new oil pump+new screen and tube...how to fit?

I can not get the new oiol screen/pick up tube into the new oil pump. I tried freezing the tube for an hour and a half, and grease, still no luck. I don't want to pund on it and risk bending it. Should I leave it in the freezer longer? Any tricks? -Mellings oem fronm auto zone by the way. thanks

Believe it or not I had to use a hammer to install the p/u tube in the pump (melling HV). If you can, use a pair of 'beater' vise grips with a rag over the tube and clamp it so the jaws sit above the bead in the tube, then while firmly holding the vise grips hammer them and watch the tube slowly go into place. This is method works great while the pump is secured in a bench vise. Also, be prepared to use a hammer to make the needed clearance in the oil pan, fun times.

That's pretty much it - it's a light press fit.

There is a tool to help, but it's not really worth buying unless you do a couple of these things a month, or you're heavily into doing your own work. It's a collar that clamps around the tube above the bead, and it's got an extension rod that you use to drive the tube into the pump housing.

I've also had good luck with putting the tube in the freezer (overnight, on "deep freeze") putting the pump itself in the oven for about 20 minutes at 250*, and then putting the two together with the help of work gloves, pliers, and never-seez. I'm probably going to end up buying one of those tools tho - I seem to do this just often enough that my wife is getting tired of me taking over the oven every now and again...

5-90

just to echo what the other guys said - I tried the heating and cooling approach too but in the end used a 5/8ths open end wrench which just fits around the melling tube above the collar. Did my best to clamp the pump itself between a couple of 2x4s so it didn't move around and was positioned with the hole face up and then pounded on the wrench with a hammer till the tube went in. Once you get the tube started it goes in without a whole lot of force. The wrench jaws flattened the collar on the tube a slight amount but didn't bend, puncture it or otherwise obviously dammage the tube. I suppose it would help if you could get someone to help hold the pump in it's clamps and tube while you pound but can be done solo. Probably a good idea to oil or grease the tube and the hole in the pump first.

I must have gotten lucky 4 years ago then. I bought a high volume pump from Autozone (pretty sure it's a Melling HV) with a new pickup and screen. I had no trouble assembling the pump and pickup, and it all fit nicely inside the stock oil pan without having to "massage" the pan at all.