Here are the symptons: Ticking noise started low and then grew louder and louder until it was very loud. Sounds like something in the valve train is slapping around pretty bad, car seems to run OK otherwise, although I shut it down as soon as I was able. Meanwhile, oil presure gauge not registering at all, less than zero. Checked sender and connection looked OK. Checked oil, there is plenty of it, in fact it seems overfilled; no obvious water/coolant present in oil.
I'm thinking the pump went out, oil drained from hydraulic lifters resulting in valve train noise and since there is no oil circulating, too much in the pan showing as an overfill on the dipstick. Car has 140K miles on it. I've never had an oil pump go out on this or any other car I've owned. Any one else have this experience? Any diagnosis?
Assuming it's the oil pump then I guess I have to pull the pan. Reading my Hayes manual it seems to be a PIA, including removal of the starter and jacking up the engine off the mounts. Anyone else do this? Should I attempt this? I'm pretty handy having R&R heads, clutches, alternators and more, but I don't have an engine hoist and even if I got a cheap one, it doesn't seem worth it for one job. Any input welcomed and appreciated. Thanks in advance.