Power Steering Removal Problem
09-02-2016, 09:06 AM
#11
Power Steering Pump - Living the dream
All, I've been living the dream with my power steering pump the last few days. 2005 5.4 FX4. I originally planned on changing the pump only, but found that the fitting for the high pressure hose was seized to the pump and wouldn't come off. I ended up having to cut the line at the fitting with a hacksaw and replacing it (the line) as well.
Pump cost me $60 or so at rockauto ($25 coming back to me shortly via core), and the pressure line cost just under $40. I'm also replacing the serpentine belt while I'm at it, btw.
I was not able to remove the pulley while the pump was installed, even with a good quality puller. There just isn't enough clearance to put enough oomph in it for me - and that's with the fan/fan shroud unbolted and twisted 90 degrees to provide maximum room to work. I pulled the pump (after hacking through the pressure line), then removed the pulley from the old pump and installed in the new pump on my workbench. Even that was hard! My mechanic buddy laughed at me and told me I should've used a compressed air impact driver - apparently that's much easier. I don't have one anyways.
That said, contrary to some commenters on here, you absolutely can remove the pump with the pulley installed. I was able to get at the lower bolt with a small, 1/4 ratchet and a long 10mm socket. You have to remove the oil filter to get enough clearance. The two upper bolts were easy for me, a 10mm wrench got them off just fine.
To remove the pressure line there's a couple things you need to do. Remove the drip pan-thing that sits under the oil filter/power steering pump first, that has two 10mm bolts. Unbolt the other end of the line from the rack & pinion, which is difficult, but from under the truck I could get at it with a 10mm wrench. It's just one single bolt. There's also two brackets for the line - one that bolts to the block just inboard of the oil filter, and one right behind the power steering fluid cooler on the frame. Believe the block is a 5/8 nut and the frame one is an 8mm. The line should come right out after that.
The new line came with new O-rings, a new Teflon crush-ring for the pump end, etc. My pressure line has the electronic sensor, so I have to move that receiver from the old line to the new. I then transferred the brackets from the old to new line, which is a giant pain in the *** because the brackets are aluminum and have to be bent into place. The line goes in pretty easily once assembled. I connected the rack & pinion end, loosely connected the brackets in their proper place, and then installed the pump. This is where it got tricky for me. The pump end of the pressure line has a male quick connect fitting that is supposed to snap right into the female end, which threads into the pump. Mine wasn't aligned properly and wouldn't snap in place. I had to drop the pump (again), unscrew the female fitting from the pump, snap it into the quick connect fitting on the line, then thread the assembled line into the pump. This is not easy; I went out and bought a stubby 3/4 wrench just for the job. After much cursing and bloodying of my hands I got it in, and then twisted the pump back into place and bolted it in. Pulley was on there the whole time.
My next steps are flushing the system, putting the oil filter on and interference back together, then fighting my serpentine belt back into place. Fingers crossed. I've screwed about everything up that can be screwed up in the above steps, so if anybody has questions, I'm happy to answer them.
Pump cost me $60 or so at rockauto ($25 coming back to me shortly via core), and the pressure line cost just under $40. I'm also replacing the serpentine belt while I'm at it, btw.
I was not able to remove the pulley while the pump was installed, even with a good quality puller. There just isn't enough clearance to put enough oomph in it for me - and that's with the fan/fan shroud unbolted and twisted 90 degrees to provide maximum room to work. I pulled the pump (after hacking through the pressure line), then removed the pulley from the old pump and installed in the new pump on my workbench. Even that was hard! My mechanic buddy laughed at me and told me I should've used a compressed air impact driver - apparently that's much easier. I don't have one anyways.
That said, contrary to some commenters on here, you absolutely can remove the pump with the pulley installed. I was able to get at the lower bolt with a small, 1/4 ratchet and a long 10mm socket. You have to remove the oil filter to get enough clearance. The two upper bolts were easy for me, a 10mm wrench got them off just fine.
To remove the pressure line there's a couple things you need to do. Remove the drip pan-thing that sits under the oil filter/power steering pump first, that has two 10mm bolts. Unbolt the other end of the line from the rack & pinion, which is difficult, but from under the truck I could get at it with a 10mm wrench. It's just one single bolt. There's also two brackets for the line - one that bolts to the block just inboard of the oil filter, and one right behind the power steering fluid cooler on the frame. Believe the block is a 5/8 nut and the frame one is an 8mm. The line should come right out after that.
The new line came with new O-rings, a new Teflon crush-ring for the pump end, etc. My pressure line has the electronic sensor, so I have to move that receiver from the old line to the new. I then transferred the brackets from the old to new line, which is a giant pain in the *** because the brackets are aluminum and have to be bent into place. The line goes in pretty easily once assembled. I connected the rack & pinion end, loosely connected the brackets in their proper place, and then installed the pump. This is where it got tricky for me. The pump end of the pressure line has a male quick connect fitting that is supposed to snap right into the female end, which threads into the pump. Mine wasn't aligned properly and wouldn't snap in place. I had to drop the pump (again), unscrew the female fitting from the pump, snap it into the quick connect fitting on the line, then thread the assembled line into the pump. This is not easy; I went out and bought a stubby 3/4 wrench just for the job. After much cursing and bloodying of my hands I got it in, and then twisted the pump back into place and bolted it in. Pulley was on there the whole time.
My next steps are flushing the system, putting the oil filter on and interference back together, then fighting my serpentine belt back into place. Fingers crossed. I've screwed about everything up that can be screwed up in the above steps, so if anybody has questions, I'm happy to answer them.
09-02-2016, 02:08 PM
#12
That said, contrary to some commenters on here, you absolutely can remove the pump with the pulley installed. I was able to get at the lower bolt with a small, 1/4 ratchet and a long 10mm socket. You have to remove the oil filter to get enough clearance. The two upper bolts were easy for me, a 10mm wrench got them off just fine.
Sorry about your luck. Mine gave me trouble too, but by heating the bolts up to cherry red, and quenching with PB blaster (which wicks the oil into the threads), I was able to get them out.
And yes, you can get the bolts out without taking the pulley out. This was the job that forced me to pony up for ratcheting wrenches. There's very little room to swing a wrench.