Manual Steering Conversion

[AeroModder]

I finally got the manual steering rack installed, but now I'm having a heck of the time with removing and bypassing the power steering pump, which is seizing and making the belts squeal when I turn the car on.

Unfortunately, the serpentine belt powers the PS pump, and a v-belt powers the alternator, so I need to figure out a way to power the alternator without the PS pump. Any tips?

[busypaws]

1 Option is to remove the Alternator. (Temp or Permenantly)
I did this one time when the alternator went out (work was crazy at the time so it was two weeks until I got a afternoon off to make it to the alternator rebuild shop) I jammed a charger under the hood and the plug hung out the front grill. At home I plugged into the garage outlet. A few times I had to pull into a 7-11 and plug in for 15 minutes to make it home on without loosing lights. At the time my commute was 15 miles and it was winter so I would drive home with headlights. This was when I needed to stop and recharge when I ran the headlights.
If your commute is short enough and/or you have access to an outlet at work then this is a good temporary solution.
2) See if you can replace the PS pump with an idler pully. Using option 1 you can take your time to talk to a few shops and get a few different ideas.
3) If option 1 is close to a solution then get 1 or 2 deep discharge batteries. You should be able to get 1-2 hours of run time on a full battery charge with 1 or 2 deep discharge batteries. (All depends on if you have to run rear window defrost and/or headlights).
Another thread here shows a 10% mpg improvement without alternator. So the extra weight of a second battery and the hassle of pluging in the recharger every night might get you close to a 10% mpg improvement.
P.S. Don't use option 1 or 3 if your wife uses the car. THis has to be a commuter car with a fixxed time/distance driven each day. This is not an option for a weekend family.

[Christ]

If you installed a rack that has manual steering, there should be a belt that matches.

Either way, you can get a belt that's shorter than the one you're using now. Serpentine belts are available in all the different widths in 1" length intervals.

[DonR]

Like Christ said, if some version of the car came w/o power steering, there would be a belt available for it. It may be necessary to add an idler pulley. I have found that converting such things to an OE spec eliminates the need to remember part #'s.

Don.

[dcb]

quick fix might be to plumb the pump output to the input (shouldn't be much pressure so hose clams is fine) and having the oil just circulate, if finding a suitable belt is taking a while.

[moorecomp]

A quick search finds that some people over at tempotopaz.com have done this. It looks like when the power steering is installed, the alt sits higher and is driven from the ps pump by a v-belt. Like this:


The ps pump is driven by the serpentine belt. When you have manual rack, the ps pump is removed and the alt sits lower and is drivern by the serpentine belt. Like this:


You will need to go to where you got the manual rack and get the mount and pulley for the new location.

[AeroModder]

Actually, the car in the first picture is a 2nd generation Tempo (88-91), which also happens to be mine! I've been on the T/T owners site since I got it.

The second picture is a 3rd generation Tempo(92-94), so it has a different belt confuguration and alternator mounts. (Also notice the difference in the air boxes!) The 3rd gens still do have power steering, but it sits slightly lower. I believe the air conditioning compressor is in a different place on the 2nd and 3rd gens. I'm wondering if the alternator mount from a 3rd gen will fit onto a 2nd...


Just a note, manual steering was NOT an option for 2nd and 3rd gen Tempos (88 and up), only the first generation (84-87). However, the manual rack from an 85-90 Escort works perfectly.

I went to look for an idler pulley at the local parts stores, but it looks like something will need to be custom made if I'm going to go that route. My other option is install a new plugged-up PS pump to replace my siezing one.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by AeroModder

Just a note, manual steering was NOT an option for 2nd and 3rd gen Tempos (88 and up), only the first generation (84-87). However, the manual rack from an 85-90 Escort works perfectly.

So does the transmission, pedal assembly, and shift linkage (with a little massaging) for the 4/5 speed swap.

Ask me how I know...

[bhazard]

You can usually open up the PS pump and remove the internals pretty easy. The pulley should free-wheel after that.

[cfg83]

bhazard -

Originally Posted by bhazard

You can usually open up the PS pump and remove the internals pretty easy. The pulley should free-wheel after that.

I always wondered if that would work. Just get a junkyard PS-pump, gut it, and there's your manual steering, no belt necessary.

CarloSW2