I think I blew the PS pump...

Last night I started up the XJ and for the first couple minutes after startup it squealed when I revved it.

Went wheeling today and afterwards no power steering except for high rpms. The fluid resovoir is still full and when I try to turn at low speeds or at a stop all I hear is horrible noises.

So what's a good replacement that will take the abuse of wheeling but won't break the bank? The one currently in there is the 1990 OEM unit with almost 200K miles...

Is it spewing fluid? Is the belt tight? Sorry for the dumb questions but if its not spewing and its just making noise and only works at higher RPM it sounds like a loose belt, Or you could use a new pump. But check the belt first, unless I am way out of line., As far as your other post on steering loosness, Your steering is only going to be as good as the parts in it. If they are worn you will get slack. the worse they get the more dangeourous it becomes. Good Luck

That's why I only drive it occasionally. The belt is fine, all of the other components the belt operates are functioning normally. The pump isn't spewing fluid but it's always covered in grease and I can't tell where it's coming from as the power steering fluid level always stays the same.

Saginaws usually last a good long while...

The CCV hoses on RENIX are right there, and the Nylon gets old and brittle. See if you don't have any CCV leaks - especially if you see a lot of oil on your air filter.

I had the elbow joint slip loose there on the way back from FarmerMatt's last month - ended up blowing a couple quarts of oil out through the line, and got engine oil ALL OVER the driver's side of the engine! It's worth checking...

In case you're replacing those lines, you'll find that I posted the part numbers from NAPA/Echlin for those lines (there are a total of three) a while ago, and expect to pay about $50 all up. They'll replace everything but the MAP sensor line - I'm working on a way to get rid of that stupid thing anyhow (I'm tired of plugging it back into the Tbody...)

Squealing belt may be caused by water, oil, or some other contaminant (usually liquid) - but I'd have to hear the thing to tell you more. I'm assuming there's no glazing on the belt or on the idler pullys? If there is, glazing on the pullys may be broken with Scotch-Brite fairly easily, glazing on the belt warrants replacement.

To check belt tension without a Krikit gage (I've got to get one one of these days...) grab the middle of the belt on the LONGEST span between the thumb and forefinger (I usually pick the outside of the alternator - the farthest to the passenger side.) You should just be able to turn the belt thought 90 degrees - it's an estimate, but it's better than "looks tight..."

Too tight can be as bad at too loose, bear in mind...

5-90

Checked the belt like I've always done by twisting it and it's the same as it's always been...How do you adjust the tension?

I drained the PS system today, ran compressed air thru the lines to clear any obstructions and filled it back up and still no Power Steering. The pump was a little low before I did this but still within the acceptable range.

Right after the PS stopped working the pump would whine and scream if you weren't moving and tried to move the wheels. Now no noise and no PS...Something under the hood squeals on the first couple revvs after startup after the XJ's been sitting awhile.

So this definately sounds like the pump, right?

Zoro said:

So this definately sounds like the pump, right?

Click to expand...

Sounds like a pump failure due to overheating. I had the same thing happen trying to wedge myself out of a rut before I got a cooler.

Replace it.

Rev

Rev Den said:

Sounds like a pump failure due to overheating. I had the same thing happen trying to wedge myself out of a rut before I got a cooler.

Replace it.

Rev

Click to expand...

And get a cooler. I did the same to mine!

Zoro said:

Checked the belt like I've always done by twisting it and it's the same as it's always been...How do you adjust the tension?

I drained the PS system today, ran compressed air thru the lines to clear any obstructions and filled it back up and still no Power Steering. The pump was a little low before I did this but still within the acceptable range.

Right after the PS stopped working the pump would whine and scream if you weren't moving and tried to move the wheels. Now no noise and no PS...Something under the hood squeals on the first couple revvs after startup after the XJ's been sitting awhile.

So this definately sounds like the pump, right?

Click to expand...

Yeah - sounds like the pump to me, too.

RENIX belt tension is adjusted by moving the power steering pump. You'll loosen two "clamp" bolts onthe back of the bracket, the top pivot bolt on the front, and the bottom "clamp" bolt on the front of the bracket (mixed bag - 1/2" and 13m/m.)

Once you've got them loose, there's a L-O-N-G bolt that runs side-to-side under the pump, and takes a 1/2" wrench or socket - that's the bolt that actually adjuststs tension. Tighten to increase, loosen to decrease. I find it helpful to coat the bolt lightly with never-seez each time I service the belt (about every 3-4 years, in my case,) so it won't stick. That "knuckle" that carries the pump back and forth is sintered, so be careful (I've probably cracked five of them by now - I just haven't gotten around to making a part out of wrought stock yet.) It's fairly cheap at the dealer if you do crack one - but the replacement will be sintered as well, so watch out!

