How to Replace Power Steering Pump？

The hydraulic fluid plays a vital role in turning the steering wheel. The Power Steering Pump pushes the hydraulic fluid into the steering, which helps the driver quickly turn the steering wheel in the desired direction with less force. The primary role of the Power Steering Pump is to reduce the steering turning effort of the driver. Sometimes the Power Steering Pump can stop working or be damaged. Some signs or indicators of Power Steering Pump failure are liquid leakages, noisy mechanical sounds, and difficulty in steering. When the hydraulic fluid starts leaking or the drive belt is damaged, the power assist in the steering immediately stops working. For detailed info about the power steering pump, please refer to Bad power steering pump symptoms and How much does it cost to replace a power steering pump

Where is the Power Steering Pump Located?

The power steering pump is located in different directions in different cars. The location of the Power steering pump depends on many factors, including engine kind, engine mounting, and fluid reservoir mounting. The power steering pump is mainly on the front side of the engine, attached with some other related accessories. You can find the pump for your car by focusing on the factors mentioned above.

Replacing the Power Steering Pump

You need to follow a few steps to replace the power steering pump.

Step 1: Gather the Tools and Equipment Required

You will need some necessary tools and equipment to replace your car's steering pump. You will also need a backup vehicle available for your personal use because, in this process, you will not be able to use this car.

Tools & Equipment Required for Replacing the Power Steering Pump: A new power steering pump to replace the old power steering pump of the car.

• 2qt power steering fluid is required for flushing and filling.
• For removing and attaching the pulley, you will need a Puller set for the power steering pulley system.
• A complete set of sockets.
• Grease for sliding the pulley.
• A set of open-ended wrenches.
• Draining Pan
• A metal rod or wooden log to assist the pulley.

Step 2: Drain and Flush Power Steering System

It takes around less than 2 hours to remove the power steering pump. It mainly depends on the availability of necessary tools & equipment and the location of the steering pump in the car. After opening the power steering pump, drain and flush the power steering system. This process allows you to fill the new steering fluid and prepare the whole system for the new power steering pump.

Step 3: Detach All the Connected Accessories

Before opening the power steering pump, you must remove all the accessories connected to the power steering system.

• Remove the negative wire from the battery.
• Remove the belt of the power steering.
• All the pressure hoses connected to the steering pump should be disconnected.  
• Also, check all the connections should be disconnected from the power steering pump and that no connection should be left.  

Step 4: Removing All the Bolts and Pulleys

Before removing all the bolts and pulleys, you should ensure you have all the correct tools available. Having the right tools makes removing the bolts and pulleys very easy. To remove the pulley, you will need a puller set. After removing the pulley, open all the bolts connected to the pump.

Step 5: Removing the Old Power Steering Pump

After opening all the bolts, the power steering pump will only be freely fitted to the rack. You can easily remove the power steering pump from the frame or bracket. After removing the power steering pump from the bracket, keep all the bolts safe to fit the new power steering pump.

Step 6: Bring the New Steering Pump and Related Tools

After removing the old power steering pump, gather the new power steering pump and all the necessary tools. Having all the tools together and in one place makes it easy and time-saving.

Step 7: Install the New Power Steering Pump

After the removal of the old power steering pump, now start installing the new power steering pump. First, fit the new power steering pump into the bracket and start fitting and tightening the bolts. Now attach the hose to the steering pump. One side of the hose should not be attached before the greasing and oiling are left.

Step 8: Attach the Pulley

After installing the new power steering pump, attach the power steering pulley. You will need a pulley press set. The press set has two equipment: a hub press and a through bolt. The process to attach the pulley is as follows:

• Start screwing the hub press on the bolt.
• Now put the available grease on the hub of the pump and the pulley.  
• After greasing, put the pulley on the hub of the pump.
• Directly attach the through bolt on the hub. But make sure the bolt is completely fitted.
• Tight the hub press until the pulley gets aligned with the belt.
• After aligning, remove the through bolt and hub press both.

Step 9: Set the Pulley in Place and Attaching the Belts

Pulley alignment may be challenging and time-consuming to perfect. You can use a wooden log or metal steel rod to align the pulley. Make sure one end is on the crankshaft's pulley and the other is on the power steering's pulley. When it gets wholly aligned, start attaching the serpentine and the AC accessories belts.

Step 10: Fill the Power Steering System with Fluid

Now you have completed the tricky part. You have to directly flush the complete power steering system and fill it with new fluid. You will use 1qt fluid for flushing the power steering pump. After flushing, put the hose side back in its place and fill the power steering system with hydraulic fluid. You will need around 1qt new fluid for filling the power steering system.  After filling the fluid, always ensure there is no fluid leakage because leakage can create a huge problem again.

Step 11: Connect the Battery Cables

After filling the fluid, you must connect the battery cable you had removed. Attach the positive cable to the positive terminal on the battery and the negative wire to the negative terminal. After connecting the battery cables, you can go for a test drive of your car.

Step 12: Cleaning

You have successfully replaced the old power steering pump with the new one. You have saved more than 2500$ by just following these steps. In this step, you will have to clean up the whole place because this process will indeed make your place dirty.

FAQs

What Is the Life of The Power Steering Pump?

The average life of a power steering pump is around 16000 kilometers, but its life can be increased if you handle your car and power steering pump with care.

Difference between Repaired and New Power Steering Pump

Yes, you can repair the old and faulty power steering pump, but the repair cost is very high compared to the new one. And secondly, the working capacity of the repaired power steering pump is also reduced. The repaired steering pump can again stop working anytime. Whereas a new power steering pump works at its total capacity, you can replace it by following all the above steps. So, it would be best to get a new power steering pump instead of repairing the old one.

What is the cost of a new Power Steering Pump?

The price of a power steering pump is different for different cars. But the average price of a power steering pump is around 100$ to 200$. And you can save the mechanic cost by following all the steps mentioned above and replacing the power steering pump.

Why a Power Steering Pump does gets damaged?

A power steering pump can get damaged due to many different reasons. Firstly, the low level of fluid can cause strain on the power steering pump. Secondly, dry or heat friction can damage the pump. All these can be the reasons which damage the power steering pump.

For more info, please refer to Signs of power steering pump failure and How do you reset the power steering assist on Ford F150

Conclusion

You can easily replace your car’s faulty power steering pump with all the abovementioned steps. If you go to a mechanic to replace the power steering pump, they will charge you a considerable amount, but by following all the steps, you can easily replace it from the ease of your home. But every car owner needs to know why a power steering pump stops working or fails and what its symptoms can be. Some common signs or symptoms of a faulty power steering pump are hydraulic fluid leakage, loud noises or sounds, stiffness of the steering or wheels, and many others. If you know about all these symptoms, you can easily prepare for them in time. Different cars have different power steering systems or power steering pumps located at different places. Before replacing the power steering pump, you should make sure you have all the tools and equipment available because, in the replacement process, all the necessary tools and equipment are frequently used.