Power steering pump delete revisted
 

Hello.

I would like to know is the power steering deletion universal to all automatics?

I have a 2000 Chevy Malibu LS 3.1. I want to delete the power steering system for better accessibility and less drag on the engine. I don't want to install a manual rack, just wanna get rid of the resistor, pump, and two power steering lines.

If I do this, will this damage the rack and pinion? I plan to do the loop trick to keep a little fluid in there for lubrication and for easier turning ( unless its not needed)

Any thoughts>? thanks

I've done a few. Make sure to take off the belt and drive it a bit to see how it feels first. If you can drive it that way, you can definitely loop the line. It'll still be a bear to drive at lower MPH though.

Otherwise, hydraulic power steering works about the same on all cars. Pull the lines, crank that wheel left and right a few times to get out as much fluid as you can, then loop the lines. Just loop the line at the rack, not the pinion

will it damage the rack and or /pinion over time like this? other threads i've read on other forums say " NO, YOU CAN POTENTIALLY SEIZE THE RACK AND PINION!"

Potentially, sure... but odds are, the car will rust apart before then. Just keep it sealed up when you are done. Don't let moisture and crud in there, so loop that line solid as soon you are are done. If you don't pull the fluid, you are gonna push the fluid between the two cylinders through that looped line and it will cause resistance. Pump out all the fluids you can and the little bit left at the bottom should help against corrosion and keep the piston lubricated enough.

I had it this way with my Neon for quite some time. When I rebuilt the engine, I pulled it apart and took the piston out to remove the last bit of potential resistance. The insides looked just fine.

It will seize for sure if the lines are left open letting in dirt and water.

Any other items related to the pump you guys/gals removed? you guys remove the power steering pump motor as well?

If you can, definitely. Less weight and makes more room in the engine bay. And, one less thing that can leak fluid.

Either cap or loop lines at the pinion as well. Don't leave them open!

I took out the power steering pump on my suburban.

I followed NoD's instructions for removing my power steering pump. Someone recently told me it was dangerous. I did not ask why. I guess if it actually were, they would have mentioned it.

There's 2 "dangers" to it.

1. Steering is harder on most cards without power steering. Most cars will be very hard without the assist, especially under ~1MPH. This could be dangerous if you can't turn your wheel when you need to (out of a tight parking space).

2. You don't seal up your install properly and something gets in there and causes the steering to seize up. This isn't likely to happen while driving instantly and unexpectedly, but not impossible. As soon as you squirt out the fluid by going full left and right a few times, loop that line and clamp them tight! Don't neglect the pinion off the steering column. Either loop those or cap them. They won't be pumping anything (like air or fluids) between two chambers like the rack will be, so looping isn't necessary. I think when I did mine on my Neon, I capped them with the original metal lines by using pliers to pinch them shut, then folded the end over... I want to say I even put some silicone in there before doing that to make sure it was extra tight. Even a tiny, invisible hole can get moisture in there, which can do some damage and possible cause seizure.

So yeah, it's dangerous. But really, any time you mod your car, it's potentially hazardous. Just always make sure to do your homework and think things out before you execute.

Make sure you know all the information before you go doing anything you aren't familiar or comfortable with. Google "power steering line loop" and do some reading. I'd never recommend doing anything like this without that minimal type of research first!

I'm only confident because I've done it a few times and it's never given me any issues. I just pulled the non-working electric power steering off my Insight and it was definitely a nice difference, but it's a very different system from the traditional hydraulic systems.

Good luck either way!

thanks!

I cant seem to find a shorter serpentine belt for a 2000 chevy malibu ls. My car uses a single belt for everything if im not mistaken

I plan on deleting the ac system as well, and there seems to be a bypass pulley for this vehicle for that.

Can I do this w/o a bypass pulley?

cant seem to find a shorter belt anywhere, would love to do away with the pulleys altogether but will make it work with a bypass if i can

also, in this video, the which may apply to my car as well, do i simply remove the two hard lines coming from the rack as show in the video and loop them with some silicon hose? Also attached is a routing diagram for my belt. Assuming the power steering and ac pumps will be deleted, i would need a shorter belt to accommodate * preferably*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgVO2BIKHdw

bumping to see if any one has any ideas?

Can you verify that your pulley system is like this one?

http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automo...raphic_412.jpg

yep, thats it.

Im in need of a belt that would accommodate that setup minus the ac compressor and ps pump

Here's the problem...

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1462981536

Take those out and no belt will work. No belt, plus no water pump.

