Power Steering delete for fuel economy gain - anyone done it?

[Frank Lee]

Thanks for rejuvenating this. Bypass valves? No merit whatsoever.

I drove my '74 Nova for years with "Armstrong steering" before I replaced the bad hose and put a belt on it. There was no ill effect at all.

[Christ]

My first Escort - Manual steering.
My first Road legal car - 1979 Plymouth Volare, 225 /6, Power steering without power.
First pickup truck - 1988 Mazda B2200 - Manual steering.
Every Civic I've ever owned/driven except 2 - Either Manual steering OEM, manual steering converted, or OEM power without power.

[bluetwo]

Cool.... when I first read about it I was like GENIOUS! ...ha ha.

I think I might give it a try because it's always better to have that natural feel and if it drains on the engine a little less then why not?

As for underdrive pulleys.... the only advantage I've read about with those is they're being lightweight, most of them are less than a third the weight of an OEM pulley. And yes, I do get the concept of an underdriven accessory if anyone was going to try to flame me for that.

[chuckm]

Frank, you had a 74 Nova? Man, I loved my dad's 76! Awesome car! The 305 engine ran like an absolute champ.

[Frank Lee]

I put a '63 283 that I'd overhauled into it. Red, 2 door hatch, new chrome sidepipes. Wish I still had it.

[arb]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I put a '63 283 that I'd overhauled into it. Red, 2 door hatch, new chrome sidepipes. Wish I still had it.

Wow !! I did something very similar - I remaned a 65' 283, punching it .030" over, put some "Power Pack" Chevy heads on it... They had 10.5:1 and high turbulence runners that maxed out at about 6,000 rpm. I put it in my 73' Nova SS with manual steering, the Muncie Rock Crusher tans, and put 15R78 x 225 mud & Snow on the rear with I think a 2.73 rear end... Got almost 30 mpg with that FAST ride.

When some sleeping guy pulled in front of the SS, I put the engine in a 68' corvette convertible with 4:11 rear end. I allowed my girlfriend to drive it once because with those heads, she could not blow it up. That Vette also had a manual trans with manual steering gear. BIG steering wheel, though.
Got 25 mpg with that…

On my now diesel 92' Caravan, no regrets pulling the power steering rack & pinion and putting a reman manual in. Its 4:1 rather than the 3:1 of the power.

[Frank Lee]

Mine had the PP heads too, and a 2bbl, but IIRC 20mpg or low low 20's was all she would give.

[arb]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Mine had the PP heads too, and a 2bbl, but IIRC 20mpg or low low 20's was all she would give.

Yeah, forgot to mention that little 2 bbl carb. :-) Did you have a tall rear end and tall tires too ? I drove very conservative to get the 30 mpg.

[Frank Lee]

Yes.

[bgd73]

the delete does work. The power needed in tight spaces is worth the extra fuel, and i did learn there is a draw even in a straight line. A manual steering version of the same car, revealed the difference.