FAQ: Power Steering Pump & Hoses - Noise & Problems

Mikel wrote:

By the way, old pump had no special valving or wires going into it anywhere. Did all 97's have the Magna Steer?

Is the valving in the rack/pinion assembly?

Quite right, Mikel, the Magna-steer function is in the rack. The pump is purely mechanical.

By the way, did you replace the pump or just get a new C-clip for the shaft?
.

The reason I felt it was contrary to what it should have done is based on the fact that the steering rack with MagnaSteer has to receive current from the PCM/BCM to cause the increased steering effort at speed.
If you disconnect the connector at the rack you eliminate the path for current flow so the steering effort should be easy at all times (constantly boosted pressure from the pump).
Without the current flow to the magnets which provide the resistance on the rack at high speed - I assumed the steering effort would be lighter at all speeds, from idle on up.
The system description and operation is very simple yet it is confusing me regarding the disconnected wiring and steering effort.

Eldo wrote:

Mikel wrote:

By the way, old pump had no special valving or wires going into it anywhere. Did all 97's have the Magna Steer?

Is the valving in the rack/pinion assembly?

Quite right, Mikel, the Magna-steer function is in the rack. The pump is purely mechanical.

By the way, did you replace the pump or just get a new C-clip for the shaft?
.

Hello,
I already had a new pump, so I figured it would be a good idea to replace it anyway. I loosed up one motor mount, lifted the engine a bit and the pump came right out, without having to remove anything else.
Mikel

Mikel wrote:

Rickw wrote:

All the Riviera's 95-99 had Magna-Steer as standard equipment.
Yes, All the Magna-Steer components are built into the steering rack. That's what makes them so expensive to replace compared to a non Magna-Steer rack.

I was curious, because my steering is way too soft even at high speeds. Maybe it's that I'm one of them yurropeens and I expect cars to feel a little differently, as much as I love my Riviera

Well I'm a 'murican, and I can tell you that this system is stiffer than traditional American power
steering, but easier to park than newer, but single-mode, systems...

By the way, do you think that it's too soft at highway speeds, or actually too touchy?

GM giveth and GM taketh away, and what I don't like is that when they gave
us the variable boost, they took out the variable ratio... This means that
at high speed, it hardly takes an inch of steering input to change whole lanes

I would much rather have "Variable Ratio" steering. I don't like the highway 'Feel" of this steering either.

Eldo wrote:

Mikel wrote:

Rickw wrote:

All the Riviera's 95-99 had Magna-Steer as standard equipment.
Yes, All the Magna-Steer components are built into the steering rack. That's what makes them so expensive to replace compared to a non Magna-Steer rack.

I was curious, because my steering is way too soft even at high speeds. Maybe it's that I'm one of them yurropeens and I expect cars to feel a little differently, as much as I love my Riviera

Well I'm a 'murican, and I can tell you that this system is stiffer than traditional American power
steering, but easier to park than newer, but single-mode, systems...

By the way, do you think that it's too soft at highway speeds, or actually too touchy?

GM giveth and GM taketh away, and what I don't like is that when they gave
us the variable boost, they took out the variable ratio... This means that
at high speed, it hardly takes an inch of steering input to change whole lanes

I think you are right and "touchy" is a better term. Which combined with a steering that is softer than what I'm used to, takes a bit to get used to.

It is rather ironic that my pump failed as I drove a friend 150 miles to check out a 98 Riviera - Which he ended up buying. Another convert!

Rickw wrote:

The reason I felt it was contrary to what it should have done is based on the fact that the steering rack with MagnaSteer has to receive current from the PCM/BCM to cause the increased steering effort at speed.
If you disconnect the connector at the rack you eliminate the path for current flow so the steering effort should be easy at all times (constantly boosted pressure from the pump).
Without the current flow to the magnets which provide the resistance on the rack at high speed - I assumed the steering effort would be lighter at all speeds, from idle on up.
The system description and operation is very simple yet it is confusing me regarding the disconnected wiring and steering effort.

Ah, I didn't understand exactly where the "contrary" applied... No biggie.