You'd probably be best to leave the AC one on as it doesn't add a lot of resistance when off. As somebody who has taken out AC of a car... if it works, keep it. Unless you are in a constantly cold climate, that is.

Even if you just removed the PS pump...

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1462981961

Looks like you still won't be hitting that water pump. So to do it, you'd have to either get a pulley to replace the pump, or relocate the water pump (likely go electric... which isn't cheap).

I'd say you might be best, in this car, to leave the power steering in place. :(

I think I may just go with an AC delete pulley. Do you think there would be a way to detach the pulley from the power steering pump and connect it to the bracket putting the belt on that?

You mean PS delete pulley? Just making sure...

I'm sure there's a way, but that's beyond the help I can give ya. Definitely dig around, the internet is deep.

The AC delete pulley- luckily I can purchase one for my vehicle. I'm going to remove the entire AC system from my vehicle since it is not functioning and don't have the funds to afford a fix.

I may be out of luck unless I can find a way to adapt just the pulley from the power steering pump to the accessory bracket. I would really love to do away with this. Among the reasons concerning space and a little less weight. I can't even get to the fuel pressure port to test fuel pressure with the power steering stuff in the way. Not really feeling the design of this particular engine/car

EDIT: after looking under my hood, noticed there were two idler pulleys missing from your diagram.. please see attached diagram for my exact setup

If you can, install a pulley on a spindle as an idler where the PS pulley was. It's a parasitic drag but nothing like the PS.

Alternatively, move the alternator to where the PS was. Find a belt short enough to give the tensioner a little resistance to keep everything else turning.

only problem with the spindle is it would need to bolt up to the bracket just as the pump was as well as having way of attached the spindle to it. i was thinking of gutting the pump and somehow leaving the pulley part where it can still spin freely, never done it so wouldnt no how it would work. might not be seeing this right, do you have any references?

also the alternator swap idea.... not sure if the alternator can fit in the power steering pumps location, arrrgggh

I am sure that you can make an adapter bracket to make it fit.

Another idea is to, for now, loop the power steering pump itself. It'll pump fluids to itself, giving little resistance, if I had to guess. Not sure how reliant it is on that fluid for it's own lubrication or i'd say dump it out and let it run nearly dry. I'm guessing it simply is reliant on it. Again, more research required.

yes, this is what it looks like I will have to do, seriously.

I've searched high and low for a bypass pulley for the ps pump, since its needed for the water pump to maintain. I'm not sure if i'd be able to take a similiar ps pump to fabrication shop and have them make something based on the 3 bolt pump design ( perhaps an aluminum something?) I can bolt to the bracket and spin a pulley on?

At any rate i'm out of luck, there has to be a way to get this done

If you are determined, you can do it. Either milling a bracket out of some aluminum and mounting existing pulley (or a light-weight aluminum one you'd have made) from PS pump to a free-spinning breaing ($), modifying a pulley by killing the innards (way cheaper, but less efficient and some work)...

Regardless, if you can find a cheap dead power steering pump somewhere to have something to modify, it might be worth it. Modifying the existing as an experiment could leave you stranded! So be cautious if you jump into your existing one.

essentially all i'd need is an aluminum piece with 3 bolts oriented the same way as the ps pump, and something to do be drilled in the middle of that to allow a continuous rotating pulley. is there an official name for something like the center piece i'm needing? rotating shaft or..

i will need to explain this to a fabrication shop in exact terms as many i've called seemed impatient and unwilling to help map this out

I mean how expensive is that power steering pump? I would just take it apart, throw away the guts, and keep the pulley.

With no fabrication experience, I may go ahead and gut the pump. Seems like my only real opfion

managed to get the pump ripped apart, just a question to those who know how this works. what part of the pump in the picture attached here will seize if left unlubricated and running? im just curious. this is not my photo but this is a layout of similar components

Any thing that rotates that will be left dry by removal of P/S fluid. Mainly the sliding vane rotor.

So then, with all the stuff deleted out the actual pump, should the rotary shaft be greased or lubed with oil? or is that fine to free spin?

If the shafts support bearings are greased and factory sealed then don't worry about them.

How likely would seizure occur if i just reconnected these two items? the shaft will easily slide out if something isnt holding it in, ( from within the housing- this would be this rotor, and the snap ring on the shaft which ' locks it in place' and prevents the shaft from coming out. Just trying to be extra sure before i do this. snap ring is not pictured


https://i.imgsafe.org/9f8a17a.jpg

The impeller wheel will rub on the sides still.
I thought the bearing were push fit.

just reassembled the pump. the wheel doesnt seem to be turning against anything