I have a ps leak, looks like it's coming from the front of the pump behind the pulley. Looks like a bad seal. I'll need to pull it, but am not sure how. One thread on here said you don't have to remove the pulley to get the pump and reservoir off, but it looks like some of the bolts are under the pulley! It also doesn't look like there'd be enough room to get a puller on the pulley with it still attached to the motor because the primary fan is in the way. So I'd like to take the whole pump and pulley assembly off together, then eyeball for leaks and deal with the pulley removal on the bench. But is this possible on a 92 L98? Also, I read scary warnings on Autozone that your dare not remove the pump from the reservoir because it's highly difficult and might result in leaks, no assist, and the destruction of the entire universe if you don't do it exactly right. Is it really that tough to take the pump off the reservoir, change the seals and put it back on? I have the shop manual for this car, but it's not really answering my questions.

 

Pretty sure, in the serpentine system, you'll need to pop the pulley off for easiest access to the bolts.

Go to yer favorite parts store and "rent" a pulley puller. It's worth EVERY CENT you have to pay for it, and then some.

It's not hard to rebuild the pump. Toughest thing, as you point out, is getting the pump out of and back into the reservoir without warping the reservoir, which is amazingly flimsy sheet metal. You'll see when you get that far. It's not hard, just gotta be careful and DO NOT pry on anything.

However, you'll find that just buying a rebuilt pump, isn't all that much more $$$ than buying a rebuild kit; and is AHELLUVALOT more nearly risk-free. Unless you just want the pleasure of DIYing it of course.

 

I plan to buy a pump/reservoir combo from Autozone and rent a puller when there. Doing the rebuild myself might be a fun challenge, but maybe later..... But what about getting the puller on while the pump is still in the engine bay? The pulley is directly in front of--almost--the center of the primary fan. I guess I need to look at the puller when I get it, but I'm not sure I see how the puller shaft is going to fit in there with the fan still there.

 

If it is just the front seal, it should be easy to change just that after a pulley removal.

 

Well, it MIGHT just be the front seal, I don't know that for a fact yet. All I know is it seems to be leaking from the front side, but there's a lot of crud around there I need to clean off.....

 

It's easiest to remove the whole bracket it mounts to, that way you have plenty of room out of the car to work on it. Rent a puller (they're free), get the pulley off and you'll see the bolts to remove the pump from the bracket. Actually, thinking back, I don't think you can remove the pulley with the bracket still on the engine, there's no room between the pulley and the radiator.

 

Dave has got it 100% correct , there is no way to fit the puller to the pulley while the pump is still mounted to the engine . And there is no way to remove the pump from it's bracket without removing the pulley . Net result is that the pump , pulley , AND it's bracket will be coming out together in one piece and then separated .

Here's the PIA part ;

Since the pump's bracket is positioned behind the A/C compressor's bracket , that will need to be unbolted first and moved slightly out of the way in order to free the P/S pump bracket .

I do remember , back in the stone age , that some different manufacturer's cars had holes provided in the pulley specifically for unbolting the pump from it's bracket , but that musta just been TOO darned easy to repair/replace , and well we can't go having any of that , now can we ???

 

I have a short puller I use just for pulling the pulley while its on the pump/bracket and motor. Works just fine.

 

You got a picture of it ? I'd love to see what you have because every power steering pulley puller that all of my three local autoparts places had was far too long to fit in there when I did mine . It added WAY too much time to the job and I really wished for a short puller like you mention .

 

I planned on pulling the bracket off anyway to clean it, and everything around it that's covered in 23 years of crud. So pulling the bracket off was in the plans anyway. The annoying part might be moving the AC bracket, but heck, I might pull that and clean it off too, and everything else on the front of the motor that I can get to. Might as well if I'm in there......make it an all day event.....

 

On second thought, I dont think I'll have to mess with the AC bracket. I have a Formula, my PSP is below the alt on the drivers side. I think it's Camaros that have it the other way usually.....

 

Been awhile since I used it, will have to dig to the back of thee ole tool box.