Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) leaky vacuum pump

[darkhorse]

I'd thought it was an over full puke bottle at first but a closer inspection revealed oil coming out of the vacuum pump to power steering pump connection. A quick search brought me to fixinrams.com. Let me tell you, Dave Gould is prompt. The DVD instructions make it look like a snap for even a duffer do it yourselfer like me. He included a printed instruction sheet with an update that says the power steering pump doesn't even have to be removed, just pushed back out of the way. It might be a good time to clean that unit out too but I've never worked on such things before. I therefore have a question for any one in the know about them. How much trouble is it to bleed the air back out of one after opening it up & how much fluid is going to drain out when the lines are removed?

 

[CSnyder]

Hey Darkhorse! That vacuum pump rebuild kit is available through any Cummins truck shop for less than 15 bucks. I would recommend when you get done rebuilding it that you couple it back to the power steering pump before you bolt it back to the front engine plate so you can turn the pump gear to line up the shafts. I always take the complete unit out for my customers and then clean them up good and aerosol overhaul them when Im done rebuilding them. That way you can see if they are leaking after a rebuild. When you get them back on the truck fully mounted and all the lines hooked back up there is no bleeding to do if you dont remove the power steering pump. If you remove that also then you can change your fluid out and bleeding consists of jacking up the truck front and filling the canister up to full and turning your wheel lock to lock 3 times and refilling your canister for the power steering. There is nothing in the vacuum system that needs to be bled out though.



Hope this helps! Chris



PS do you have an extra longbox quadcab frame around that is useable?

 

[darkhorse]

Hey Darkhorse! That vacuum pump rebuild kit is available through any Cummins truck shop for less than 15 bucks.



I know the seal is available for a lot less but Dave uses an improved 2 lip seal & he includes an extra along with extra "O" rings & some tools that make his price seem worth it as it's not much more than what an hour of shop time costs. Thanks for the tip on the steering pump. I'll go ahead & remove it too. My wrecked truck it still around. Life's been too busy to get much done on it. I miss the KORE suspension a lot more than the 500 hp motor also I don't miss the 6 speed but the disc brakes are a lot nicer than the drums on the rear of this one. all in all, the white truck is working well for me but it's had a lot more wear put on it than my old one.