Steering pump questions

1563 Views 13 Replies 4 Participants Last post by longwolf, Mar 20, 2016

longwolf

Discussion Starter · Mar 18, 2016

I swapped the vacuum pump today but while trying to tighten the steering pump belt, I pushed it the wrong way and the #@$# plastic hose nipple broke off.

It will be Monday before I can get the money to replace the pump. Even then I'll have to drive about 30 miles to get the money and parts.

So first, will driving the truck without the pump do any harm (other than to my arms)?

Second, seems to me that I saw a post about replacing these plastic pumps with an older, all metal pump. Any ideas on that?

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madpogue

· #2 · Mar 18, 2016

What year truck (serpentine or V-belt)? A/C or no?

If the pump goes completely dry and you continue to turn it, you'll probably seize it and throw/break the belt. I did this on an old v-belt Ford wagon; fortunately the belt setup was such that the PS pump was on its own belt, so I was able to continue driving it on manual steering.

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madpogue

· #6 · Mar 18, 2016

^^^^ Or a new exercise/fitness program.....

P/S belt should also drive the water pump. If you have A/C, there'll be a belt going from the crank to the water pump and then to the A/C, but that one doesn't have much wrap around the water pump pulley. So be mindful of the temperature; AFAIK the water pump relies primarily on the WP/PS belt. Should be okay for 30 miles, if you just keep an eye on it.

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madpogue

· #8 · Mar 18, 2016

^^^^^ +1; picturing it now, water pump has three pulleys on it. But again, that's not a lot of wrap. On the no-A/C trucks, the two pulleys going to the driver's side are parallel, both going to the WP and PS pump. I'm presuming they did that because a single belt plus the alt belt doesn't provide enough total wrap/contact. Not sayin' it won't work without that belt, just that it'd be prudent to watch the temperature. I would def. NOT run the A/C for the part recovery run.

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madpogue

· #10 · Mar 19, 2016

oldrebuiltdodge said:
Come to think about it,doesn't the vacuum pump drive off of the alternator, opposite side of the engine from the power steering pump?

Yes, but that's on its own little belt, directly off the alt. Oh I see what you mean; how could a wrench slip over there break off a fitting over here? Hmm, yeah the vac pump is near the P/S on a serpentine truck, but post #3 suggests that the OP's truck is v-belts. :dunno:

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