Replacing power steering pump

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itwonder

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I had posted this previously, but guess it's buried enough that search does not find. This way makes the job easier than some other procedures I have seen:

You should also replace the pressure hose at the same time. Fear not, the job is not bad on the MTX, and my way did not require removing the motor mount like the FSM says to do.


Power Steering Pump Replacement Procedure - For my Gen 2 MTX, may or may not work for other models

1. Set front of car up on 6 ton jackstands under frame rails, same as in clutch installation procedure.
2. Remove both front tires.
3. Remove battery, PS reservoir & bracket, roll dampener, pump pulley nut, accessory belts, upper timing cover, and pump pulley.
4. Remove cam position sensor and check for oil in bottom of drive housing. (Yes, check even if you are convinced your leak is PS. A leaking seal will drip on teh PS pump and you'll swear it is a PS leak when it is not. It is easy to fix now with everything opened up).
5. Position container to catch spillage and remove suction hose from pump.
6. Put 18 mm or 11/16 (tight, some brands will fit and some won't ) crows foot on pressure line fitting. Run long socket extension(s) toward front of engine until in the clear where a breaker bar can be used. Break fitting loose and remove. *** Although I did not need to do this, my alternative plan was to use a mini tubing cutter to cut the steel line and remove the fitting later.
7. Remove front pump mounting bolts (3) with 12mm socket.
8. Under car, place flex socket or regular 12mm socket with wobble extension on pump rear mounting bolt. Add extensions to reach all the way across the back of the engine above the exhaust manifold nearly to the transmission where there is clear space to get a breaker bar on it, or an air ratchet. Remove the rear bolt. Note it is longer than the front bolts.
9. Back up top, wiggle pump out of its mounting bracket and there is plenty of room to get it out from the top.
10. Use 18mm combo or line wrench to loosen lower pressure hose fitting on the rack by reaching in through the driver side wheel well.
11. Swap pressure switch to new hose, tighten to 5-10 ft-lb. using 9/16 crows foot. Let hose hang vertically for at least an hour before installing.
12. Reverse steps to install new pump and hose. Torque values are:
Pump bolts: 15-24 ft-lb.
Pressure hose fittings: 10-15 ft-lb (Pressure hose fittings can both be torqued with clever use of crows foot wrenches.)

Notes:
1. Be sure new pressure hose has the teflon O-rings on the fittings; they come with the hose.
2. Place plenty of rags under the PS reservoir to catch any spillage. Any fluid that runs down the inner fender will find its way into the frame, then run down and drip out near the right rear subframe bushing. That might fool you into thinking something is leaking.

Pictures for reference on the two toughest parts,getting to the pressure fitting and the rear mounting bolt, are in this thread:

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=86416&highlight=power+steering

__________________
 

joe jr.

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Hi all, I just picked up an 89 today for $500. I got it for this price because it has power steering problems..

I was able to find the thing tonight and found that the pulley is really loose on it. If this is loose and I mean wobbly loose, would this cause it to leak everywhere? I'm trying to decide if it needs a new pump or the pulley is someone just not on the way it needs to be. Does the pulley have some key ways on the back that find a spot on the shaft or does it just get tightened against the shaft tight enough to turn with the shaft? I haven't seen one not on the car, and have not messed with one of these before, so I need the dummy version of this....Thanks.

If the pulley is just loose what is the best way to tighten it? I notices that the end of the shaft is pretty rounded from someone trying to hold it and tighten the nut down to the pulley?
 

yzstud

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Hi all, I just picked up an 89 today for $500. I got it for this price because it has power steering problems..

I was able to find the thing tonight and found that the pulley is really loose on it. If this is loose and I mean wobbly loose, would this cause it to leak everywhere? I'm trying to decide if it needs a new pump or the pulley is someone just not on the way it needs to be. Does the pulley have some key ways on the back that find a spot on the shaft or does it just get tightened against the shaft tight enough to turn with the shaft? I haven't seen one not on the car, and have not messed with one of these before, so I need the dummy version of this....Thanks.

If the pulley is just loose what is the best way to tighten it? I notices that the end of the shaft is pretty rounded from someone trying to hold it and tighten the nut down to the pulley?

If the pulley wobbles it is either loose, or the bearings inside the pump is shot and requires a replacement pump
 

TopGunnYFZ

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Nobody uses the repair guides on Autozone.com? Tells you step by step everything you need to do.
 

joe jr.

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thanks for the info. I did have to remove the dang thing with the pulley on it......extra pita.....but i'm used to everything that can happen happening.....
 

unaslim

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What is everyone using to hold the pulley on? The nut is supposedly single use and discontinued. Is there supposed to be a washer between the nut and the pulley? Is the mtx pulley silver or are both mtx and atx black? mtx is bigger diameter correct?
 

itwonder

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I reused the same nut and had no problems. Nothing in FSM about it being single use.
 

unaslim

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Huh, must have been a ignorant parts guy. He said it was marked in the computer as single use.

