Hi All,

Fsttyms1, this one's probably for you in particular since you've done it already but I'm hoping the collective knowledge of everyone here will pool to provide me invaluable info.

I am attempting a power steering pump rebuild as fsttyms1 has mentioned he did fairly easily quite a few times. Oh, also, yes, victim of new belts syndrome after the big timing belt service. The pump was probably old and a new belt might have finished it off.


So first of all, I found one of fsttyms1's posts and he said he replaced the following parts:



"19, 20, 21, 15, 3, 14, is what i bought (baisically all the seals) and the bearing.

Unfortunately there isnt a full rebuild kit available and some parts you cant buy"

based on this diagram
http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.org/...s=&view=normal


I was thinking about adding 17 and 18 based on some other things I've read but I can't get the bolt covering 18 off. It looks like a big hex bit is necessary but I'm wondering if I should even bother with that. I tried with an allen wrench and pretty much got nowhere.

Second, I can't get 14 and subsequently 3 and 15 out. Is there a special tool to pull the pulley axle (is that the right term for it?) out or can one just sort of tap it with a hammer from the back side? I have already removed 13 (retaining clip) but it doesn't seem too ready to budge and I wanted to ask for some advice before applying more force.

Third, after disassembling practically everything else, I didn't seem to hear any rattling from the bearings. Originally, when I took the pump out, I heard rattling when I spun the pulley so I thought this was the noise I was hearing, but I later found out that the rattling is coming from those impellers to the left of 19 and 20 in the diagram. Which makes me wonder why it was making noise in the first place. Maybe the bearings don't make noise unless under load?

Thanks much in advance!

 

Okay, that was .. quite a mission, but I finally managed to get it off thanks to some help from fsttyms1.

Since he confirmed that there were no tricks, I gave up being polite started using brute force. I hope I didn't bend the shaft. I had to tap the shaft from the inside with increasing force until it finally came out (shaft + bearing assembly (14)) and THEN, I had to hammer away pretty furiously to get the bearing (14) off. I had to triplecheck the diagram to convince myself that it should be coming off and that I didn't forget a clip somewhere or something. Sheesh. I ended up putting a deep socket over the shaft, letting the socket land on the bearing, and hammered away. That didn't work so I lubed up where 14 meets the shaft and then heated it, hoping to expand the inner ring a little. Then, FINALLY, after some more furious hammering, I saw a little space. Vindication! A flurry of blows followed and I was rewarded with 14 falling off! My bearings must have originally expanded and pushed against the inner and outer rings or something. Even #15, the seal, didn't want to come out until I poked it from the inside out. What a mission.

 

wow-the bearing is certainly toast now!!

others: may try a pulley removal tool- kind of like a steering wheel or crank pulley removal tool, grabs the pulley edges from behind and puts pressure on the center shaft

Cold shot method with can of compressed air may help, based on description--

 

Let us know how it turns out.

Also when you go to tighten the belt go on the loose side. If it squeals tighten slightly more till it stops.

 

My bearings slid off (on 2 different ones) i dont know if it was a fluke or if his were seized?

 

hmm. Now I've done it. I decided, against fsttyms1's better judgment, to go for thoroughness and removed the flow control valve cap (and it was another mission too!) to change the o-ring underneath it. (18) Then, of course, the flow control valve drops out unexpectedly. Now, the question is for anyone who has done this and has a 01 helms service manual, does it matter how the valve is put back in? It looks like it has two edges on the inside tip and a small hole somewhere in the middle of the body.

thanks.

 

Wow,

It's been a month already. Just to followup, I merely reassembled the pump based on the 04 helms manual and a good thing too that I looked closely! I didn't even realize the impellers inside were directional. It didn't mention anything about the direction of the flow control valve so whatever.

The bearing was tight on reassemble too! The helms manual had a neat solution on how to hammer the bearing back on (or off). It involved a board with a hole just big enough for the shaft to go through. I tapped the shaft ever so gently but firmly to get the bearing back on praying that it would not damage the innards.

The rest of the reassemble went okay -- slowly but meticulously. I slapped everything back in, taking care to leave the appropriate amount of "looseness" as suggested by my more experienced peers here, and went at it.

Ironically, during the draining, the pump sounded beautiful and as expected but afterwards, when I fed it fluid, the noise came back! Grr. So, I did the proper bleeding for about four times without much success. Was about to give up but then realized that each time I turned the car on, it had sucked some more fluid so I added more for just one last time and success! It was purrring beautifully.

I could be losing my mind but the belt seems to tighten when the engine gets hotter. Weird.

I don't know how fsttyms1 did his rebuild in 15 minutes -- but then we're talking about a guy who replaces his whole steering rack or axle or whatevermajig in the time I took.

All in all, I'd say my project took quite a few hours. Good thing I had another car while I "leisurely" researched, bought parts, and studied diagrams.

Thanks again for all the advice, fsttyms1, 01tl4tl and countless others for posting their various experiences! Here's crossing my fingers and hoping it'll last for another 100K .. or maybe at least 50K?

 

Congratulations on your persistence. You're now crowned the resident ps pump guru!

 

fsttyms has a well equipped toolbox,,, and an air compressor~

 

How much are rebuilt PS pumps from local parts stores?

 

have you looked at part store websites? prices may vary so thats your best bet

From the description it sounds like any price is fair!

 

Yikes!!! I looked at Auto Zone....$300+........didn't say it was a rebuild though.
Must be one very special power steering pump!!!

 

wow I had no idea
-those in need may ck the auto recycler (junkyards) for a good used one

those getting a 105/timing belt done soon- or had it done,,make sure the ps belt is not over-tensioned when put back together--thats a pump killer,,too tight a belt

the rest should do a flush of the ps system- easy diy
supposed to do every 3-4 years-60kmiles

 

Remans from Advance & O'Reilly are $211.00 after core refund.
I can see why somebody might try a rebuild kit.