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Power Steering Pump Removal

39K views 18 replies 9 participants last post by  wtz_ftw 
#1 ·
Has someone posted pictures of what they did to replace the pump on a 3.8L?
Seems like the best way is from the top, correct?
 
#4 ·
I left the pulley on it and got it out through the bottom. Have fun!
 
#7 · (Edited)
Hello everyone.
Thanks to this forum I was able to do this job in less than a day. On my 00' 3.8 T&C, I pulled the pump out thru the passenger wheel well in this manner:

1. Block and Jack the vehicle
2. Remove all plastic shrouding in wheel well.
3. Remove serpentine belt
4. Remove 3x15mm bolts holding the pump to the bracket using an offset box end wrench.
5. Slide under to the backside of the pump. (bring every extension and 15mm thing you own, and the droplight)
a. Remove L shaped bracket holding PS pump to block. (1x15mm nut & 1x15mm bolt)
b. Remove serpentine belt tensioner. (1x15mm nut).
c. Hang a 15mm box end wrench on the nut for the bottom alternator bolt.
6. Slide back to the wheel well side and:
a. Remove 3x15mm bolts on lower PS bracket
b. Remove 1x15mm bolt, head facing the firewall.
c. Remove 1xlong 15mm bolon lower alternator (this is the one you hung the box end wrench on).
7. Wiggle the PS bracket free, and remove via wheel well.
8. Place Bucket under Pump area.
9. Remove Hoses from Pump.
10. Remove Pump via the wheel well.
 
#10 ·
Here are a few pictures of the install on a 96 T & C. I removed the whole Alt/PS Pump bracket from the top.
This is the bracket once out of the van. The bracket is combo of a stamping and a casting.

Tensioner is in the middle minus the pulley.
View from wheelwell with old pump still in place.
Sorry photobucket quit on me.
 
#14 ·
Here are a few pictures of the install on a 96 T & C. I removed the whole Alt/PS Pump bracket from the top.
I'm thinking about removing and installing the power steering pump from the top as well. It seems to be easier than wiggling the pump out or in from the bottom of pass side wheel well.

And the alternator has to be removed in order to remove and install that clamp on the hose from the remote reservoir to the PS pump.

And per the FSM, to remove the alternator, the wiper assembly has to be removed.

Since the wiper assembly is removed, you might as well remove the PS pump and its main bracket as an assembly from the top!

My question is:

Do you have to remove the intake plenum in order to slide the PS pump out of and into its position?

I don't remember seeing the ^above bracket!?
 
#11 · (Edited)
Photobucket is up again.

This the one hidden bracket that attaches to the back of the casting part of the PS/Alt bracket. There are six bolts on the face of the PS/Alt bracket, 3 in the stamping and three in the casting plus this one.


I was able to mount the new PS pump to the casting bracket out of the van and lower the whole assemly in from the top. Before everything is tight, slide the Alt. back into place, you will need the room! Tightened the six bolts on the face and the one on the back. Remounted the Alt, went below and got the lines reattached and one bolt on the rear of the PS pump. Side note: put the hose from the upper reservoir back on the new pump B4 you drop the assembly back in, makes life easier.
 
#18 ·
The 15 minute time limit to edit posts at this forum drives me nuts.

I went out to look at the intake and it seems there's plenty of room.
The head is the closest obstruction but you should be able to wiggle everything out the top.

But it's really easy to drop it out the bottom as well imo and less work.
 
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#19 ·
Thanks for the inputs, Mistypotato and Flyboy!

I did a test run in the yard a few days ago. Yes, it seemed easier to drop the PS pump from the bottom. One reason I was thinking going top was that it might be easier to access the supply hose from the remote reservoir to the pump, but it turned out that connection was below the exhaust!

It would be a bear to access that hose clamp either from the top or the bottom!

And talking about that cheapo power steering pump at eBay, Mistypotato, the one I bought from RockAuto, A 1 Cardone, is even cheaper. $35.79.

Link--> https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=928397&cc=1353877&jsn=543

It lacks all the fittings. I have to re-use the old ones from my old pump. And above all, the bend on the SUPPLY metal tube looks kinda weird to me. It is not mandrel bent like the bends on an exhaust pipe. Rather, it is bent in such a way that the inner diameter is reduced.

I haven't got around to talking to RockAuto yet.

Don't know if this is normal or not.

I'll include a pic below for you guys to assess.



Thanks again for the inputs!
 
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