Is there supposed to be a washer between the nut and the pulley? Mine came all jacked up with a :snicker:lock washer, which I am sure is wrong. My manual doesn't have any good pictures of the pulley, just the pump.
 

unaslim

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Here's my situation. The original pulley shattered and left me with just the hub. I ordered a new pulley off ebay that was supposed to be for an ATX, put on the pulley with a new belt, the original nut and a flat washer and the pulley wobbled so bad the belt would jump off a rib. I took the pulley off spun it, rolled it around the floor and it looked straight enough so I replaced the pump. Now with the new pump, ebay pulley and new belt I have a high pitched squeal which goes away when I pull the belt off. The tensioner is about maxed out (to the tight side) when everything is together and it makes me think that the pulley I got is an MTX since they are larger diameter if I remember correctly from my searches. Also the pulley still wobbles slightly, I am waiting on another pulley now, hoping thats all it is. I got the reman pump from napa, I guess there's a chance its bad too but probably not likely. I used a screwdriver as a stethoscope and im 99% sure its the ps pump/pulley not the tensioner or idler squealing.
 

hawkeye18

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ATX pullies are larger than MTX pullies. Why, I'll never know, but a common practice of yore was to use an ATX pulley on an MTX as a ghetto UDP. If you got an ATX pulley on an MTX, then the stock PS belt will not fit - at least very well. This might be why your tensioner seems to be out of whack; it might also explain the noise... if a belt is way too tight it will cause all sorts of ungodly noises as it stresses bearings in ways they were never meant to be.

How did you secure the pulley to the pump? There is supposed to be a lock washer with the nut, just like on the AC compressor clutch. The pulley and pump shaft should be splined - at least that's how it is on my 94 ATX. The UDP set I got had a splined PS pulley.

It can be very, very difficult to get enough torque on the PS pulley nut. you have to wedge the pulley effectively against the pump to provide enough backpressure. Alternately, a (I think) 23mm socket on the alternator pulley nut with a driver wedged against the radiator support and the belt installed might provide enough resistance. I've never tried it that way, I just used the screwdriver method. Or breaker bar, whatever.

If you don't have the pulley tight against the pump shaft, it will cause force to be applied to the shaft beyond what it was designed for, and it will cause the shaft to wobble very quickly. You may have to get another pump... or you might just have to tighten the nut some more. I can't tell without looking at it. Sorry :frown:
 

itwonder

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Is there supposed to be a washer between the nut and the pulley? Mine came all jacked up with a :snicker:lock washer, which I am sure is wrong. My manual doesn't have any good pictures of the pulley, just the pump.

Yes, nut and split ring lockwasher. Here's a photo:

PS Pulley
 

unaslim

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ATX pullies are larger than MTX pullies. Why, I'll never know, but a common practice of yore was to use an ATX pulley on an MTX as a ghetto UDP. If you got an ATX pulley on an MTX, then the stock PS belt will not fit - at least very well. This might be why your tensioner seems to be out of whack; it might also explain the noise... if a belt is way too tight it will cause all sorts of ungodly noises as it stresses bearings in ways they were never meant to be.

How did you secure the pulley to the pump? There is supposed to be a lock washer with the nut, just like on the AC compressor clutch. The pulley and pump shaft should be splined - at least that's how it is on my 94 ATX. The UDP set I got had a splined PS pulley.

It can be very, very difficult to get enough torque on the PS pulley nut. you have to wedge the pulley effectively against the pump to provide enough backpressure. Alternately, a (I think) 23mm socket on the alternator pulley nut with a driver wedged against the radiator support and the belt installed might provide enough resistance. I've never tried it that way, I just used the screwdriver method. Or breaker bar, whatever.

If you don't have the pulley tight against the pump shaft, it will cause force to be applied to the shaft beyond what it was designed for, and it will cause the shaft to wobble very quickly. You may have to get another pump... or you might just have to tighten the nut some more. I can't tell without looking at it. Sorry :frown:

I have an atx.

I used a flat washer and lock tite. I wedged a long screw driver in between the tie rod and the ps pump housing through a hole in the pulley and tightened the nut with a socket on a breaker bar. Its quite tight.

Ive tried two pulleys and have put them both on and off at least twice. Pulley still wobbles either way. There is clicking noise intermittently now, possibly [probably] the tensioner. The belt jumps off a rib and sometimes goes back on. Squealing is less with one pulley over the other, but there for both.

Is it possible I bent the shaft on the new pump?

Ill try to go make a short video while its still light out.
 

joe jr.

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I posted some stuff on mine, and am having a wierd issue also. On mine the pump shaft spins with the nut....so how the **** to get it off?
 

unaslim

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You have to hold the pulley stationary to loosen the nut. I used a screwdriver, Ive also used a 10mm socket wedged between the fender well and the pump passing through a hole in the pulley, or if you have a extra offset 12mm wrench you could put that through the pulley hole and onto the pump bolt closest to the front of the car.

The pump shaft will spin with the nut, as well as the pulley by design.
 

itwonder

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I posted some stuff on mine, and am having a wierd issue also. On mine the pump shaft spins with the nut....so how the **** to get it off?

If the pump shaft spins with the nut while the pulley is held stationary, then you must have stripped the splines that mate the pulley to the shaft.
 

unaslim

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If the pump shaft spins with the nut while the pulley is held stationary, then you must have stripped the splines that mate the pulley to the shaft.

In which case there is no point in trying to separate the two, other than saving the nut and washer.
 

joe jr.

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If the pump shaft spins with the nut while the pulley is held stationary, then you must have stripped the splines that mate the pulley to the shaft.

yes, everything was messed up on the thing. The only way to get the nut and washer off was to cut them off.....don't do much good when cut...

Anyways I got a pump from Eric V and got her all back together and man what a freakin' difference to drive...Oh and I got the thing back together in less than half the time i spent getting it out.

:salute:
 
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