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Driving with a bad power steering pump

C

Chad Gervais

New member
Greetings,

So im about 99% sure my power steering pump is on the way out. Considering im over 215k miles, i really cant be surprised. Im assuming the serpentine belt drives the pump?

Either way, the other day i noticed that when i was stopped with the wheel hard over to one side, i could hear chattering coming from the area of the ps pump, sounded like bad bearings. This evening when coming off the highway at a cloverleaf, i heard the chattering again. For the past couple months, turning the wheel while stopped has been difficult, but normal when moving at least 10mph.

Ive driven vehicles w/o ps before, i dont find it difficult. Im just wondering if i continue to drive and the pump eventually does seize, is that going to cause damage to either the belt or other components driven by the belt? I can live with a noise and without power steering, i just dont want to put anything else at risk.

thanks

ps. my fluid level is normal and not leaking
 


replace your pump asap!

driving a car with a rack and pinon, and no power to it kills it like over night. not good unless you want to spent $500 at a shop for a new rack, if you cant do it yourself.
 
Depending on your replacement pump, it may or may not come with a pulley. You'll need a puller/installer to swap the p/s pulley off your junk unit to the replacement pump. Do not try and pound or press the pulley onto the shaft of the replacement pump.... the outcome will be costly.
 
the puller, well a cheap version comes with the new pump,(its nothing more than a nut and bolt) or break down and buy a good one for 30 bucks.

when i was looking for my new pump i saw none for sale with a pulley on it. not that they don't exist i haven't seen it yet tho.
 


scottydoggs said:
the puller, well a cheap version comes with the new pump,(its nothing more than a nut and bolt) or break down and buy a good one for 30 bucks.

when i was looking for my new pump i saw none for sale with a pulley on it. not that they don't exist i haven't seen it yet tho.
Click to expand...
scotty, those reman units come with a cheap nut and bolt installer but nothing to get the pulley off the junk pump. Autozone and O'Riellys rent the puller/installer cheap. Pumps with pulleys already installed are out there but they are not cheap(new, not rebuilt). Seems all thats out there now are the A1 Cardones.

Here is a tip: run a tap or thread chaser into the shaft of the reman pump. Seen alot of reman pumps with crappy threads and the installer won't thread onto the shaft
 
this is the puller i picked up, you DO NOT NEED AIR TOOLS to do this. i used a wrench and a ratchet.

[video=youtube;xh4L1gjABQk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=xh4L1gjABQk&NR=1[/video]
 
scottydoggs said:
replace your pump asap!

driving a car with a rack and pinon, and no power to it kills it like over night. not good unless you want to spent $500 at a shop for a new rack, if you cant do it yourself.
Click to expand...

I can't empathize what Scotty is saying enough. I had to replace my PS pump as well, but by the time I did it was too late and now I have to get a new rack and pinion put in. The PS pump is easy to to do if you have your own car lift. If it, it's cheap to get done at a shop. A lot better than having to buy a new rack and pinon ( can cost as much as $250 ), and paying to get it in ( Another $300-$350 right there ).
 
scottydoggs said:
replace your pump asap!

driving a car with a rack and pinon, and no power to it kills it like over night. not good unless you want to spent $500 at a shop for a new rack, if you cant do it yourself.
Click to expand...

Skoll said:
I can't empathize what Scotty is saying enough. I had to replace my PS pump as well, but by the time I did it was too late and now I have to get a new rack and pinion put in. The PS pump is easy to to do if you have your own car lift. If it, it's cheap to get done at a shop. A lot better than having to buy a new rack and pinon ( can cost as much as $250 ), and paying to get it in ( Another $300-$350 right there ).
Click to expand...

Had the same thing happen to me too! I didnt really have a choice seeing as how I needed to use my car and was dragging my feet to take it to my mechanic friend but in the end I paid dearly for it.
 


Skoll said:
I can't empathize what Scotty is saying enough. I had to replace my PS pump as well, but by the time I did it was too late and now I have to get a new rack and pinion put in. The PS pump is easy to to do if you have your own car lift. If it, it's cheap to get done at a shop. A lot better than having to buy a new rack and pinon ( can cost as much as $250 ), and paying to get it in ( Another $300-$350 right there ).
Click to expand...



dont really need a lift to do the pump or the rack, i did them both in my car. the pump you need to take the pass wheel off, and you can get to the lines from there, and the rack you just put it up on jack stands and drop the back of the cradle a few inches and unbolt it all. then slide it out the d/s wheel well opening. is it fun? no, but doable. beats paying for it, thats for sure.
 
I have to admit...I'm pretty spoiled having a hoist to do car work on. Best $3500 I have spent and it has paid for itself 10 times over.
 
scottydoggs said:
dont really need a lift to do the pump or the rack, i did them both in my car. the pump you need to take the pass wheel off, and you can get to the lines from there, and the rack you just put it up on jack stands and drop the back of the cradle a few inches and unbolt it all. then slide it out the d/s wheel well opening. is it fun? no, but doable. beats paying for it, thats for sure.
Click to expand...

That doesn't sound fun at all, but I kind of want to try it now.
 
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