Power steering pump pulley failure...

[TMan]

wth.. plastic chit.
Took my 02 FE to it's first ever autocross and didn't make a lap. Freakin power steering went out, shut it off quick before the temp pegged. Thought I just tossed the belt, which I did. but the pulley spins on the pump shaft and wobbles like heck.

So i guess I need a new PS pulley and probably a belt. I am hopefully lucky that's all it takes other than the flat bed tow home.

Is there a Metal pulley I can buy?

 

[Steve-Indy]

Yes...call JonB at PartsRack...get BOTH the pulley AND the bracket. If you keep the stock cast bracket, you'll face the same situation again.

 

[vancouver-gts]

Call Mark at IPSCO http://www.ipsco.org/Viper_files/Viper Power Steering Pump Pulley.htm

 

[mitchdob]

Snake-Oyl: http://www.snakeoylproducts.com/product.php?productid=17925&cat=341&page=1

I have the entire PS system installed (pulley, bracket, reservoir tank). Seems rock solid.

 

[TMan]

Dang.. I searched the interweb and found only plastic replacements..Thanks for y'alls help.

 

[Free2go]

I just purchased the billet cut bracket and pulley set up from Jon B. Good price too. I guess I was lucky...my crap snapped pulling out of my driveway.

 

[TMan]

Free2go, I think mine was starting to slip last time I drove the car. I noticed the steering felt heavy, I checked the fluid and it was brownish and looked like it needed to be changed. I flushed it out and then put new fluid in and it seemed to work better.... fooled me.

 

[Free2go]

My bracket busted into 3 pieces. I should have been proactive and replaced those things right off the bat. What was slightly comical was the interior of the bracket, just past the surface, reminded me of Sweet Tarts candy.

 

[GTSHolgi]

Here's what the IPSCO pulley looks like installed (did also the bracket). I did the swap just a few weeks ago as proactive maintenance and can only recommend this to everyone who has not done it yet.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[steve e]

Worth it just to have one more shinny thing under the hood.

 

[Caesar!]

I did mine in the summer...The puller Crack in half..Throwing the belt off..and Went through John B...Parts Rak.. Nice guy..He hooked me up with thier Billet Crank pulley and bracket...Its a Must have!!!

 

[Free2go]

Ordered the billet pulley and bracket on Friday from Jon B at Part Rack, parts arrived today as promised. Took care of me on the little stuff, will call him on the big stuff.

 

[Bird325]

Those in a Gen II that haven't done the pulley and bracket just have to ask themselves ONE question every time they pull out of the garage ... "Do you feel LUCKY, Punk?"

I replaced mine a couple of months ago with Jon B. supplied parts ... it's something that any shade tree mechanic should be able to do in an afternoon. Get a puller before you get started and get ready to pull bunches of parts off. Took me over 3 hours, mostly because I took my time and hadn't done it before. If I need to do it again ... about an hour to an hour and a half.

 

[7TH_SIGN]

Obviously it is a weak component from the factory however what is the underlining cause of the power steering pump failing like that?

Snake-Oyl: http://www.snakeoylproducts.com/product.php?productid=17925&cat=341&page=1

I have the entire PS system installed (pulley, bracket, reservoir tank). Seems rock solid.

Did you install it yourself? How was the process?

 

[mitchdob]

Obviously it is a weak component from the factory however what is the underlining cause of the power steering pump failing like that?

http://www.snakeoylproducts.com/product.php?productid=17925&cat=341&page=1

Did you install it yourself? How was the process?

No, didn't do the install. It was installed by Eddie Martin (Phoenix Viper tech) while he was doing the engine build/mods.
Didn't wait for the factory pulley/bracket to fail. It was upgraded as "preventative maintenance".

 

[7TH_SIGN]

deleted ...................

 

[kenphjr]

If I remember right ,there are threads with pics on this install-from years ago

 

[TMan]

I got it from IPSCO, pulley and bracket. He stated that he made them for partsrack, he was closer and cheaper, got it in and now my pump whines....

 

[Fatboy 18]

That's not right, is the pulley bracket lined up correct on the shaft? Is there a gap between the pump body and the pulley? Make sure the back of the pulley is not touching the pump body! If you can still hear a whine make sure its not your supercharger

 

[Grisoman]

now my pump whines....

You may have altered the pump shaft position while R&Ring the pulley which I know was a caution when I did mine. I actually cut both the plastic pulley and the steel hub off my pump so as not to disturb the shaft position (my pulley wouldn't budge with a puller).

