I have a 302 that is running with 15-25psi oil pressure. My levels are fine and I fear that my pump is/ has gone south. What is involved in replacing the oil pump in these engines? Is there any other reason the pressure could be so low? I am concerned because there have been a few times in the last week or so that my engine has started to knock quietly. I assume it is related to the oil issue. Thanks, Mike

Time to pull it down and check out the rods, cam, crank, with the oil pressure so low and the knocking it sounds like cam bearings or oil pump, You can drop the oil pan as it sits not a hard job in about 30 min, the oil pump is 3 bolts with pick up tube, ease work, I would replace it with a high flow hiperformance pump and see if this helps. cold you should have 65 to 80 psi, hot 40 to 60 for that 302, with a high flow pump. a new pump may keep it going for some time but a r&r is best. Summit auto parts on line has good HI pro parts and thay have short and long blocks that will work nice in it.NOTE A good 302 will run about 150,000 miles before needing work. I have a 1974 with over 650,000 miles on it and on the 3Th rebuild same block and heads it keeps getting better each time. It is a ford 302-304 30 over, 9.5 to 1 CR. hot cam, hi flow oil pump, It puts out about 365 Hp. at 6500 rpms. pulls good at 2500 to 3500 RPM with 35 in tires and 456 gears it works out nice. I drove it off the lot NEW in 1974. Green with white top and still has same paint job but a lot of other work. power steering, disk front, larger brakes in back, lockers NP435, Note thes is a daily driver. as i do landscaping and this is what I drive each day about 2000 miles a month. a lot of work to keep it going but it is worth it. Bill

low pressure can be cause by a worn engine main bearing may have too much play. I havent heard of a pump that slowly went out they usually just go from working to no pressure at all. i was running about 10-20 when i then noticed that every time i pushed in the clutch the fan on my engine would tap the shroud. it got to the point were i could actully move the main pulley back and fourth there was about 1/4 - 1/2 inch of play. I did a compression test and saw that compression was fine ended up being a worn crank. hopefully its your pump but if not now you got a reason to get a bigger better engine!!! YEAH