Replacing Power Steering Pump Questions

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

For those of you who have replaced the power steering pump, how easy is it to remove? And which way is easier to get it out, through the wheel well or through the top?

Or, after looking at the FSM's, it appears it comes out through the wheel well after accessing it through the top to remove the bolts. Should be fun.

[1oldman]

I can only say for a '92 SSE. The hardest part is getting the hoses off the back/bottom of the pump. If you have small hands that are strong, it won't be too bad. The only thing is, if it's like mine, when you press the pulley back on (mine is solid - no holes), be careful not to press it on too far. There's only about a 1/16" clearance to get it on just right or too far. I believe the newer pumps may have holes so you don't have to remove the pulley. Have fun & good luck. Let us know how it goes. - BC

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

The new PS pump came with a bolt, nut, and washer to press on the pulley since it did not come with either the pulley or the reservoir. The center of the PS pump shaft is threaded. The included directions say to put the nut and washer onto the bolt, place the pulley over the PS pump shaft, then thread in the bolt into the PS pump shaft. After that, they say to tighten down the nut, which is supposed to force the pulley onto the PS pump shaft. Then stop once the pulley is flush with the shaft's top.

We'll see. Likely I'll rent a pulley puller to remove it.

[1oldman]

The new PS pump came with a bolt, nut, and washer to press on the pulley since it did not come with either the pulley or the reservoir. The center of the PS pump shaft is threaded. The included directions say to put the nut and washer onto the bolt, place the pulley over the PS pump shaft, then thread in the bolt into the PS pump shaft. After that, they say to tighten down the nut, which is supposed to force the pulley onto the PS pump shaft. Then stop once the pulley is flush with the shaft's top.

We'll see. Likely I'll rent a pulley puller to remove it.

Rent the puller. Make sure you have everything you need to press on the pulley too as, if I remember correctly, you'll need the press too. The I don't think the bolt will work. -BC

[skregal]

The parts store I purchased the pump from swapped the pulley for me
at no charge. You can ask.

I went through the wheel well and had no real issues installing.

My problem was bleeding the system. The SSEi has two reservoirs, and
no matter what procedure I followed for bleeding, it still growls occasionally.

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

Snap. The parts store is 2 miles away and all I'll have to get there is my bike. Maybe a friendly neighbor if he's not busy.

Thanks for the tips, guys! I'll post back to update.

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

It took me a good 6 hours from getting my tools out to putting them away. 2 of those hours were spent fighting with the incredibly difficult to operate power steering pulley puller. It did not stay centered onto the hub due to a very poor design. So it was quite the challenge to get the pulley off of the old PS pump. Next time I'll rent a 3-arm puller. Also, I spent a lot of time fighting the rusty spring clamp installed the wrong way on the return hose. Eventually the PS return line got cut close to the reservoir to get the blasted thing out. The spring clamp was replaced with a screw clamp. It IS possible to wangle the pump with pulley and reservoir attached through the space behind the strut and tie rod with the reservoir cap removed.

Naturally, installation went much faster than removal. 3 bleeds later, the pump is as free of air as I could make it. And, it seems to have reduced my KR issues.

[tripscarcare95]

Good Job

Thanks for the tips, Im do to make the swap once the weather breaks,

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

No problem!

More tips: removing the plastic splash shielding is necessary. I'd recommend slathering the space on the engine block where the PS pump mounts and the PS pump bolts with anti-seize to provide a buffer between the block and the PS pump to minimize vibrations that could be transmitted into the block. And bleeding the PS system is much easier with the front of the car still up on jackstands.

Let me know your tips when you get around to it!

[Shae]

While we are on this topic, I recently put a new pump in my car, or a rebuilt one I should say, and although the power steering works perfect, and the fluid is topped up, it makes a whine sound, is this just a defective pump? Or have I failed to bleed it correctly?

[94SilverSSEi]

Ok. So the pump on my car only whines when it's is extremely cold out (-20*)
and also when in parking lots it's like I have no power steering at all the wheel is extremely hard to turn.

But otherwise when moving the steering is wrt easy and doesn't whine.

Is this symptoms of bad pump?

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

While we are on this topic, I recently put a new pump in my car, or a rebuilt one I should say, and although the power steering works perfect, and the fluid is topped up, it makes a whine sound, is this just a defective pump? Or have I failed to bleed it correctly?

Mine's whining pretty well too now. If I said it's quieter, well, it's seemed to really help my KR situation. The remanned PS pump in my brother's 2000 Chevy Venture (well, Olds Silhouette, same thing) is whining really loudly and has been for a year since it was replaced. His steering works fine. I think it's a characteristic of the remanned pumps, based on what I've read.

I'd try bleeding it again with synthetic ATF or PSF. Right now in General Chat is being hashed out which should be used, ATF or PSF. My $0.02 is that it doesn't matter, and they interchange to a fair degree (unlike coolant types (Dex-Cool+G05=BAD!) or PSF and ATF on other makes!!!). The important thing is to make sure there aren't any bubbles in the fluid, and the color is either clear or bright red.

Some say that Lucas power steering stop leak quiets pumps down. I don't know, I haven't tried it.

I'm going to re-bleed with synthetic fluid once the weather warms up to see if that helps the noise.

Ok. So the pump on my car only whines when it's is extremely cold out (-20*)
and also when in parking lots it's like I have no power steering at all the wheel is extremely hard to turn.

But otherwise when moving the steering is wrt easy and doesn't whine.

Is this symptoms of bad pump?

I'm not an expert, but lack of assist at low speed usually indicates there's a problem with belt tension, or the PS pump. I'd try draining/filling the reservoir with new fluid a few times to see if that helps any, then replace the pump if it doesn't.

[00Beast]

Working the steering cold while parked will earn some whining. If it only does it while super cold or parked I wouldn't worry about it yet.

[94SilverSSEi]

I don't really care about the whining but I was just wondering if it could be just the pump or possibly the whole rack going bad because I get some pops and clunks once in a while and I have no power steering it seems at low speeds.

[Shae]

Is there any step by step guide on how to bleed the power steering system in our cars?

[00Beast]

Have the car up on jack-stands and with the engine running turn the wheels back and forth 10+ times, top it off and do it until you stop dropping fluid level. Then check it a week or so later.

[Shae]

Have the car up on jack-stands and with the engine running turn the wheels back and forth 10+ times, top it off and do it until you stop dropping fluid level. Then check it a week or so later.

Ok, so I did that part right, what about doing a flush and adding new fluid's?

[00Beast]

I would just suck out as much fluid as you can with a turkey baster or similar, and then re-fill, go for a week and do the same. That will get a majority of the old fluid out.

[Shae]

Sounds good, that will be added to my list of things to do on my day off.

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

The power steering reservoir wraps all around the sides and bottom of the PS pump, at least on my L36. One needs a flexible hose to snake to the bottom of the reservoir to extract all 12 oz of fluid it holds filling it to the "Full Cold" line. Turkey-bastering the top is only going to get 4 ounces at the most. I went through about 2-2.5 quarts of fluid before the stuff being sucked out ran normal color.

A turkey baster with some 1/4" ID hose about 5-6" long or whatever outer diameter hose can be stuffed inside a turkey baster's tip ought to pull enough fluid out to get most of it. I'm kinda spoiled since getting a fluid extractor that makes this easy, if still time-consuming.

Since there was a bottle of Auto-RX laying around, some was added to the PS reservoir. The pump quieted down after ~10 minutes of driving. The pump will get flushed again with synthetic fluid in a few weeks. I'll see how quiet it is then.