How can I tell if my oil pump is OK?

[700rpm]

The shaft and bushings seem tight, but the gears have some play between them. Should the gears be a close fit, or loose? The gears appear to be in good shape- no chips or apparent unusual wear.

[Great Lakes Greg]

I chuck mine up in a drill and stick the pump in a little bowl of oil. If you run the drill and oil shoots all over your shirt and you get yelled at by your wife, you are good to go.

[marty in Ohio]

Sounds like the voice of experience to me.

[Patrick L.]

Originally Posted by great lakes greg

i chuck mine up in a drill and stick the pump in a little bowl of oil. If you run the drill and oil shoots all over your shirt and you get yelled at by your wife, you are good to go.

lol

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Ray,

Similar to Greg's reply #2, over 50 years ago I was taught by a vintage mechanic one simple similar way how to test questionable Model A oil pumps without tools and by using kerosene:

1. Assemble pump & place pump in a container.

2. Fill container with a little kerosene, i.e., just enough kerosene to rise about 1" above the oil pump's bottom edge of the cylindrical metal screen cover.

3. Grab top of oil pump shaft with middle finger and thumb, and spin shaft quickly, similar to snapping one's fingers.

4. If kerosene shoots out of the (2) side holes in the body assembly, it is good to go.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

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Ray, if the bottom cover shows some wear from the gears, you can turn it over. Make sure the gear teeth are smooth. I "think" that rebuilding kits are somewhat reasonable.
Bill W.

[James Rogers]

I do it the same way as H.L. if it is rebuilt or not.