Curious on if there is a difference between these two and if replacing the "gearbox" is difficult. I was told that it was leaking by my mechanic. I have since not been able to keep anymore fluid in it and drive without power steering.

 

Yes there is a difference: find the thing that your belt turns, where you put the fluid in, that's the pump; find the other end of the lines, it'll be the thing your steering column goes into on one end and that hooks up to your center link & tie rods on the bottom, that's the gearbox.

"Difficult" is in the eye of the beholder. Brain surgery for example is not "difficult" for a brain surgeon; but I doubt you want ME rattling around inside your skull with sharp instruments. With common hand tools, and the puller that you can "rent" from the parts stores, it's manageable for almost the stupidest of us.... even me. Just barely, but I can handle it. So you shouldn't have any problems.

 

thanks man, the hardest thing ive done is the water pump, which wasn't that hard at all but I'm worried that i won't be able to bleed the lines right or watever. would the gearbox be the one that's leaking? I tried that lucas oil sealer but my leak is way past that now.

 

probably much more common in this place is the pump. it could be the hoses or it could be the pump too, mine still leaks ,but its the hoses on mine. Someday i'll get around to that. Just for testing purposes get you a set of line wrenches and take off your hoses and install new o rings on the end after cleaning it good drive it for a while and see if its still leaking.

 

is that relevant even though it looks like its leaking out of the gearbox seal on the bottom?

 

The majority of the time, leaks in that system are pinholes in the high-pressure hose.

Replace that. You can buy it at any parts store.

No you cannot use bulk fuel line or something; has to be the prefab assembly. That line has as much as 1500 psi in it at times.

 

Sounds like you might have the same problem as me (except mines more of a slow leak). Been tempted to try this http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...uestid=1595978. But haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

The seal kits are pretty simple to install. The inards don't necessarily need to be completely removed to replace the pitman or input shaft seal, although once you have it out on a bench...

 

I was under the impression that I could at least change the pitman seal with the gearbox still in the car. Could it still be done this way?

 

Don't see why not. Getting the old seal out though will usually require the removal of the pitman shaft from the top. Don't think you'll be able to pry them out from the bottom with the shaft in but I've never tried.

Pretty easy job on a bench but a little more complicated standing over a fender or looking up from below.