electric pwr steering pump
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 673
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From: Venetia,Pa,USA
electric pwr steering pump
I've had a number of power steering hose failures both on my street Vette and track car. Ugly job to replace hose. I know that Toyota MR2's use a electric [ 12 Volt ] hyd pump. I was wondering if anyone ever converted from belt driven to electic motor pump. That way hose location could be placed in easier location for replacement.
Just thinking out loud
Just thinking out loud
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
I've had a number of power steering hose failures both on my street Vette and track car. Ugly job to replace hose. I know that Toyota MR2's use a electric [ 12 Volt ] hyd pump. I was wondering if anyone ever converted from belt driven to electic motor pump. That way hose location could be placed in easier location for replacement.
Just thinking out loud
Just thinking out loud
I have had my vette for around 16 years never had a hose issue, only replaced my pump a year or so ago when it started leaking on the shaft seal.
No leaks before or since and i have put over 100,000 miles on my 85, so there must be a issue with reproduction power steering hoses made in China or the like
.?Get a hose specialist to make you a custom set
.Heck i still have the original headlight motors that have never had to be rebuilt, perhaps my power steering hoses and headlight motors will fall out when i next go for a drive in my vette
But seriously there has to be an issue for the hose problems you have been having, they should go the distance and out last your steering rack and pump.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 14,679
Likes: 752
From: NEwhere Ohio
Im interested in this too.
On my supercharged 93, ive had issues with random power steering leaks that pop up from no-where.
It got so bad that I did a 360 degree weld of that movable spigot for the return fitting off of the pump.
I still have leaks. Who knows maybe theres some porosity in my weld bead or something. Crap, i think last time I wiped a bead of black rtv around my weld and I still get a small leak.
maybe its not from the return fitting? Its hard to tell where it comes from as everything is packed so tight in there.
Its not a huge issue, as the leak always collects and drips down the return line and drips off the bottom - without getting any of it onto my precious crank pulley or supercharger drive belt.
Sometimes it'll go weeks without leaking, other times I will put it up on the jack stands and bam! it will leak.
So yeah, getting rid of that power-robbing accessory would be cool.
I dont know if the extra drag on the alternator would diminish the gains you'd get from eliminating it.
ive heard about the toyota mr2 electric pump also. ...
Im interested.
383vett, im surprised you arent interested in this on your drag c4?
On my supercharged 93, ive had issues with random power steering leaks that pop up from no-where.
It got so bad that I did a 360 degree weld of that movable spigot for the return fitting off of the pump.
I still have leaks. Who knows maybe theres some porosity in my weld bead or something. Crap, i think last time I wiped a bead of black rtv around my weld and I still get a small leak.
maybe its not from the return fitting? Its hard to tell where it comes from as everything is packed so tight in there.
Its not a huge issue, as the leak always collects and drips down the return line and drips off the bottom - without getting any of it onto my precious crank pulley or supercharger drive belt.
Sometimes it'll go weeks without leaking, other times I will put it up on the jack stands and bam! it will leak.
So yeah, getting rid of that power-robbing accessory would be cool.
I dont know if the extra drag on the alternator would diminish the gains you'd get from eliminating it.
ive heard about the toyota mr2 electric pump also. ...
Im interested.
383vett, im surprised you arent interested in this on your drag c4?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Im interested in this too.
On my supercharged 93, ive had issues with random power steering leaks that pop up from no-where.
It got so bad that I did a 360 degree weld of that movable spigot for the return fitting off of the pump.
I still have leaks. Who knows maybe theres some porosity in my weld bead or something. Crap, i think last time I wiped a bead of black rtv around my weld and I still get a small leak.
maybe its not from the return fitting? Its hard to tell where it comes from as everything is packed so tight in there.
Its not a huge issue, as the leak always collects and drips down the return line and drips off the bottom - without getting any of it onto my precious crank pulley or supercharger drive belt.
Sometimes it'll go weeks without leaking, other times I will put it up on the jack stands and bam! it will leak.
So yeah, getting rid of that power-robbing accessory would be cool.
I dont know if the extra drag on the alternator would diminish the gains you'd get from eliminating it.
ive heard about the toyota mr2 electric pump also. ...
Im interested.
383vett, im surprised you arent interested in this on your drag c4?
On my supercharged 93, ive had issues with random power steering leaks that pop up from no-where.
It got so bad that I did a 360 degree weld of that movable spigot for the return fitting off of the pump.
I still have leaks. Who knows maybe theres some porosity in my weld bead or something. Crap, i think last time I wiped a bead of black rtv around my weld and I still get a small leak.
maybe its not from the return fitting? Its hard to tell where it comes from as everything is packed so tight in there.
Its not a huge issue, as the leak always collects and drips down the return line and drips off the bottom - without getting any of it onto my precious crank pulley or supercharger drive belt.
Sometimes it'll go weeks without leaking, other times I will put it up on the jack stands and bam! it will leak.
So yeah, getting rid of that power-robbing accessory would be cool.
I dont know if the extra drag on the alternator would diminish the gains you'd get from eliminating it.
ive heard about the toyota mr2 electric pump also. ...
