How Much Does It Cost to Replace an Oil Pump?
Your vehicle’s oil pressure reading is important enough for the manufacturers to make an indicator on your dashboard. A failing oil pump can cause one of the most expensive repairs in your vehicle, which is changing your entire engine system. But an oil pump replacement should be under $1,500 on average.
Let’s dive into the relevance of the oil pump in your vehicle, its functions, and why you need to spend money to ensure the pump is functioning properly.
What is the Function of the Oil Pump?
An oil pump is a machine that pumps the motor oil straight into the engine, distributing it across various parts for proper lubrication. But the oil pump still does a lot more in the engine system.
This machine gives the right force for the oil to keep flowing into the engine system and helps maintain the correct oil pressure needed for your vehicle to function optimally. Your vehicle oil pressure has to be stable, constant, and sufficient.
Various components of the engine have to be well-lubricated to operate smoothly.
Keeping your entire engine system clean and controlling the temperature to avoid corrosion.
When hot motor oil is moved out of your engine system and cool engine oil into your engine block, the entire engine’s temperature can be maintained at the right levels.
Where is the Oil Pump Located?
Finding the oil pump is quite easy, especially when you know where to look, and of course, you need to check the engine area.
The oil pump, in most cases, is found at the front of your engine block and maintains the proper circulation of oil, and it flows through the oil filter to ensure the system is not contaminated.
A vehicle oil pump is inside your oil pan, where all the engine oil is stored. The camshaft powers the oil in the pan.
On other engine models, you can find the oil pump outside the pan and most likely around your crankshaft, and if your oil pump is designed outside the oil pan, it is powered by the oil pump.
How Much Does It Cost to Replace an Oil Pump?
An oil pump replacement is expensive but also depends on your vehicle model.
It will be no surprise that newer vehicle models would cost much more than older ones. Although the total cost is largely dependent on the amount of labor needed and time.
Oil pump replacement is easier in some than others. There are several factors that go into consideration to determine the actual replacement cost.
If you intend to get and install a used pump, it shouldn’t cost you so much; about $300 should cover it. If you allow a repair shop to handle the repair, you might spend up to $1,500 for the pump replacement.
It would be best to consider the cost of new gaskets, oil filters, and engine oil to refill the tank. Everything here might total up to $400.
What is the Average Oil Pump Price?
Getting just the oil pump alone differs with different models, some models more than others. On average, you are expected to budget at least $400 to get a new pump.
Average Labour Cost for Oil Replacement
The labor cost of replacing your oil pump is less than half of changing a faulty one. Depending on their standard, you can expect an auto repair shop to charge you around $700 – $1000.
Note that this price is just for the labor to fix your faulty oil pump.
How Long Does It Take to Replace an Oil Pump?
The time needed to replace an oil pump depends on the type of car you are driving and what other things have to be replaced to get it properly fixed.
When performing this kind of repair, you must replace the oil pan gasket and get the gasket fixed in front of your engine block.
If the repair involves a lot of detachments, like bringing down your entire engine system, it should take up to 10 hours, and this is when a professional mechanic handles it.
A non-professional can use up to two days to get this repaired. In the case of easy replacement, it shouldn’t take up to 4 hours at most.
What are the Causes of Oil Pump Failure?
Several reasons can be the cause of your oil pump to fail. You can have a faulty oil pump due to:
- Lack of regular vehicle maintenance and servicing.
- Irregular oil change.
- Driving at low oil pressure.
- Contamination and debris accumulation within the oil.
- Having a high gas mileage.
Symptoms of a Faulty Oil Pump
You should know that four common symptoms show up when you have a lousy oil pump.
Noisy Engine System
Your engine is designed to run smoothly without making so much noise, and it is this way because the valve train ensures that the engine stays well-lubricated using the engine oil.
If you need more motor or no oil in your engine system, engine damage is bound to happen if handled properly and immediately.
The whole engine system should have the right engine oil and pressure to function efficiently. When the engine is denied this, you will notice a rattling or clicking sound from your engine area while driving.
When the oil gets into the engine block, the valve train collects the oil and spread it across every part of the interior for proper lubrication.
If the oil is insufficient, and the valve train cannot carry out this function due to lack of oil, you can expect high friction between the metal parts of your engine system rubbing against each other, and it usually sounds like a hammer.
Engine Warning Light
Before anything goes wrong with your vehicle, you must get a warning signal to tell you there is a fault in your vehicle system.
The engine check light is an indicator that tells you something is not right with your engine system.
Even when any of your sensors are faulty, it triggers an engine check light, even when you have a faulty oil pump.
However, this light can also mean several things, not just a faulty oil pump, so to be sure that it is the fault of the pump oil, you have to check for the symptoms of a lousy oil pump.
A straightforward indicator is the oil pressure signal light; when this comes on, you know it concerns oil-related issues.
A low oil level will affect your oil pressure. Oil pressure problems can be related to bad oil pumps.
The engine won’t start
This is the worst case of a bad oil pump. When you are dealing with a bad oil pump, the vehicle might not start. No oil pressure signifies that there’s no oil flow at all. Hence, it can crumble the engine.
Increase in engine temperature
As we stated earlier, the oil pump removes hot engine oil and changes it with cool oil to regulate your engine’s temperature properly.
You should know that a lousy oil pump can result in a high engine temperature, and you can monitor your engine’s temperature through the temperature gauge on the dashboard.
Is it worth replacing my oil pump?
Suppose your oil pump is failing and not functioning as it should; your vehicle won’t start. A bad oil pump can even damage your engine system. So yes, it is worth your time and money to ensure you have a functional pump in your engine system.
How long does an oil pump last?
Your oil pump is an important part that enables your vehicle to run. It is built to be extremely durable and lasts up to half of your vehicle’s life cycle. You can get 70,000 miles from an oil pump, especially quality ones. Scoring 250,000 miles on a pump is a familiar figure on properly maintained modern cars. When you take care of your vehicle, you automatically increase the car’s longevity.
Final words
So how much does it cost to replace an oil pump? You now have an idea of how big your budget should be. Taking proper care of your vehicle will ensure you don’t spend money buying oil pumps often.
The engine is the major component of your vehicle, so you must treat it in that regard. With this, you are much more aware of the relevance of your oil pump and why you should keep it functional.
