So I got my pump back from a rebuild shop that rockauto sent out. Had to knock the pulley back onto the shaft before I put the pump on which was not fun. Then once the pulley was on I bolt up the pump. Took it for a ride and noticed I had NO steering. A couple miles later I was blowing smoke. So I guess I blew the seals.

I suspect I did not prime the pump or I seized the bearings inside by hitting the pulley on with a hammer. What should I do now?

 

why not take a look and see what happened first?

You have several high pressure fluid lines that have o-rings or seals, these never seat the first time and always require a 2nd tightening ....(trick is with real hydraulic systems is to tighten, back off and retighten.)

Beating the pulley is a bad idea. That particular pulley likes to warp. Easily. Unless you used a sledge, I doubt that the whoopin did anything to the shaft seal or bushing either.

IIWM, I'd clean it off, put some fluid in there and get someone to start the car while I watched under the hood and looked for the leak. If its as bad and as fast as you say it will be easy to spot. Again, odds are its a hose, a fitting or even a loose steel line just as equally as it could be a rack shaft seal or pump seal. You really do not have to "purge" or prime these vane pumps. They are very durable and the pump body serves as a reservoir of sorts so the actual pump is full of oil the instant that it turns. It might cavitate for 1 second, but thats not gonna kill it. New pumps are the best way to find old hoses..!

 

I looked and it seems to be coming out of the shaft area of the pump it self. All I did was hook the pump up and the hoses and then fill the tank then start her up and drive it. I had no power steering at all for over an hour till i shut it off

 

Then what happened?

 

My experience is to pull the coil lead off the distributor. You can pull a fuse...
1. Fill the reservoir, then crank the engine for a few seconds.
2. Repeat step 1 until the fluid level stays up.
3. With the engine running turn the wheel slowly lock to lock a few times.
4. Check the fluid and go for a ride.



BTW. Sounds like you ran the pump dry after beating the pulley on.
Might try getting the proper pulley tool and replacing the pump.....

 

figured I trashed the pump. I will look for a complete unit with the pulley on it used per say. If not, then new is the only way to go. Just wish the pulley was available to buy

 

I don;t think they sell pumps with pulleys..
If there aren;t any hammer dents on the shaft or pump...claim warranty !

You CAN buy stock pulleys at FleaBay and you CAN also buy new under-drive pulleys at many of the Corvette catalog stores. They sell pullers too..

Did you try the Lucas Rack & Pinion Conditioner and Stop Leak? The stuff works wonders on seal leaks....

 

You are correct!

Have a shop press the pulley onto the pump.

 

Power steering Pully Removal/Installation tools are readily available for Purchase or rent.. in fact for many Vehicles it is necessary to remove the pully in order to get the pump off.

Tool cost about $40-80 and are worth every penny..

 

$12 at Harbor Freight for a puller. works just fine

 

You really need the correct tools like the guys have stated. Turn one does great rebuilds. Check the lines first though I have popped lots of lines.

Daniel

 

This is what i used, it is the only way to do it properly.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kastar-5238-...item2c58f7370d

Hammers and pullers are the reason so many damaged/warped their power steering pulleys, and why there is a shortage of second hand ones.

Buy a new pulley and replace the pump, the hammer most likely damaged the reco pump. Look at the low pressure fluid return line back to the reservoir, that rubber hose can hit the pulley if care is not taken to check alignment during fitting and checking for clearance afterwards.

A buckle or wobble in the pulley will shorten the life of the pump.
Running the pump dry will damage the vanes....

 

Good catch !

With many pumps after rebuild/install the low pressure return line snakes under the pulley then up toward the front. As it makes that upward bend it rubs the outer ring on the pulley...You can cut 1/2" off the reservoir end of the hose so its pulled away from the pulley and/or you can zip-tie that hose against the reservoir to hold it off the pulley. Always watch it run and rev the motor to see if it tweaks around when torqued from revving. There is less than 1/4" between hose and pulley in some cases.
That's also a good place to "double bag" the return by splitting a heater hose and slipping that over the return to act as a guard.
I caught mine pretty quick after the install and it had already rubbed a small hole in the return hose. It's more a matter of "fitting" the generic molded hose by trimming the ends to length than it is a problem with shape, mounting or size.

 

wow, you must really love her

 

Yeah i had installed my new pump and when you tighten the hose clamp for the return hose, if it is not at the correct angle it can have a ''SPACIAL CONFLICT'' with the pulley. as i found out when i saw a couple of drips, the torsional twist to the reservoir was enough to get the hose way too close to the pulley.

Had to remove the damn supercharger to access the hose, so i have learned my lesson always double check everything before starting the car. Also look closely with a good light before driving, that is how i saw the leak before taking a test drive. Thus preventing embarrassing myself and the Corvette brand with a smoking pit stop in public.

Heaven forbid a RUSTANG owner seeing that

 

How about going to autozone for a free loaner pulley installer. Or just use the nut and bolt supplied with the pump.

I have a brand new GM pump, in the box, with instructions.
$50, no core charge.

 

Why would anyone talk about using a hammer when a pulley puller is so available for "FREE" from most parts stores?

You pay for the puller kit, but when you return it they refund your money....how hard could that be??

Use the puller to extract and replace the pulley...there is no hammer involved and it takes a mere minute or so to go each way.....wth.....

 

Ordered the new pump so we will see how round 2 goes.

 

I've played with a few power steering pumps, but, thankfully, not the Vette's. Definitely use a pulley installer and remover tools. Pulleys are mainly a friction fit, so they may or may not need to be cinched all the way on (the shaft) depending on belt alignment (unless you like the sound of belt squeal).

Once you get the pump and lines back on, fill the reservoir, jack the front wheels up, and with the engine off manually turn the steering wheel lock to lock several times and keep checking you fluid level. Then start the engine check the fluid level again. Slowly turn the steering wheel lock to lock again several times. You shouldn't hear too much pump whining unless you still have too much air in the system, in which case I would stop the engine and go back to engine OFF bleeding (turning the steering wheel). Watch what you have for bubbles coming out of the reservoir (shouldn't be many or none), NEVER let reservoir get low (or too high and it will be messy). When it looks good, sounds quiet, lower the front end back down and go for a test drive.

The newer model Saginaw TC steering pumps (which I'm guessing the corvette has) are much more sensitive to proper bleeding than the old "P" series pumps of yore. Filling it and driving away without proper bleeding is a death sentence.