Im interested.
383vett, im surprised you arent interested in this on your drag c4?
The blower doesn't vibrate as it is has a strong bracket so it should not affect the power steering pump, just get a reconditioned pump and fix it before it leaves you stranded. Remember the pulley needs to be removed and refitted, with the correct tool or you will have a buckled pulley that can destroy the new pump. See link below that is what i used maybe you can hire the tool somewhere.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/8084-POWER-S...item2ec5a77582
Degrease the engine power steering a day or two beforehand, but then again you do not want to end up with OPTI probs.
It would help if you could see fresh power steering fluid evidence/ leak location when removing it or in case a hose is damaged.
Good luck
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
The car probably wouldn't be too hard to turn with skinnies and the fact that it's a strip only car. One problem is that I have the Z51 package and quicker steering. I'd rather not change the rack. Maybe a new thread is needed. Sorry op.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 14,679
Likes: 752
From: NEwhere Ohio
Interesting my 85 is supercharged that is how my power steering pump leaks started a drip here and nothing next day, eventually i investigated it and found some seals were no longer sealing well even the return hose looked bad and i replaced that at the same time no problems since.
The blower doesn't vibrate as it is has a strong bracket so it should not affect the power steering pump, just get a reconditioned pump and fix it before it leaves you stranded. Remember the pulley needs to be removed and refitted, with the correct tool or you will have a buckled pulley that can destroy the new pump. See link below that is what i used maybe you can hire the tool somewhere.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/8084-POWER-S...item2ec5a77582
Degrease the engine power steering a day or two beforehand, but then again you do not want to end up with OPTI probs.
It would help if you could see fresh power steering fluid evidence/ leak location when removing it or in case a hose is damaged.
Good luck
The blower doesn't vibrate as it is has a strong bracket so it should not affect the power steering pump, just get a reconditioned pump and fix it before it leaves you stranded. Remember the pulley needs to be removed and refitted, with the correct tool or you will have a buckled pulley that can destroy the new pump. See link below that is what i used maybe you can hire the tool somewhere.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/8084-POWER-S...item2ec5a77582
Degrease the engine power steering a day or two beforehand, but then again you do not want to end up with OPTI probs.
It would help if you could see fresh power steering fluid evidence/ leak location when removing it or in case a hose is damaged.
Good luck
Also...I had a bent pulley (from a bonehead shop that did some work once) that ran my power steering pump for years until I got a new pulley and did the work myself. Correctly to I might add!
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 15,344
Likes: 4,009
From: Texas
On a C4 that sees extensive time on a road course, you need to replace the ps hose with a stainless steel braided line with AN fittings. The factory hose simply does not stand up to the vibration environment of continuous high rpm operation, Once you make the swap, you'll be fine.
As an aside, if you have an LT1/4 car, there's a small clip/attach fitting that secures the factory line to the accessory bracket. Often times shops and DIY'ers leave that fitting off. Without the attach fitting, the hose will fail even more often.
Btw....Identifying the year and engine you have gets you better help. What applies to an L98 often doesn't apply to an LTx and vice versa.
As an aside, if you have an LT1/4 car, there's a small clip/attach fitting that secures the factory line to the accessory bracket. Often times shops and DIY'ers leave that fitting off. Without the attach fitting, the hose will fail even more often.
Btw....Identifying the year and engine you have gets you better help. What applies to an L98 often doesn't apply to an LTx and vice versa.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
x2.
Fuel savings, extra power (albeit, slight), better packaging...seems like a good idea to me. Don't know what's involved w/controlling the pump; I doubt that is runs all the time at a continuous speed.
Fuel savings, extra power (albeit, slight), better packaging...seems like a good idea to me. Don't know what's involved w/controlling the pump; I doubt that is runs all the time at a continuous speed.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
I thought electric power steering systems do away with the pump and use motors instead. A conversion would be have to be 100% reliable. Hitting the wall at speed is usually not a good thing.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
While failure isn't desirable, it's not "condemning" either. Just like in an older hydraulic system that fails (due to a hose or belt), any electric assist system will simply revert to mechanical steering with no power ASSIST. Steering is still totally manageable, however.
THIS SYSTEM, however, is something entirely different, that I am not "O.K." with...for a variety of reason.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
Currently, OEM's are using electric power assist with no hydraulics or pump. Basically they function like a servo motor where the steering shaft in the column is the armature, and the stator is around it. The stator pulls on the armature/steering shaft.
While failure isn't desirable, it's not "condemning" either. Just like in an older hydraulic system that fails (due to a hose or belt), any electric assist system will simply revert to mechanical steering with no power ASSIST. Steering is still totally manageable, however.
THIS SYSTEM, however, is something entirely different, that I am not "O.K." with...for a variety of reason.
While failure isn't desirable, it's not "condemning" either. Just like in an older hydraulic system that fails (due to a hose or belt), any electric assist system will simply revert to mechanical steering with no power ASSIST. Steering is still totally manageable, however.
THIS SYSTEM, however, is something entirely different, that I am not "O.K." with...for a variety of reason.