It's a Metric Saginaw pump as used on many Chevvy and Dodge vehicles - the only real difference is the reservoir. Makes it a common part, and relatively cheap - say, $150-180 for a "new" reman w/reservoir.

Might as well change the hoses while you're about it - they're probably old as well. MAKE SURE you get a 'flare nut' wrench when you put the new ones in - I don't recall the size, but I do know it's metric. I'm thinking 17m/m and 18m/m, but I could be wrong. The flare nuts on the replacement hoses are fairly soft, and rounding them off will make you say all sorts of evil words...

5-90

Sounds like pump failure to me. When you do go to do the replacement of the p/s pump I will give you a couple of tips to make it a little easier. You will want to remove the electic fan assembly from in front of the p/s and if you remove the airbox it will make it easier to get to the bolts on the backside of the mount. As the previous guy said it would be very smart to repalce the p/s hoses at this time. Oh yeah, you will need a p/s pulley remover/installer set if you don't have one already. Good luck.

Thanks for the tips guys, so how do I go about installing a PS pump cooler? I've got a 3 core radiator and AC so the condensor is there...Is it big or is it small like the tranny coolers on XJ's?

The stock tranny cooler for XJ's, can that be used as a power steering cooler?

Power steering fluid coolers tend to be small - just a U-bend of tubing with fins around it. You don't need much - the fluid is just getting heated up by the pump doing work to put pressure on it.

You can use pretty much any oil cooler for power steering, although I'd not plumb it through the radiator circuit (that could actually heat it up when you want it to cool down.) MAKE SURE you plumb the cooler into the RETURN line - going into the pressure line subjects the cooler to 1200-1500psig of fluid pressure, which usually blows them out.

You Have Been Warned.

5-90

You can find a very cheap and effecient cooler in the local J-yards. I am using the tranny cooler from a Ford Escort, and it works wonders. Not a bad investment for less than $5.00, since hardly anybody ever buys them anyway. They are of stacked plate design, are around 4" tall by about 6 1/2" long, and they use hose clamps to retain the hoses. It also came with very obvious mount points, which helps to mount them (duh).

I would be cautious using anything accept the proper cooler because the fluid does need to be the correct temperature, to cooled is just as bad has to hot.

Got a tranny cooler from a V-8 ZJ as well as the power steering pump. The ZJ pump is almost identical to the XJ pump...The ZJ pump came right out but I can't get the XJ pump out. So how do you remove the XJ PS Pump and is a PS pump from a V-8 ZJ even compatible with my 90 XJ?

You know all the bolts you loosen to adjust the pump? Take those out - even the nut on the bottom that goes to the "knuckle" that rides on the bolt (the stud is addached to the pump housing. Remove the front bracket with the pump - you won't be able to remove it until you take the pully off.)

Be sure you bolt that bracket back on BEFORE you put the pully on. Since the pully is a press-fit - literally! - you'll find it useful to lubricate the shaft and bore before you start pressing with the screw/nut setup they give you. If they didn't give you one, it's (oddly enough) either 5/16"-18 or 3/8"-16, I don't recall which (and I don't know why it's not metric...)

The two "fixing" bolts on the back of the bracket thread into the pump. The nut on the bottom goes to a stud on the pump housing, and the pivot bracket it retained to the pump by either two or three bolts (I changed that thing a couple years ago, so my memory is a littly fuzzy right now.)

5-90

So since the pulley is a press on it should come off w/force? I live 50 miles from the nearest auto parts store...

Essentially correct. There is a tool that will work for pulling the pully - it's a dedicated power steering pump pully puller, and should run $20-25.

The new pump should come with a bolt and nut to press the new pully on - but put a greased washer under the nut (between the nut and pully) so you won't "hang up" installing the thing, and some never-seez either on the shaft OD or the pully ID won't go amiss, either. It does make it rather easier.

The pully will press on until it is flush with the nose of the pump drive shaft. Back the nut off from time to time to check where you are - it will help you get the job done.

The pully will come off with 5-10 minutes' work, and go back on in 10-15. Take your time - if you get silly and screw up that flange on the pully, it's staying there and you have to get a new one somewhere. HAND TOOLS ONLY should work fine - I've not had to use power.

5-90

Tried the ZJ pump, instead of the mounting holes being threaded like the XJ they're smooth also the pulley is a tid bit too wide to run so I put my old ps pump back in...Besides the PS pump will I harm anything by not having any PS fluid running to the steering box?