Have you recently felt that your car is rumbling oddly when using the steering wheel? Or is there some sort of leakage under your car that you realize is not oil? If yes, then the reason behind it could be your car’s power steering pump. Like any car engine, a power steering pump is also susceptible to exhaustion, with the seals and gaskets surrounding the part commonly failing first. Even though some of the most hardened mechanics may say that the pumps and the whole unit can be built again, it is generally a best practice to replace it completely with some new or second-hand parts. It is a somewhat difficult procedure that you should expect to take a couple of hours at least.
The power steering pump is the most vital part of hydraulic power steering. A rotary vane pump carries the hydraulic pressure to the car’s steering rack. The pump pulls out the power steering fluid from the reservoirs and pushes it to racks at a stronger pressure. This mechanism makes using the steering wheel and turning the driving effortless. If the pump stops working, the steering wheel will stop working as expected, and steering the car in any direction will become difficult and require extra effort.
You can solve the problem in several instances by changing the pump completely. The process is not very difficult for experts who know what they are doing and have experience in this field. And if you are not an expert, you can do this work under the supervision of someone professional with the correct expertise and tools. The steps provided in this blog will help you replace your power steering pump.
Before you think about changing your power steering pump, ensure that you have correctly identified the issue. The two parts that work simultaneously in the power steering pump are:
Always look at the power steering solution when the engine is switched off because using a power steering pump in the absence of a hydraulic solution can permanently destroy it. Inspect all the cooler, pumps, power steering fittings, and reservoirs for any type of discharge. Furthermore, if you own a car with an electric power steering system, ensure it functions properly.
Here is a step-by-step guide that will show you how you can change your power steering pump but first, let’s take a look at the equipment that you will need to go ahead with the procedure:
To change the power steering pump of your car, you can follow the steps below. Make sure to pay close attention to every step, as they are crucial in this process.
The first thing you should do is find your power steering pump. In older cars, you can generally locate it without removing any other car part, whereas, in the latest models, you may have to look at the owner’s manual to determine its location. The most usual place is at the back of the engine, between the actual block of the engine and the firewall.
The next move would be to flush the power steering system to load the rack with a fresh solution prepared for the new pump. Simply put a pan under the pump, detach all return lines, and feed and gather the fluid. Then unfasten the negative battery cable and make sure that there are no other links. For example, a sensor may detect the fluid level in the latest vehicles.
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It is possibly the most difficult part of the job- taking off the power steering pulley may necessitate using some particular equipment. Such as flare nut wrenches to effortlessly remove the pulley from the pulley shaft and a tensioner that needs to be disconnected. After separating the pulley, you should check its condition. If the pulley is degraded or soaked in the fluid, it is the perfect time for you to replace it, similar to the pump.
The power steering pump is generally kept in its place using several brackets and mounting bolts. Simply unfasten them using a ratchet and slowly take the pump out of its seating. When your pump is completely out of your vehicle, it is the perfect time to look at the feed and return pipes. You should be searching for wear in the pipe, breaks, or any kinks that would later cause additional difficulties and leaks inside the engine.
Inspect if your new power steering pump has similar points and mounting holes as the old one and if both of them match, then continue with the installation process. You just have to work backward, place the pump back into its seating area, and reattach the bolts and mounting brackets to ensure they are tight enough. Lastly, reattach all the pipes and utilize the tensioner to stretch the pulley into its position.
Lastly, clean the pump using some pints of power steering fluid to make certain that the part is completely free of dirt or any build-up of dust that could have reached inside it during the reinstallation process. After this, you can secure the rest of the pipes and cables, and the part should be ready to function properly.
After successfully installing power steering pumps, you should take your car for a test drive. It is the ideal time to give attention to how your car works and to pick up any defects with your new power steering pump. You’re searching for any indication of an unresponsive or stiff feeling in the car’s steering, where it feels to take additional effort to turn the steering wheel. If you feel as if there are no improvements, there are possibilities that your pump is faulty or not working properly.
Nevertheless, it is essential to understand the bad power steering pump symptoms to know the issue before it gets too late. For example, some general signs of a failing pump include fluid contamination, whining sounds, wheel stiffness, etc. if you don’t know which power steering is suitable for your car, research different power steering and select the steering pump accordingly.
The lifespan of a power steering pump is nearly 16,000 kilometers, but if you take good care of your car and handle it with care, the life of a steering pump can last longer.
The cost of the power steering pump depends on the type of vehicle you have. If you are seeing some power steering pump symptoms indicating that your pump is faulty or damaged, you should change it immediately. To buy a new power steering pump that guarantees quality, look at our online store, Vehicle Fantasy, which sells power steering pumps and other car accessories to make your life easy and make your car look and work like brand new.
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