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PT Cruiser Power Steering Pump Replacement.
Before beginning this work I was given a 24 step outline of the work from a professional mechanic friend and found the procedure way way tooo complicated, so here’s the short easy way.
I decided from past experience to buy a new PS pump pulley and have it pressed on the replacement pump, at local NAPA store. (Removing pressed on pulleys is shop procedure, and my garage is not so equipped.) I would advise this for a fast and un-complicated adventure.
To begin with, this pump can't hardly be seen. So I decided to drain the coolant at the radiator lower petcock and remove the radiator fan for working clearance. I had already removed the outer pump fanbelt, grill (4 ea 7mm) and upper radiator support that has the hood latch attached (6 ea 10mm). This allows the radiator/condenser to be tilted 3-5” at the top for even more working room. A must!!
I found that the pump is sandwiched between 2 mounting plates. By removing the 3ea 12 mm pump mounting bolts and the 2 ea 15 mm rear plate bolts, the pump was loose. The front plate need not be removed.
It was decided to leave the top hose, which was attached to the now drained reservoir, attached to the pump since the stupid hose clamp atop the pump was reversed and not accessible.( Be ready for leakage when removing this hose from the bottom of the reservoir BTW.
)
After the loosening of the pressurized line attached to the bottom (18mm), which was the hardest activity, the pump withdrew somewhat? easily past the ac hoses.
In my case, I also changed the high pressure line at the bottom of the pump which required removing the 18 mm fitting from the rack and pinion. (This line had developed a pinhole leak which was the case of the work). There’s not a lot of room for this work, patience is required here.
Installation is the reverse of above? (I love that statement.)
If you’d like my DIY step by step pictures of this adventure, drop me line and I’ll be happy to send them along. In the end it wasn’t as hard as I envisioned it to be.
Best Regards,
Tim (Mr2Tim)
SupercharZed ToyZ Race Team
A Toyota Race Team since 1986
Before beginning this work I was given a 24 step outline of the work from a professional mechanic friend and found the procedure way way tooo complicated, so here’s the short easy way.
I decided from past experience to buy a new PS pump pulley and have it pressed on the replacement pump, at local NAPA store. (Removing pressed on pulleys is shop procedure, and my garage is not so equipped.) I would advise this for a fast and un-complicated adventure.
To begin with, this pump can't hardly be seen. So I decided to drain the coolant at the radiator lower petcock and remove the radiator fan for working clearance. I had already removed the outer pump fanbelt, grill (4 ea 7mm) and upper radiator support that has the hood latch attached (6 ea 10mm). This allows the radiator/condenser to be tilted 3-5” at the top for even more working room. A must!!
I found that the pump is sandwiched between 2 mounting plates. By removing the 3ea 12 mm pump mounting bolts and the 2 ea 15 mm rear plate bolts, the pump was loose. The front plate need not be removed.
It was decided to leave the top hose, which was attached to the now drained reservoir, attached to the pump since the stupid hose clamp atop the pump was reversed and not accessible.( Be ready for leakage when removing this hose from the bottom of the reservoir BTW.
After the loosening of the pressurized line attached to the bottom (18mm), which was the hardest activity, the pump withdrew somewhat? easily past the ac hoses.
In my case, I also changed the high pressure line at the bottom of the pump which required removing the 18 mm fitting from the rack and pinion. (This line had developed a pinhole leak which was the case of the work). There’s not a lot of room for this work, patience is required here.
Installation is the reverse of above? (I love that statement.)
If you’d like my DIY step by step pictures of this adventure, drop me line and I’ll be happy to send them along. In the end it wasn’t as hard as I envisioned it to be.
Best Regards,
Tim (Mr2Tim)
SupercharZed ToyZ Race Team
A Toyota Race Team since 1986