I the engine does not knock when warmed up and running, it's probably OK for at least some limited driving. *

I would want to investigate the oil pressure situation before driving the car.

An odd noise coming from the crankcase area could be related to some kind of problem with the oil suction screen or related parts. Any air leak on the suction side of the pump will cause issues. Any oil pump gasket issue will cause problems. Be sure the oil pressure regulator is installed and working properly.

*The oil pump has 2 gears inside it. One of the gears is keyed or pinned to the oil pump drive shaft and is driven by it. The other gear is driven by the first gear.

If the pin or key is sheared, it may allow the gear to slip on the shaft, causing low or erratic oil pressure, or no pressure at all. It could possibly cause an odd sound, too.*

If your car has an oil filter installed, you need to check the restrictor fitting located on one of the oil filter lines. An incorrect fitting may allow too much oil to flow through the filter, which could reduce oil pressure.


Any possible problem with stuck or broken piston rings will not affect oil pressure, so long as there is adquate oil in the crankcase.

You may have a problem with the oil pressure limiter, which I think is built into the oil pump body. That's the first thing I'd check.

The fit of oil pump parts is critical, and gaskets of the wrong thickness might cause excess clearance and low oil pressure.

A problem with the oil pump suction screen assembly, such as a leak in the pickup tube, could cause low or erratic oil pressure.

A badly worn engine will have low oil pressure. Such engines usually exhibit excess mechanical noises and excess crankcase blowby, especially when warmed up.

Oil burning that is limited to one cylinder may be a broken ring, but it could also be stuck rings or a clogged oil ring. An ignition problem affecting one cylinder can mimic an oil control problem.

Any condition that allows excess oil to accumulate in the valve guide area may cause oil burning. That problem is more common in overhead valve engines, but it can affect any engine.

Another thing to check is the fuel pump. If it is the type that has a vacuum booster built into it to assist the windshield wipers, a bad vacuum diaphragfm can allow crankcase oil to be sucked into the intake manifold. This could cause cause fouling of one or more spark plugs. It would not affect oil pressure. Also, be sure the fuel pump is not leaking gasoline into the crankcase. That could cause low oil pressure. Your crankcasae oil should not smell like gasoline.

If changing tires caused a significant speedometer error, you've also changed your engine speed at any given road speed. Most older cars can benefit from larger diameter tires, within reason. Larger than stock diameter tires will cause the speedometer to read slower than the actual road speed. Smaller diameter tires will do the opposite.

I'd think it would go through the center hole. My guess is the offset hole may be for a retainer for some kind of anti-rattle bushing or spring.

That 39 looks like a bargain at 20K. Automatic transmission? Nah...

"I already ordered a new one, but it was just as loose as the old one."

I don't think these parts were ever a very tight fit.

The bushing itself must be a tight fit in the control arm, but the bolt, or pin, has to have some clearance in the bushing to allow for flex in the suspension system.

I would consult the correct shop manual for assembly procedures. Improper assembly could lead to issues with binding of parts or difficulty making alignment adjustments.

Front end techs today may not be aware of how to set up and adjust alignment on these suspension systems.

It could be the rotor bearing needs lube, or it could be the odometer drive, or it could be friction in the cable, which can make the core "wind up", then release, making the noise and making the speedo jump. Long shot: A bad tooth on the drive gear at the transmission. Best bet is everything needs lube.

I'd stay with six volts. If you have a slow cranking issue you have a problem somewhere, such as a worn out starter, defective or undersized cables, poor electrical connections, a weak or undersized battery, or a charging system that is not doing its job.

Going to an 8 volt battery may mask one or more of these problems, but it can be expected to cause some issues, among them being an overworked generator, more stress on the starter, shorter life for light bulbs, radio and other accessory issues, ignition point problems, and possibley gauge issues.

WRR FM in Dallas used to play a lot of Classical. They had a transmitting tower out Greenville Avenue near Walnut Hill Lane. You could get clear reception for a few miles. KERA/NPR affiiliate had more reach a lot of excellent programming, but you had to be in the DFW area to listen. FM is still very spotty around here. Clear channel AM doesn't seem to be as clear anymore, and sound quality is down even on major stations. I suspect that channel bandwith has been cut. AM used to be about 50 to 5000 audio CPS. It sounds like they've cut both the low end and the high end off these days.

I have heard KFI on occasion. Too weak here in Texas to listen to, but WLS in Chicago, WNOE in New Orleans, WLW New Orleans, and KOMA in Oklahoma City were favorites. KOA Denver and a Salt Lake City station that carried the Herb Jepko "Nightcaps Show". (First radio talk show) all could be heard from time to time, and WBS (?) in Atlanta.

KOMA 1520 played Rock & Roll, and often broadcast ads for several bands that played various towns across the Mid West:

TONIGHT!! LARNED, KANSAS NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY!! SPIDER AND THE CRABS!!!!!! MUSIC STARTS AT 8 ... !!!! BE THERE!!!!!!!!!

In later years, you couldn't beat WBAP 820 in Fort Worth. They played C&W day and night, and had the Bill Mack All Night Trucker Show. Their studio was located where DFW airport is today.