Power steering pump pulley weird happenings.....

[Gas Gas Ohlins]

as above.....went to dip my oil and found that the serpentine belt had frayed at the side closest to the engine.It had paired off about 4or5mm. I just thought it was wear,never really thought anything of it. I replaced the belt and off i went. Next day I checked to find the same thing. So i take a better look to find that the power steering pump pulley is out of line with the rest of the pulleys,by about 5mm which is why the belt has frayed.(The engine side lip of the pulley has cut the belt) I took the belt off and checked the pulley to find it still bolted on tight and OK with no movement at all. Can`t work out how the pulley has apparently moved out and away from the engine??....When i look in behind the pulley i can see the shaft of the pulley is clean with no road grime which says to me its moved out a bit??....Anyone shed any light on the matter. At least the truck is still mobile albeit with the narrow belt!

[lynalldiscovery]

Have a look ere http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=3908



Lynall

[andymurph]

sounds like the shaft/front bearing has pulled out of the pump housing. mine did it when i did the p gasket, used the bolts in pulley method to hold the pulley still, but overdid it a twee. all i did was just gently tap it back in, so far it's been fine

[TEMPL4R]

If you look at Lynalls link to Les hensons article, the pump shaft should stickout a bit from the flange face, they slip and move out a bit.
The tensioner keeps the belt tight, so they rarely come off ( until the shaft and flange wear badly through slipping, but you hear a squeal when it does slip, so you've stopped to check what the noise is, haven't you......:rolleyes: ).

The flange is a press fit, it can be knocked back on, but usually need something like Loctite Retainer. If it's really loose though, you need a new pump.

Excellent article by Les.

Chris

[Gas Gas Ohlins]

Thanks chaps for the quick response....I`ll have a wee peep at it this morning....no squealing at all at present...(as an aside the belt tensioner is new with no squealing with the old one)did`nt know whether to tap it at all...no movement in pulley wheel or bearing play...I take it a good tap will relocate it??.....

:D

[Gas Gas Ohlins]

For reference...I took off the fan,cowling, and top water pipe at radiator. All to get good access. Loosened off the PSPump pulley and removed frayed serpentine belt. I took the belt off and then the pulley. I was able to see the pulley flange in all its glory. I then took a club hammer and tapped first,just with its own weight and inertia as it were,to find find the flange moving back into the PSPump. So,I reintsalled all that I had taken off and will take it for a test drive this afternoon just to see if it stays in line.

A point to ponder....would a weak belt tensioner spring(after lots of kms)have anything to do with the source of this problem(although theres a new tensioner just installed it could be seen that the old one had movement in the bearing.)

Thanks again to all for replying...as was a bit dubious as to whether tapping it would be a bad move...but...there you have it!

:D

[Les Henson]

The bearing closest to the pulley is a press-fit, but on the inside of the pump there is a round pin that prevents the shaft from pulling out of the bearing (exactly like a round woodruff key). If the shaft can move in and out, then this pin has worn and it'll just do it again. Unfortunately the parts are not available to repair the pump, so the pump will have to be replaced. The pump is very easy to dismantle, but there's a wierd plastic gasket between the two halves of the body which gets wrecked when you take it apart. Otherwise you might be able to replace the pin or perhaps turn it round - depending on how it's worn. The pin also drives the pump internals, so you need to consider that the pump may not be working correctly anyway. You could perhaps degrease the shaft where it has moved out, then apply a powerful adhesive to it and tap it back in. If the adhesion is strong enough, then it might compensate for the worn pin and keep everything in line. A new pump is around the £150 mark.

[Gas Gas Ohlins]

Ah ha!!...more info...yes i see where you`re coming from...if its done it once why not again eh?....I guess it gives me a period of time to prepare and slot in a day for the work(no doubt a water pump will be needed too...all at once!!)

I think it would be better if i just ordered a new one and have be done with it...As the only vehicle (apart from my moto)in operation it needs to be well kept/serviced....


...now to spend a spot of light reading cruising the `net in search of a good price.....speaking of which,anyone know if it should be a genuine pump or an aftermarket equal??....ho hum...


:D

[kertir]

Hi,

I had the same thing happen to me last year.The shaft sheared on my power steering pump so I had an after market one fitted but after a week or so the car overheated.This was due to a sliver of the fan belt coming off & wrapping around the water pump.

The belt had frayed due to misalignment of about 5mm caused by the PS pump being too far out i.e. to near the front of the engine bay.The belt was turned 'around' but soon frayed the other side.I had to have a genuine PS fitted & all has been ok since.

The garage compared the 2 pumps & found the shaft on the aftermarket one was about 5mm longer.......

Cheers..........Kertir.

pump fitted

[Gas Gas Ohlins]

OK thanks for that indeed.....I`m still mobile and when checking the pulley yesterday all was well...I`m pricing a list of stuff that I`ll need this year for servicing so I`ll include a PSP.

:D