I don't think I've ever seen a modular engine blow up due to an oil pump failure. Not saying that it isn't possible, but I think something else contributed to your loss of oil pressure.

 

When I bought my '02 F150 it had a locked up 4.6. After tearing into it I found that the timing chain and guides where all tore up. I found shreds of orange nylon and metal shavings in the pick up screen, and the front rod bearings where all chewed up. $900 and a trip to LKQ got me a motor out of an '03 with 100,000 MI on it. My truck runs great now!

The only time Ive heard of Modular oil pump having problems is when there switched out to an MMR pump.

 

well, today we had time to drop the oil pan and take a peek inside... we did find some sludge on the pickup screen for the pump. There was no obvious damage that we could see from the bottom. was a very small amount of metal in bottom of pan... i mean very tiny and it was kinda gold flaked color...and very fine. Didnt get to tear into the timing gear cover yet. My son got ill and his wife took him to the hospital... Poor guy has a kidney stone...

 

Next step (now that my son is feeling better) is to remove the oil pump. Any advice on doing this?.. I assume i have to remove the timing chain cover in order to access it.

 

Remove the cam covers, crank damper, front cover, HDR wheel ( note orientation, teeth face outward). timing chains and crank timing gear ( slides off crank).Then remove two 8mm bolts from the oil pickup tube to pump,seperate tube from oil pump (pull). Remove the four 8mm bolts that hold oil pump to the face of the block. Slide pump forward off crankshaft. If you removed the oil pan first then you can just remove the pickup tube with the pump as a unit Just remove the 10mm retaining bolt that secures the pump tube to the main bearing cap.

 

IF you DO remove the pump look it over good. further more no sense in putting it back in. Get a new one unless it is pristine in condition. Or at very least replace gears and screen if it is possible to get those parts. My $.02.

Keep us posted on this...I am very interested to see how things shake out.

check this out about pumps.
http://www.mre-books.com/sa82/sa82_11.html

 

Gold flaked metal may be bearing material.

.

 

Millions of people have driven trillions of miles on Fram filters without any problem. If you cut one of those suckers apart and see what they're made like, and still want to use 'em, then I'm at a loss for words, I don't know what to say. It costs about $10., I believe to buy a Fram filter that is safe to put on your vehicle. It costs about $3.50 at Wally-World to buy a Motorcraft of the same quality. That was the easiest decision I've ever made in my life!

 

update... pulled the timing cover and oil pump. Everything looked pretty good, no obvious damage. problem wasnt the oil pump. all bearings looked good and the connecting rods dont appear to be broken.

I ended up finding a 4.6 from a 2002 ford f150 and installed it this weekend. Too late to take advantage of the cash for clunkers deal. This motor seems good and strong. Will drive it till it dies i guess.

By the way... i heard that Fram makes the Motorcraft oil filters

 

Thats not true. Fram does make filters for allot of the quick lube joints But thats just ridicules..

 

Amsoil! Woot

 

Been listening to your son's BIL again huh? You need to turn a deaf ear to that guy. Purolator has made Motorcraft filters for a long, long time (there may have been others who have made the filters for Motorcraft over the past 40-45 yrs., but always to Fords standards) and I don't think there's a ghost of a chance they would ever let Fram touch anything that went into a Ford. Fram rhymes with Scam- very appropriate. You owe it to yourself to tear it apart and find what really happened. My money is still on what I said originally. You don't want to make the mistake of using that junk again and having to replace another engine.

 

All of you can bring those free Fram filters to my house and I'll use um'. Been using them for 20 years now without a problem !!

 

Yea, it's incredible how much abuse some of these vehicles can take.

 

Fram = FAIL!