You seem to be mixing the terms high pressure pump, and high volume pump. They are two different things.

 

Many of us, including me, run a std volume oil pump with the high pressure spring installed.

 

Isn't there also an aftermarket drive gear that is brass or similar softer / lighter material?

 

Yes. I have used the Crane brand bronze gear for a few years. Most recently, I went to the compcams poly gear (Part# 12140). You do have to have a sleeve/bushing for it because the poly gears don't come in the requisite .427 diameter. The poly gears come in either .500 or .491. The gear was $9x.xx but I see it's gone up now. Then, the machine shop charged me another $118 to make the bushing and mount the assembly. So,

• 1 brand new oil pump drive assembly = $4x.xx
• 1 brand new CC Poly gear = $9x.xx
• Machine shop take new assembly apart, measure/machine bushing/sleeve, reassemble = $118.xx

As you can see, Dwayne has a succinct point on the cam and the gear. Make sure you get your cam with the correct type of gear to drive the oil pump and you won't have this expensive issue. I had been using the bronze gears but they were only lasting about a year of daily driving without getting into the knife edge zone. I lost one engine in 2003 due the teeth shearing off the pump drive. That was a CC224/236 cam but I had the Melling High Volume pump at the time and it accelerated the wear.

 

Holy smokes!! Looks like I came to the right place for help!! I think, for now at least..lol, I am just going to fix the current issue and down the road I can do the cam swap. This weekend I am going to get the oil pump and bottom end done and order that drive gear assembly and intake gasket kit. I see that Herron Perf. sells a billet one for $125, but do you guys think that I need that since I am putting a std. volume pump back in it? I think that I can probably get away with a new poly/plastic factory one. Thanks again for the help everyone!!

 

I believe the Herron performance piece is just the body not a new gear and the gear is the piece that is likely worn out so you are still barking up the wrong tree here, and no I wouldn't bother with it anyway.

 

I thought it was the plastic piece that we were discussing was what could be broken. Would the pressures from high volume pump that was in it strip the gear?

 

The only way the plastic breaks is if someone gets ham fisted tightening the bolt that holds it down.

THE failure HV pumps are known to cause is wearing out the gear.

I have no idea where you got the idea the body was the issue.

 

Gotchya.. That was my mistake then, but then again thats why I am here.. To learn about this stuff! Thanks again everyone!

 

You may also be confused concerning plastics vs steel for the "sleeve" that hold the 2 pieces of the pump drive shaft together where the shaft from the pump mates with the shaft from the drive gear. That part is a factory plastic piece, the factory drive gear is a hardened steel. Melling I believe, makes a drive shaft that has the "sleeve" made into it and is steel, it is a separate part from the pump.
So to summarize, you have 3 main parts:
1) The pump itself
2) The drive gear assembly that goes under the intake and the gear may be bronze, poly/plastic, or hardened steel. Make sure gear on cam is compatible.
3) And the drive shaft that fits between the 2 above parts which may have a plastic sleeve not part of the shaft, or a steel sleeve that is part of the shaft.

 

Got the bottom end buttoned up this weekend and just a FYI, the pan is almost impossible to remove and reinstall if you have an aftermarket oil cooler installed!! The 1/2 inch hard lines are routed from the front of the engine down the drivers side of the oil pan to the oil filter... Thought I was taking a shortcut and didnt take these off BIG MISTAKE!! But on the other hand, I am guessing the oil cooler is why the car NEVER heats up over 165 degrees even in the summer sitting at a stop light. Anyways, I have the intake gaskets and the drive stub is ordered, hopefully arriving before this weekend (thanks for the dealer links on your page Rob!) so I can get this baby back on the road!! Thanks again for you help everyone!

 

I went this route when i did my build. The composite gear is suppose to last longer. My friend machined the sleeve for free. Hi presure spring is the way to go. Im not sure why people put high volume pumps on street cars, it usualy causes more harm than good. I have about 4 years and 25,000 fun miles on this build with no problems. Goodluck!

 

A racecar will often turn a lot of rpm, a lot of rpm and a HV pump causes cavitation and all kinds of headaches.

I question the validity of even offering a HV pump for a SBC. Then again the aftermarket is there to make money, IF they actually help you improve your car somewhat that is secondary.