Power Steering Lines

Folks,

I am attempting to change the power steering lines. The FSM does not give very good insructions. Is there some way to loosen the nut that holds the high pressure line to the pump without pulling out the bracket that it is in? Also are there after market tools to remove the pulley if I should ever need to change the power steering pump?

Thanks,

Chris

Thanks atlantadan. After church I got a regular 5/8" open end wrench to fit on the nut with plenty of room to break the nut loose, but will wait to wipe up the area arount the nut so as to not get dirt into the open fitting (22 years of dirt etc. accumulated) and I will also go to a tool store tomorrow to get a line wrench. I still need to take off the bands and loosen the other ends.

HELP anyone,

I got the pressure line out of the power steering but the O-ring did not come out. I tried picking the O-ring out with a pick but top no end.

I need to get the power steering unit out so I can see where the O-ring is. FSM says to take it out with the PS and Alternator bracket. But the bracket is also connected to the AC compressor.

Any and all help is appreciated.

Chris

You don't need to take the whole massive bracket assembly out. Remove the pulley, remove the bolts that hold the pump to the front plate, then remove the front plate. The pump will come out from the front. The heater hoses may need to be removed too. Watch out for the variable effort solenoid connector if your car has that feature, they get very fragile with age.

lamune,

I found the correct diagram and did as you said. No O-ring in the orifice. The pump is a rebuild. I sent it to Cardone for a rebuid anyway. I suspect whoever did the R&R on the car forgot the O-ring nothing in the FSM about it. Why this was not leaking when I bought the car 3 years ago I unfathomable

There's definitely supposed to be an o-ring in there. I did a search and the description of it is "7.65MM IDX1.63MM THK" - in other words non-metric. The replacement lines I got came with them, though I don't know if all do.

Mike,

The new lines I got from Gates come with new O-rings and a plug for the return line on the Reservoir to flush the system.

The Gates hoses are actually made by Plews-Edelmann.

How did you get the pressure line back into the orifice, easy or hard to get it lined up and not strip the threads?

Thanks for your suggestions

I'd recommend starting the high pressure fitting by hand while the pump is loose in the hole- before you bolt anything down. That seemed to be the easiest thing to do. Once it's hand tight install the pump and then tighten to spec.

Since I just did this, here's the pump replacement procedure I used, which may be helpful to someone going forward.

1: Remove as much fluid from reservoir as possible (I used a vacuum bleeder bottle)
2: Disconnect negative battery cable terminal
3: Remove belt (completely from car, to avoid getting PSF on it)
4: Remove alternator (gives more clearance)
5: Disconnect high pressure line
6: Disconnect VES solenoid connector
7: Remove pulley
8: Remove 3 pump to plate bolts
9: Remove 4 plate to bracket bolts (bottom one is bigger than the other 3)
10: Remove plate
11: Remove clamp from reservoir hose, then disconnect hose
12: Remove pump, pull out toward front of car
13: Replace O-ring on high pressure hose
14: Install replacement pump into the hole in the bracket
15: Reattach reservoir hose and clamp
16: Thread high pressure hose into fitting by hand (fingertips, in my case)
17: Align plate with pump, hand thread 3 plate-pump bolts
18: Align plate to bracket, hand-start and then tighten the plate bolts to spec
19: Tighten pump bolts to spec
20: Install VES solenoid connector
21: Tighten high pressure hose fitting
22: Install pulley
23: Install alternator
24: Install belt
25: Fill reservoir and purge system

Mike,

What did you use to tighten high pressure hose to spec (21 ft lbs)? I purchased a 12 point line claw that I couldn't use too tall so I took it back. I then used a 5/8" open end wrench turning it back and forth to remove from the pump. There is so little room to work in. I'll purchase a open end claw and hopefully that wil work.

Thanks for your help,

Chris

95 RMW dark blue woodgrain delete.

I used a 16mm open end wrench to snug it up and then a 16mm line wrench to finish tightening it. I had no way to get a torque wrench in there so I just tightened it up as best a guess as I had. The fitting is very soft so I was careful, but if it doesn't leak when you start it up, it's probably tight enough.

Mike,

I bought a new pressure sensor for the high pressure line. Did you replace yours or reinstall the old one into the new line? How much did you tighten it, its supposed to be tightened to 115 inch lbs after wetting the threads and O-ring with fluid and this is supposed keep it from vibrating out.

I see you installed new upper control arms can you use a socket on the rear nuts to loosen and torque new ones to 90 ft. lbs. I had planned to do this this winter but have run out of time and energy.

Thanks


Chris

Chris-

The replacement line I got already had a new pressure sensor in it, so I didn't do anything there.

I'm not sure which rear nuts on the control arm you're asking about. The big ones on the shaft with the rubber isolators?

Mike,

Yes the big ones with the isolaters. The rear ones do not have as much room to work in as the front. Di you also remove the knurled bolts or just leave them in. I bought new ones.


Thanks,

Chris

The new arms came with new bolts, so I didn't re-use anything. That was a while ago, and I remember not having enough clearance to get a torque wrench in there. I think what I did was I torqued down the front-facing bolts, which I could get the torque wrench on, and then tightening the rears with a box wrench so the same amount of threads were exposed at each end.

I think you might be asking if I took the nuts and bolts off to get the arms in? No, you leave them attached, and bolt the whole thing to the frame.

Mike,

The knurled bolts are the ones that hold the whole arm assembley to the frame of the car and point toward the engine. I just want to know is there enough room to remove the arm assembley without backing them out? the knurled bolts are where front end alignment shims are added for camber and caster.

Ah, ok, I see what you mean now.

I think you have to completely remove those bolts to get the upper control arm out, but I didn't investigate that since the replacement arm had the shaft and bushings already installed.

The service manual procedure for the upper control arm has you remove those two frame bolts and remove it with the main shaft still attached.

Skier wrote:

Mike,

The knurled bolts are the ones that hold the whole arm assembley to the frame of the car and point toward the engine.  I just want to know is there enough room to remove the arm assembley without backing them out?  the knurled bolts are where front end alignment shims are added for camber and caster.

It is easier to get the upper arms out if you tap the studs out. Especially the right side. I removed mine, and the arm came out easily. On the left, you probably need to remove the steering shaft if you do not remove the studs. Putting them back in is easy...use a standard nut to pull them through the frame and shaft, then go back and put the shims in, and the pinch nuts on. Do not use the pinch nuts more than twice.

Mike,

This may be 2 weeks old. Where did you get your power steering pump rebuilt or did you get one from a junk yard? You may have seen on a new topic (post) mine came back with the high pressure orifice aka discharge fitting ~ 75 degrees off. Monday I will call Cardone's Tech line to find out what to do.


Chris

I have a junkyard pump in the car now, and I have a Cardone rebuild now on the shelf. I think the junkyard pump works marginally better and is a little quieter.

That fitting is like a banjo bolt, it's between some o-rings. You might want to try shooting some WD40 on both sides of it and see if you can break it loose and swing it around to where it needs to be.