 until I got a good one. Some of the parts are only made by one company.

 

Well at least I don't have to drop the pan again...and not too difficult to get at really. I just don't get it about the thing working for exactly one day, then - fail. 3 of them before you got a good one? Man, they might have some wide tolerances on assembly...

 

Something to consider,
If regular oil changes were absent, and the system began by-passing dirty oil, some "stuff" could have been deposited in the oil pressure regulator valve causing it to hangup. Complete inspection and cleaning might reveal if that is the problem.

 

Hanky,

First of all, thank you for the info. This story has a happy ending, and goes to show you should never stop asking questions. While on my way to get my Nevada emissions check not long ago, the "Service Engine Soon" light malfunctioned as I shut it off waiting my turn for inspection (a fine time for a bulb failure). After the tech explained my van had failed inspection only because of the lamp failure, I had a buddy help me take apart the dash to change the bulb, problem solved. All dash lamps worked. Fast foward to the recent event - got a mechanical test gauge to verify new pump pressure - ignition disabled - and wow! Pump was fine. Well, turns out my buddy had failed to make complete contact on connector behind gauge cluster, and shame on me. Van runs great, 220k miles and gets 19 mpg, air cond works great and initial compression test had all 6 within the pound at 155 psi. This one's a keeper. P.S. had to run another ground strap to nail it, as air bag light was intermittent sending bad ground code as well.

 

Always great to hear when a problem is solved "easily". Thanks for the update.

 

Who woulda thunk it would be something easy