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I searched the archives but didn't see a reference to this issue.
I fully disassembled my power steering pump because it hadn't been used in who knows how long and because it didn't turn "freely:" it required a fair amount of effort to turn, and the amount of effort was not consistent through an entire revolution.
I had a new set of seals for the pump and carefully followed the shop manual's instructions for rebuilding. Nothing inside the pump looked suspect to me except that the section of the shaft that is covered by the carrier was divided into thirds: the center third was smooth, machined metal, while the outer thirds were not smooth at all. Looking at it, it wasn't clear to me whether the whole shaft was supposed to have a uniform polished-smooth texture. I thought maybe the rough-looking parts, which had striations running around the shaft, were perhaps intended to hold oil. What is it supposed to look like?
Anyway, when it was reassembled, with all bolts torqued and everything, I noticed that 1. the shaft was not perfectly centered in the new shaft seal, and 2. the pump was hard to turn still. When I loosened the 5 bolts holding the bracket and the 2 halves of the pump together, it became much easier to turn the pump, but I wouldn't say it turned "freely." Is it supposed to turn like a water pump?
The halves can only go together one way. I don't know why this thing isn't working right. Oh, and I'm pretty sure I put the carrier in right: the flat side of the "blades" is the leading edge if the pump is turned counter-clockwise, looking at the pulley.
I fully disassembled my power steering pump because it hadn't been used in who knows how long and because it didn't turn "freely:" it required a fair amount of effort to turn, and the amount of effort was not consistent through an entire revolution.
I had a new set of seals for the pump and carefully followed the shop manual's instructions for rebuilding. Nothing inside the pump looked suspect to me except that the section of the shaft that is covered by the carrier was divided into thirds: the center third was smooth, machined metal, while the outer thirds were not smooth at all. Looking at it, it wasn't clear to me whether the whole shaft was supposed to have a uniform polished-smooth texture. I thought maybe the rough-looking parts, which had striations running around the shaft, were perhaps intended to hold oil. What is it supposed to look like?
Anyway, when it was reassembled, with all bolts torqued and everything, I noticed that 1. the shaft was not perfectly centered in the new shaft seal, and 2. the pump was hard to turn still. When I loosened the 5 bolts holding the bracket and the 2 halves of the pump together, it became much easier to turn the pump, but I wouldn't say it turned "freely." Is it supposed to turn like a water pump?
The halves can only go together one way. I don't know why this thing isn't working right. Oh, and I'm pretty sure I put the carrier in right: the flat side of the "blades" is the leading edge if the pump is turned counter-clockwise, looking at the pulley.