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Metal power steering pump pulley?

3K views 25 replies 11 participants last post by  Chief8one 
#1 ·
Is there an available option for a metal power steering pulley?

In the process of pulling the engine in and out (happens after each race) we keep breaking the fragile composite power steering pump pulley. Sure would be nice if we had a more durable pulley option.
 
#13 ·
'92-'94 model year Shadow, Sundance Mits engine
will be the later *wide* 6 groove pulley serpentine

Bayley,

when you say you pull the engine after races...is that in the pits?..or at the shop?...for the sake of saving pulleys why not just take 10 mins to remove the pump from the engine bracket & block and leave it in the engine bay, given where it is located it is difficult to clear the firewall & shock tower with the pump still attached (manual trans)
 
#15 ·
It's taking a little more than 10 minutes for us. Usually we pull the engine half way out and then remove the pump. It's a little easier for us old farts who can't crawl around under the car as easily as we did in our twenties.


Standard modification for me on any 3.0 after cutting the a/c bracket on a/c cars is to slot the engine bracket so you just leave the 2 power steering pump bolts in and do not use the extra support bracket. Slot them slightly downwards so gravity lets the pump fall down into the bottom of the slot. Hold it in place while tightening the bolts with a ratcheting wrench. I never ever ever take out the power steering pump.
All I have to do is loosen the 2 bolts on the pump a little bit and pull the pump off the bracket. Takes 30 seconds or less.

I am pretty sure at least one of my cars has a metal pump pulley if not all of them.
I like the slotting idea. I really like this idea. Mildly concerned about not running the rear mount bolt, but I could be convinced it's not necessary.
 
#14 ·
Standard modification for me on any 3.0 after cutting the a/c bracket on a/c cars is to slot the engine bracket so you just leave the 2 power steering pump bolts in and do not use the extra support bracket. Slot them slightly downwards so gravity lets the pump fall down into the bottom of the slot. Hold it in place while tightening the bolts with a ratcheting wrench. I never ever ever take out the power steering pump.
All I have to do is loosen the 2 bolts on the pump a little bit and pull the pump off the bracket. Takes 30 seconds or less.

I am pretty sure at least one of my cars has a metal pump pulley if not all of them.
 
#19 ·
I would think manual steering might be a driver fatigue issue in enduro racing like lemons. I think the slotting mod would probably address most of the issue.

I just had to put a power steering pulley on my 3.8L dynasty and i avoided it for months because of how much i dislike working in that location. Roughly in the same spot as a 3.0, but i think the 3.3/3.8 bracket is actually more annoying.
 
#20 ·
We played about with switching to manual steering, but my suggestion keeps getting vetoed. They're complaining about potential fatigue, sore arms, sandgina, etc...

I race with a bunch of girl scouts sometimes. Of course, the official unit of measurement in the garage is "Bayleys" so I might have a slight advantage... :)

Driver 1: "How much torque does this motor mount bolt take?"

Driver 2: "Pretty tight. About 0.8 'Bayleys' if I'm not mistaken."
 
#21 ·
UPDATE: The metal pulley from a 1995 Chevy Suburban 5.7L works. We raced all day Saturday and all day Sunday with this pulley, never had a single issue.

The only caveat is that the pulley shouldn't be pressed fully onto the pump. We had to leave ~1/8" of an inch of pump shaft exposed rather than pressing the pulley all the way against the housing. To anyone attempting this, make sure you take a reference measurement to the surface of the composite pulley and then match that same measurement to the metal pulley.
 
#24 ·
Let it ride!

It was only approximately 1/8" inch on our pump, so it didn't seem like a big deal. Again, worked like a champ all weekend.

Of course, we don't enjoy doing things the easy way... so we are in the process of switching to an electric hydraulic steering pump from a log splitter. No really, we actually are trying this. I'll be sure to post a story when we get it up and running.
 
#25 ·
When I ordered the replacement pulley for the 3.8 pump (from Chrysler) it came with a spacer that you use with the pulley installer to make sure you don't press it on too far. It's probably the same pulley and same spacer and same pump (and in the same location). I threw mine in the glovebox as I assumed I would break that pulley again someday. :p
 
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