Howdy! I just bought a 94 Ram/318 with 88k miles. Had clean oil, 40# oil pressure and quiet during test drive. Headed home & after about 30 miles, NO oil pressure & lite on, clattering etc. Let it sit for 2 hours & started again......40# pressure & clattering/missing out.......few minutes more & No oil pressure. Also had some grit on dipstick that wasn't there at first.
Some are telling me that my problem is the distributor gear, others say oil pump.......I don't have a clue......

Can ya help??????

 

Welcome to the site. I will move this thread to the second generation Ram section,
FF

 

If it were the distributor gear, you would have other problems as well. (I.E. the engine wanting to die out.)

is your oil level where it should be? any oil coolers, etc. on there?

 

welcome to DF and uh-oh, the grit doesn't sound good.

here's a link for an oil pump and rear main replacement.
you don't have to lift the engine nor drop the y-pipe.
i did have to remove the starter to get the dust cover off.

http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech-article-31.html

with oil pressure coming and going, it might be the pickup screen clogging up.

 

Thanks for the info.. Pulled the oil pan (obviously done recently) & found new pump & screen. Some dirt on screen, not much. Now my mech sez, must be bearings.....guess the seller got over on me.......oh well, he swears that he never touched the engine.......gotta wish him well......Thanks again all!

 

Dirt? As in actual silicon dioxide?

You may eat a peck of dirt in your time, but, less than a cupful will ruin your engine.