In fact, I retraced some old steps I made when I first got the car, and it turns out that we were both only half right as far as the electronics are concerned. The MS module supplies up to 3 amps positive OR negative, which means that the coils in the rack are both additive and subtractive... Therefore, the 'fail-safe' or purely mechanical boost is probably about half way between parking boost and 100 MPH boost.

And yes, without variable ratio, the 12 o'clock position on the wheel is too damned sensitive at high speeds! I even remember someone on here, months ago, complaining about the highway twitchiness because their new tires were grippier than their old ones.

Maybe I'll see how it feels with the connector unplugged... Can you get at it from above, or do I have to lift the car?
.

Mikel wrote:

I think you are right and "touchy" is a better term. Which combined with a steering that is softer than what I'm used to, takes a bit to get used to.

It is rather ironic that my pump failed as I drove a friend 150 miles to check out a 98 Riviera - Which he ended up buying. Another convert!

Yayyyyyy! Cheers to our new cult-member

Eldo wrote:

Maybe I'll see how it feels with the connector unplugged... Can you get at it from above, or do I have to lift the car?.

I was able to reach it from above, over the fender and thru the woods.
Actually quite easy to get to.

My power steering went the other day...any idea on the cost?

Pump? Rack? Hose? Magnasteer?

i paid $56 at pep boys when mine burned out....its a pain to fix. if its that.......?

pump

I'm not sure about Series I pumps, but Series II are very cheap. Try car-part.com for inexpensive used, rockauto for reman or new. They seem to have the best pricing.

yeah,a pump. its a pain to remove and replace. but jacking the car up,securing it,and working from the top and from the bottom you can get it out fairly quickly. check the seal around the pump where it connects to the engine. if there is weeping then its probably bad. not sure how one would check the rack though? maybe lift the front end and see how difficult it is to move the wheel back and forth with engine off. even if the pump is bad,you can still move the wheel fairly easily.

i can move the car when i press the gas...if i try and just turn the wheel without acceleration its like glued lol. i know the pump has been bad for a while. they said it was gonna go at any time. im not gonna be doin the work..i use a trusted garage to do work. iono what the hell weeping is lol. it used to whine like crazyyyyyyyy when i turned the wheel.

sounds like a bad pump. do it yourself and save a bundle. its not that hard just tedious. get a buddy to help you. it should take no longer than a couple hours to do. all well under a hundred. fluid,maybe new hoses. be very careful with the reservoir. the tits coming off it that the hose connects to,are ultra fragile.

i dont even change my own oil lol i dont know how to do the work lol im not gifted like that. ask me how to shape ur body im ur guy..but how to fix a car...not ur guy lol i also really dont have any buddies that can fix cars. but thanks for the info

no prob.

got my steering pump replaced today. 201 bucks. not too bad. it handles SOOOOOOOOO much better its ridiculous lol. turning is sooo easy. my pump must have been bad for a while.

Can anybody tell me how to use a pulley puller to remove the power steering pump from the pulley...i took the pump off but i cant remove the pulley from it.

just wedge a screwdriver behind the pulley. DONT FORCE IT THOUGH! and wiggle it off.a good shot of PB blaster helps a ton

Rent a power steering pulley puller from Autozone if you don't have any luck with that. There's a specific tool for PS pulleys.

Or you can buy an inexpensive (made in China) Kit for between $20 and $30.00.
Do Not Use an Impact Gun on the main threaded rod to pull the pulley, you will ruin the tool.
And if you have borrowed or rented one then you will own a damaged tool.
Have seen it done before by my knucklehead brother.
I have found the Chinese one from Harbor Freight to be good for a few uses before the threads start to gall.
If you don't plan on using it much then I guess that's OK. Otherwise you can get a decent puller kit for about $50.00 and up. If you want to buy your own, try Sears - they have good prices with a guarantee.

Thanks for all u guy's help and input...i found the puller @ autozone for $30 and found this http://www.stu-offroad.com/steering/pspump/pspulley-1.htm on the web to figure out how to use it. i got it off, put the new one on and returned the rented puller and got my core....it was pretty easy too...caint wait to get Da Rivi bacc on da road!! thanks again guys