Power Steering Pump Replacement
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 534
Likes: 2
From: Connecticut
Power Steering Pump Replacement
I have a leaking power steering pump. Is there any problems getting a rebuilt one from Napa or Autozone? Or, is it better to use something like ZIP, Ecklers, etc. and pay a little more.
Thank You
Thank You
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Vettkeeper
I got my replacement at Advanced Auto, havn't had any problems with it, I did have to have the pully pressed off the old pump and pressed on the new one.
I buy PS pumps for a lot of vehicles from Autozone / Oreilly, and all work great. Have had several of them for five years now. No worries.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
Pull the spring out of the back of yours and check it against the new one, been hearing stories about the pressure not being right on some of them. Can't remember if C3 pressure is higher or lower than a regular car
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by SIXFOOTER
Pull the spring out of the back of yours and check it against the new one, been hearing stories about the pressure not being right on some of them. Can't remember if C3 pressure is higher or lower than a regular car
I've heard it's higher...good point...but I don't have any sources to back that up. Just heard it before too.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: Melville, Long Island NY
Grayson - Just went through this a couple weeks ago myself. I ordered a rebuilt AC Delco unit online from Giant Auto Parts.com (I think it was).
Was around $50 so not very expensive and did not require sending back my core.
I removed, carefully cleaned and reused my spring assembly from the orig pump just to make sure I would not have an issue with pressure.
Also rented a puller for the PS pulley from AutoZone. Actually, they sell it to you for around $40 then refund the money when you return it in good condition. Very easy to use.
Good luck.
Was around $50 so not very expensive and did not require sending back my core.
I removed, carefully cleaned and reused my spring assembly from the orig pump just to make sure I would not have an issue with pressure.
Also rented a puller for the PS pulley from AutoZone. Actually, they sell it to you for around $40 then refund the money when you return it in good condition. Very easy to use.
Good luck.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
Great to know. Thanks. So is it a good idea to change springs or is the higher pressure a goo dthing?
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,881
Likes: 9
From: staten island ny
Are you buying the pump or the whole thing with reservoir? I found it easier to buy the whole thing pump and res. Just had to worry about getting the pulley off which I screwed up by using a gear puller instead of the correct tool.
ESU
ESU
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
The C2/C3 Vettes only required a maximum of 950 psi because they used an external booster cylinder power steering system. Most GM cars and trucks used pumps with pressure relief settings several hundred psi higher. You only want or need a pump with a maximum pressure relief setting that allows you to steer all the way to full lock with your car stopped, engine at idle, and your foot on the brakes. That is the maneuver that requires the most pump pressure.
Also the small diameter pressure hoses (pump to valve and the two valve to booster cylinder) used on the C2/C3 power steering system were only good to about 1000 psi. Higher pressures will cause them to leak fairly quickly.
It is always a good bet to take the flow control valve from your original pump and place it into your replacement pump. That valve (if it is the original) has the maximum pressure relief setting of around 950 psi.
The following pump blowup may help.
Jim
Also the small diameter pressure hoses (pump to valve and the two valve to booster cylinder) used on the C2/C3 power steering system were only good to about 1000 psi. Higher pressures will cause them to leak fairly quickly.
It is always a good bet to take the flow control valve from your original pump and place it into your replacement pump. That valve (if it is the original) has the maximum pressure relief setting of around 950 psi.
The following pump blowup may help.
Jim
Last edited by Jim Shea; Aug 28, 2006 at 08:32 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
because we can. My point about changing the spring is to make sure the one in the pump he will be useing is the correct one. Since it came from a working pump (that leaked) he can be sure it will work in the new pump and not have to worry about dammage/Leaks from an incorrect spring causing to high system pressure.
Thanks Jim Shea for the info
Thanks Jim Shea for the info
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
I'm glad someone brought that up...I didn't think the pressure would need to be lower. I just have a feeling that the pump I have on my Vette, is the original. And, the pump I have in the serp system is a '92 Z28 pump. I will for sure need to find a correct original C3 spring huh? Anyone know of a good source?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
It is not the spring (#5) that controls the pressure relief! It is the flow control valve itself!
The flow control valve (#6) has a hex nut with a fine screen in its face on the forward (toward the pulley - engaging spring #5) side of the valve. The hex nut usually has one or a couple small shims under its head. They control the amount of force that a small coil spring (inside the valve) exerts on a pressure relief ball (which is also inside the valve). The hex nut and shims were screwed into the flow control valve and preset at the factory for a specific relief pressure.
Jim
The flow control valve (#6) has a hex nut with a fine screen in its face on the forward (toward the pulley - engaging spring #5) side of the valve. The hex nut usually has one or a couple small shims under its head. They control the amount of force that a small coil spring (inside the valve) exerts on a pressure relief ball (which is also inside the valve). The hex nut and shims were screwed into the flow control valve and preset at the factory for a specific relief pressure.
Jim
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Jim Shea
It is not the spring (#5) that controls the pressure relief! It is the flow control valve itself!
The flow control valve (#6) has a hex nut with a fine screen in its face on the forward (toward the pulley - engaging spring #5) side of the valve. The hex nut usually has one or a couple small shims under its head. They control the amount of force that a small coil spring (inside the valve) exerts on a pressure relief ball (which is also inside the valve). The hex nut and shims were screwed into the flow control valve and preset at the factory for a specific relief pressure.
Jim
The flow control valve (#6) has a hex nut with a fine screen in its face on the forward (toward the pulley - engaging spring #5) side of the valve. The hex nut usually has one or a couple small shims under its head. They control the amount of force that a small coil spring (inside the valve) exerts on a pressure relief ball (which is also inside the valve). The hex nut and shims were screwed into the flow control valve and preset at the factory for a specific relief pressure.
Jim
So it's the number of shims that controls the pressure? How do I know how many shims I will need? Is there a documented on this?
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 110
From: Garland Texas
Jim is 100% correct. The valve shimming controls the pressure not the spring behind the valve. All rebuilders I know of set the pressure to 1,000 psi regardless of original pressure. The actual pump itself is the same one used on vettes, impalas, pick-ups, etc. Only the resevoir is different. Well except for the shaft on 74 and earlier and metric threads on 80 and newer. If your old pump is the original one then swapping the valve helps you maintain original pressure. I have on ocassion bought a pump and swapped over the corvette resevoir to keep from having to pay for the more expensive corvette pump. Most of your FLAPS sell the pump with the non-corvette resevoir. There is a company in Texas that puts new corvette resevoirs on their rebuilt pumps. PM me for info.
Mike
Mike