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Replacing Power Steering Pump

G

GoalPoster

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Amherstburg, Ontario
I've got a 98 XJ. The power steering pump is on its way out . . . again!

The last time it went, I had it replaced at the local garage, but it cost me over $300 considering the labour.

I would like to know if this is something I can do myself. I've installed my own lift, and do much of the maintenance work (oil changes, plugs and the like) myself, but am a tad concerned I'll be nipping off a bit more than I can chew.

I did a search, but came up with nothing on the actual steps to take out the old one and put in the new one.

So, is this difficult . . . is there anything I should know about ahead of time . . .

Please help me out.

Thanks.
 
take off the belt, take loose the ps lines, take the bolts out. it's easy man the only thing is when you fill it back up after finishing. You'll have to bleed the system by turning the wheel back and forth untill the air is out of the system. (just turn the wheel back and forth untill it's not noisy)
 
I am convinced and i have posted it before once a PS pump dies once they will die again and again and again.. i have even isntalled the filter with negative results
 
wilcharl said:
I am convinced and i have posted it before once a PS pump dies once they will die again and again and again.. i have even isntalled the filter with negative results
Click to expand...
I would have to agree with that.

I repair hydraulic equipment and a pump failure is generally caused by something.

Not to mention all the crap from the failed pump that’s in the system is going to eat up the new pump..

 
It seems to be some kind of bearing that keeps going . . . thus the rattling like a freakin' maracca.

That being said, I'm gonna flush the hell out of the system when I install the new pump.

I'm getting the impression that they didn't do that the last time it was done, thus the premature failure of the current pump.
 
Maybe it's the pumps you're getting... I had to go through two PS pumps from Napa on my '98 before I found a good one. It got to where I could swap out the pump completely, with changing the pulley; in under 25 minutes.

Hardest thing is reaching the idler pulley bolt and swapping out the pulley on the pump itself. BTW... rent a PS Pulley remover from your rental place to swap out the pulley to your new pump. Nothing else works that won't damage your pump.

Ivan
 
A local garage will lend me free of charge the pulley tool.

I'm going to save up a few bucks and purchase a 'backup' unit as well so the next time this happens (and I have a feeling it will), I'll be prepared.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRr.
 
GoalPoster said:
That being said, I'm gonna flush the hell out of the system when I install the new pump.
Click to expand...
Good idea. I changed my PS pump last month and went through 1 gallon of MOPAR PS Fluid flushing the system. Hopefully my new OEM PS pump will last longer than the last 3 aftermarket ones I put in over a 2 year period.

_Maz
 
How'd you flush yours.

The guy I was talking with this morning told me to unhook the return line and, while the old pump is still on, start running fluid through until it comes out the right colour, then change out to the new pump.

Was he on the right track?
 
GoalPoster said:
How'd you flush yours.

The guy I was talking with this morning told me to unhook the return line and, while the old pump is still on, start running fluid through until it comes out the right colour, then change out to the new pump.

Was he on the right track?
Click to expand...

Sounds good, you can use cheap ATF from the dollar store to do the flushing.
 
GoalPoster said:
How'd you flush yours.
Click to expand...
I am not the smartest when working on my XJ, but here is how I did it.
* Raised the front.
* Disconnected the line attached to the plastic nipple on the reservoir.
* Capped the nipple using old spark plug wire boot and clamp.
* Dropped the line into an empty jug.
* Paid my kid $2 to get into the driver seat and start turning the steering wheel, left-right, while I was under holding the jug
* Kept refilling the reservoir with PS fluid.
* Stopped when the fluid coming out was pretty clear.
* Replaced PS pump.
* Refilled with fluid.
* Burped the system from air.

See pics below for the flushing part.
I hope it helps .... Maz

72bwo2.jpg


72byq8.jpg


72bz39.jpg


72bzmq.jpg


72bzux.jpg
 
Ivan said:
Maybe it's the pumps you're getting... I had to go through two PS pumps from Napa on my '98 before I found a good one. It got to where I could swap out the pump completely, with changing the pulley; in under 25 minutes.

Hardest thing is reaching the idler pulley bolt and swapping out the pulley on the pump itself. BTW... rent a PS Pulley remover from your rental place to swap out the pulley to your new pump. Nothing else works that won't damage your pump.

Ivan
Click to expand...


The remans that AZ and Napa sell are not very good. The previous owner of my 98 XJ had replaced the PS pump when he had the ac worked on as "preventative" maintenance. This was last summer right before I bought it. He used a reman. It was noisey and never seemed right. It started leaking this summer. So it lasted a whole year. I bent over and bought a new Mopar unit and it is night and day difference. You can't hear it when you are turning the wheels while parking and its turn them much easier. Hopefully, I'll get several years use out of it too.
 
I'm gonna have to make do with the reman pump for now on account of me being rather broke at the moment.

But, it is something to consider!

What did you pay for the Mopar unit?
 
Pioneer89XJ said:
The remans that AZ and Napa sell are not very good. The previous owner of my 98 XJ had replaced the PS pump when he had the ac worked on as "preventative" maintenance. This was last summer right before I bought it. He used a reman. It was noisey and never seemed right. It started leaking this summer. So it lasted a whole year. I bent over and bought a new Mopar unit and it is night and day difference. You can't hear it when you are turning the wheels while parking and its turn them much easier. Hopefully, I'll get several years use out of it too.
Click to expand...

The AZ pumps carry a lifetime warrantee $18.00 how much did you get from Mopar?

:gag:
 
langer1 said:
The AZ pumps carry a lifetime warrantee $18.00 how much did you get from Mopar?

:gag:
Click to expand...


I believe it is one year. What good is a lifetime warrantee when you are miles from home and the POS fails? I honestly don't enjoy replacing parts every few years or in some cases months. Seems to me parts always break at the worst possible times.

I had a AZ water pump fail and it was 6 months old. Great product there. Nothing like spending an afternoon wrenching when you could be fishing or doing something else you enjoy.
 
Pioneer89XJ said:
I believe it is one year. What good is a lifetime warrantee when you are miles from home and the POS fails? I honestly don't enjoy replacing parts every few years or in some cases months. Seems to me parts always break at the worst possible times.

I had a AZ water pump fail and it was 6 months old. Great product there. Nothing like spending an afternoon wrenching when you could be fishing or doing something else you enjoy.
Click to expand...

Because 99% off the time you will not have any problems with a remanufactured part, AZ would loose their A$$ if remanufactured parts failed often.

Most likely the AZ pump failed because of improper installation (contaminated system)
 
langer1 said:
Because 99% off the time you will not have any problems with a remanufactured part, AZ would loose their A$$ if remanufactured parts failed often.

Most likely the AZ pump failed because of improper installation (contaminated system)
Click to expand...


If half of their reman parts failed they probably wouldn't loose much money. Think about it, they charge a core charge or you have to give them your old busted pump. The reman folks clean it up, replace a seal or two and sell it back. The AZ power steering pump I was looking at with the lifetime warranty was $80. They can rebuild a lot of pumps for $80.

I really doubt that 99% of remanufactured parts last more than 2 years.

Like my case, I didn't have the paper work and wasn't the original owner so I couldn't take advantage of a warranty anyways. I'm sure this happens all the time.

My AZ water pump bearing started rattling in 6 months time. Belt was tightened to specs.

Not knocking Auto Zone, they have plenty of good stuff. I use them all the time, certain stuff though, I will not trust them on.
 
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