PS Pump R&R

[AMikonis]

Hi all, I'll be swapping my power steering pump as soon as I can get one. I have the factory manual, which sez to pull it with the vacuum pump as an assembly. Doesn't look like too bad a job, but looking at it, it seems like the PS pump might come off by itself. Anyone try it this way, or should I stick to the manual's instructions?



Thanks,

Andy

 

[Greenleaf]

I have pulled the pump with out pulling the other. This is gonna work just fine. Pleez remove your oil pressure sending unit FIRST!!!!!!!! OUCH!!



When you git her bolted back up. Fill her up with the good stuff. May even try flushing some of the old out by filling the resevoir (Valvoline SynPower) and cranking her over with the cut-off lever pulled and the pump return stuck down into a waste oil (coffee) can.



Fill the system and start her up. with the fron tires up off the ground, turn the wheels back and forth. You will gets like tons of air and the oil will not drop down. All of a sudden it'll suck it down and the wheels will turn free. Add more of the good stuff to proper level.



Your next quetion will be about the coupling. Some pumps have a new one, and others don't. You may also want to install a new engine oil seal into the back side of the vacuum pump.



-S

 

[AMikonis]

I pick it up tomorrow, we'll see what I get for the coupler. Thanks for the tips after the install.



Is that seal on the vacuum pump a standard seal I can get matched up at the parts store? Or does anyone have a p/n?

 

[Greenleaf]

Dude,



I have not replaced mine, however this is the p. n. that was advertised in the TDR magazine awhile back. Any parts store worth the weight in donut holes will get you one.



CR10924



If memory serves me the ps pump and the vac pump use the same oil seal, one in each pump. Take a look and tell us if they are the same configuration while apart. There is a bracket you'll pull from the backside of the vac pump that holds the oil seal. I had mine off to R&R the seal and could not locate the p. n. so I'm still using it.



Hope all goes well!! Let us know.



Scott

 

[AMikonis]

Interesting

So, I pulled it vacuum pump and all today. Easy. I was having trouble getting to the upper rear PS pump mounting nut. Maybe if I had a 15mm half-moon wrench. Besides, it's been apart before, though it was the original date-coded PS pump, and I think re-tightened by gorillas.



Anyhoo, I took both the CR number and the number off the seal, and my parts guy couldn't do much for me. They used to handle CR. He said it was an "industrial" seal, not automotive.



So, I went to Cummins. Needed a vacuum pump to gear case gasket anyway. The guy sez "We didn't supply the vacuum or power steering pump. It's a Dodge part. " The vac pump casting says England on it. Maybe I'll try Napa in the morning, but I gotta get this thing back together. It doesn't look bad...

 

[AMikonis]

Hope all goes well!! Let us know.



Scott

Well, it went back together easy. I sent the core back with the two bolts that hold the reservoir on. Didn't know I needed those and the plugs were painted over on the new one so I didn't notice they weren't there. Picked up a couple bolts at the hardware store and as it ended up, it leaks around one I had to drive it 2200 miles pulling a trailer the next day, so I just ran it. The leak is not pressurized, so topping it off at each fuel stop was okay. Went through about 2 qts. of fluid on the trip. One way to change the fluid. Looking forward to pulling it apart again. I think I'll wait until it gets nice and cold out.

 

[Greenleaf]

Yeah, I'm thinking that them bolts have a shoulder onwhich there is a seal of some sort.



Sorry to hear about that.



GL

 

[AMikonis]

Best I can tell from the manual is there are o-rings that go on the pump body first, then the reservoir, then the bolts sandwich the o-rings. One of them doesn't leak. Oh well, I guess I'll figure it out when I pull it apart...

 

[dpuckett]

Yup, Cummins is good about telling you that it's a Dodge part, even if you ahve a Cummins p/n. It is just too much of an inconvenience ot mess with the puny pickups, I guess. GLad to hear you got it back together. Maybe the o-rings are why the manual tells you to take the whole thing off. Or it could be just so the shop can pad their hour charge on top of what it ACTUALLY takes. (as if the CHilton manual doesnt do that already). FWIW, When I put the new vac/ps pump on mine, I just used a good dose of Ultra Black silicone and let it set overnight before starting it up.



Daniel

 

[JLEONARD]

Glad you guys were so thourough in discussing this.

I decided I need to take off my pump to replace my one leaky vacuum pump.

Had to abort the mission a short while ago as it became apparent that the return line was going to break before the nut loosened.

So while I still can drive it I decided to get a new line first

Then I probably will wait till saturday... or maybe I should wait until Andy says it's cold enough to work outside

Jay

 

[dpuckett]

Hey ECJay, if you need one of the pumps (the little UFO/pod looking dealies), I have two left over from when the central part of my PS/vac pump took a dump (the main body to which the vac pumps and PS pump attach). PM or email me



-DP

 

[AMikonis]

update

I think either the bolt I used might have been a hair too long and it bottomed out, or else the washer I used was too big around and the back of the reservoir is not completely flat, and the big washer kept it from seating properly. So, I pulled the bolt only, cut it down, used a smaller washer, and a dab of rtv and it seems to be holding.

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

As a thought... . when you're all done this project you should post the part numbers/cost/source etc in the "discontinued support" forum... . I know, it's not really discontinued but it will help the next guy who needs part numbers and sources for this job.....



pb... .



edit: the manual makes a bit of a 'deal' on reassembly of the ps/vacuum pump. They note that the coupling is important and if it is not done carefully you can suffer progressive damage to the vacuum pump... . my brother went thru 9 of these little boogers... . atually the dealer did. .