 

[TMan]

It lined up perfect and I used the correct puller to get it off.
It only whines under load, that deep growling whine...it's not bad, but I can hear it.

 

[brentsGTS]

Ipsco for me. Pulley and the bracket. Cheap and fast shipping. Awesome quality, fit and finish. A must buy

 

[TitleMine]

Never though I'd say this, but that wheel looks really ****.

 

[CEJ]

It lined up perfect and I used the correct puller to get it off.
It only whines under load, that deep growling whine...it's not bad, but I can hear it.

Do you have enough fluid in the p/s reservoir?

 

[ViperJohn]

I am so glad I changed all my pulleys years ago. March makes a kit. Interestingly enough, getting the old PS pulley was a complet PITA....but I'm almost positive it would have broken by now had I not changed it.

 

[NI-KA]

Snakeoyl.......

 

[Talon]

So I had a bit of a run in today with my power steering system and thought I would just share the suggestion to those that need the reminder/insight.

Be sure that a few times a year you reach down and tighten down the power steering cap as tight as it goes. It is common that these come loose and will pop off. There is even the horror stories out there that if it posts off and splashes out on the hard manifold that it can cause a fire. Today as I was backing into the parking spot at my office I noticed a whine coming from my power steering (which I normally do not hear). My initial thought was low power steering fluid and I'll top it off when I get home this evening. Some people may write this noise off and move along like I was going to, but I'm here to tell everyone that when you think or feel like something is "different" be sure you check into it. After reading some things on here (thank you all for this great forum), I started thinking I should check out my pulley and bracket too so I went ahead and went to look right now.

As soon as I pop the hood I noticed I was MISSING my power steering cap. Yep it came loose and yep it was gone. LUCKILY however the cap had fallen and lodged itself by the fender so it was not gone completely. I cleaned it up a bit (there was some dirt on the inside of the cap by this time) and screwed it on tight. I now need some new P/S fluid since I must have lost some (hence the whine), but all in all I'm glad I didn't procrastinate and checked into the sound right away. Utilizing this forum was a big help too!

Safe driving out there folks!

By the way for those of you in Texas planning on coming to the viper round up in Austin in April, I'll see a few of you out there. Sadly I'm traveling out of the country that weekend so I'll really only be able to come out Friday, but hopefully I'll get to meet many of you since I'm a pretty new viper owner (Since Oct. 2013).

 

[Grisoman]

Be sure that a few times a year you reach down and tighten down the power steering cap as tight as it goes. It is common that these come loose and will pop off.

I wrapped a cut section from a bicycle inner tube around the cap such that the tube also grips the reservoir neck. Works like a charm and hardly noticeable. Might also consider attaching a length of tubing to the cap vent and route the other end below the engine.

 

[Talon]

Grisoman,

I saw a picture with the tubing on top. Do they have a common problem of squirting out the relief hole in the top or something?

 

[mitchdob]

So I had a bit of a run in today with my power steering system and thought I would just share the suggestion to those that need the reminder/insight.

Be sure that a few times a year you reach down and tighten down the power steering cap as tight as it goes. It is common that these come loose and will pop off. There is even the horror stories out there that if it posts off and splashes out on the hard manifold that it can cause a fire. Today as I was backing into the parking spot at my office I noticed a whine coming from my power steering (which I normally do not hear). My initial thought was low power steering fluid and I'll top it off when I get home this evening. Some people may write this noise off and move along like I was going to, but I'm here to tell everyone that when you think or feel like something is "different" be sure you check into it. After reading some things on here (thank you all for this great forum), I started thinking I should check out my pulley and bracket too so I went ahead and went to look right now.

As soon as I pop the hood I noticed I was MISSING my power steering cap. Yep it came loose and yep it was gone. LUCKILY however the cap had fallen and lodged itself by the fender so it was not gone completely. I cleaned it up a bit (there was some dirt on the inside of the cap by this time) and screwed it on tight. I now need some new P/S fluid since I must have lost some (hence the whine), but all in all I'm glad I didn't procrastinate and checked into the sound right away. Utilizing this forum was a big help too!.

......................

The PS cap coming loose spilling fluid and the comments Tman made about the whining sound after he installed the pulley/bracket - was why had suggested (up top) upgrading the entire PS system (ie: pulley, bracket and reservoir tank) why you were at it. It costs a bit but I think its worth considering based on what could happen if left unchecked....

http://www.snakeoylproducts.com/product.php?productid=17925&cat=341&page=1