My return line leaks heavily and needs replacing, however, I cannot remove the bolt to the pump because I cannot get a wrench around well enough to turn it. I figure I could remove the pump but then I would have the problem of not having any rigid support to the pump making turning the bolt even more difficult.

Does anyone have any advice or experience they can share?

Thanks,

Stephen

 

Get a line wrench, and if that slips...take a CP711 air chisle and rattle it's teeth a bit, NOT destroy it.....just loosen it up a bit...
that don't work, use Vicegrips....

years ago I used to have a thing called a 'baby stilson' pipewrench about 6" long ....it fit really well in tite places and saved my butt alot...

GENE

 

The return line to the pump is a low pressure line and on my 75 it is just held on with a gear clamp. The return outlet is welded to the pump and the return line is slid over this pipe and clamped into place. The other end has a fitting that attaches to the control valve.

 

I wish mine had a gear clamp. :confused: I have a 9/16" bolt on the end of the metal fitting that joins to the rubber hose. It looks stock to me. Now, the end of the hose that goes to the reservoir, that does have a clamp.

Any other help?

 

The return line is a low pressure line. It has a nut and flare fitting at the control valve and there is a heavy steel crimped collar that holds the hose in place at the control valve fitting. The other end of the hose (the pump end) is "bare". It is pushed on a rigid tube that is part of the pump reservoir. There should be a screw clamp or a small crimp clamp holding the hose in place on the reservoir tube.

Assuming you can get access to the clamp so that you can either unscrew it (or cut the clamp off) at the pump reservoir, the only nut you need to remove is at the control valve.

Once you have the hose out of the car, you can take a hacksaw and cut the heavy metal collar length wise to get it off. You can then use a new screw clamp to attach your new hose to the control valve fitting.

If you are talking about the high pressure hose, this hose connects to the back of the pump with a nut and tube connection. A 5/8 hex nut if your Vette is a 1963 thru 1979. A 16mm hex nut if it is a 1980 thru 1982.

One final thought, I always recommend that you refill you power steering system with genuine GM power steering fluid. The stuff is light amber color and is available from any GM dealer. This fluid is especially formulated to operate with the Saginaw pump. For maximum long term durability, I think it is best to use the OEM fluid.

 

Stephen,
Just had the same problem with my '81 pump. I've had it hanging on a bit of string for weeks while I painted the block, changed the cam, etc. It was right in the way, but all the mounting clamps were being painted. The 1st thing I learnt was - don't unbolt the pump as you've got no way of holding it when judiciously applying the extreme brute force needed! My return pipe was just a hose held on with a clamp (jubilee clip/worm drive/gear clamp/whatever they're called in the US) & the feed was a fitting that screwed into the back of the pump. Mine was 5/8" AF & damaged from a previous owner. I soaked the thing in penetrating oil for several days (& finally weeks), which didn't help one little bit :( I couldn't find any shops that sold 5/8" flare wrenches, so I got the longest & thickest 5/8" open ended spanners that I could find. I then bolted the pump solidly in it's mounts and put the spanner securely on the nut & pushed down on it (as usual). No movement, as expected, so while keeping the pressure on the spanner with one hand (supporting most of my weight), I used my other hand to insanely belt the other end of the spanner with a large hammer (a sort of Bubba impact driver method). Don't for God's sake miss the spanner with the hammer! The 1st spanner I tried it with was no good as it started to open up & slip, but the 2nd was very rigid and the fitting eventually came apart. No damage to either part. If the hex rounded off I was going to attack it with the Stilsons or a pipe wrench of some sort, using brute force & plenty of ignorance. If that failed then as a final resort I was considering welding an old 5/8" open ended spanner to the fitting & then beating the hell out of it (the heat from welding is usually enough to "crack" the thread). I don't think there is an easy way - I tried every subtle method I know, but in the end brute force won the day. Applying the force in sudden shocks :smash: has more chance of success than the same force applied constantly (any excuse to use a hammer ;) ).
Good luck
Paul
p.s. I was occasionally trying for most of Jan, all of Feb & the 1st 1/2 of March to get mine off! I don't usually go for hammer blows, but after about 2 months my patience ran out! :lol: