Gerald Morris
Senior Member
Gooood Evening Moparians!
Before I start any headstanding or other front floor contortionism in Gertrude, I have a spotty power steering pump to at least temporarily replace. It began jerking hard on the belt some weeks ago, about the same time we noticed a little noise from the OTHER accessory, the damned alternator! Talk about a cascade of troubles! I saved the alternator for eventual examination; the front bearing makes a LITTLE more noise than a really good one should, but I suspect I could use it another year before really worrying about it seizing.
NOT SO with this old TRW! I checked the fluid, finding a somewhat darker clear tan than I like, doubtless from heat and residual crap in the old steering gear, but NO PINK! I worried that the Chebbie Chimp might have perpetrated that atrocity. He's off the Hook for THAT, leaving ME to DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS WONKY PUMP! Until September, it had served us sans trouble, and I did purge the steering gear with over a gallon of new fluid when I transferred this pump to Gertrude. But one can never be sure of any dubious "rebuild" from any but the VERY BEST folks. So, I decided to spruce up the 1968 TRW pump myself.
Removing the reservoir went FAR TOO EASILY, and I know that a fair bit of the leaking which this pump was afflicted with last year comes from that, BUT,
The front shaft seal also looks to be worn to a point warranting replacement. I took the pulley off just so I could do this anyway, so i might as well.
Yet Chrysler (Miller) Tool C-3783 no longer abounds in auto parts stores, or even ePay. Plenty cheap, and some not cheap seal tools appear to exist, some of which can be rented from The Usual AutoSlop Store as I did for the pulley puller, after my own didn't fit down past the hexagonal 1/2" shaft end. (Suppose I could have used a 5/16" nut in that to give my tool something to press against but...) Anyway, an electric impact wrench and large Crescent makes pulley removal absurdly easy with a proper puller. Will remember that for alternator work later.
I can use possibly a socket or bit of PVC pipe (3/4" Sch 40 I think) to drive a new front seal on, but am a little at a loss for improvising a seal remover here. I DON'T want to scratch that shaft!
Suggestions will be MUCH appreciated.
Before I start any headstanding or other front floor contortionism in Gertrude, I have a spotty power steering pump to at least temporarily replace. It began jerking hard on the belt some weeks ago, about the same time we noticed a little noise from the OTHER accessory, the damned alternator! Talk about a cascade of troubles! I saved the alternator for eventual examination; the front bearing makes a LITTLE more noise than a really good one should, but I suspect I could use it another year before really worrying about it seizing.
NOT SO with this old TRW! I checked the fluid, finding a somewhat darker clear tan than I like, doubtless from heat and residual crap in the old steering gear, but NO PINK! I worried that the Chebbie Chimp might have perpetrated that atrocity. He's off the Hook for THAT, leaving ME to DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS WONKY PUMP! Until September, it had served us sans trouble, and I did purge the steering gear with over a gallon of new fluid when I transferred this pump to Gertrude. But one can never be sure of any dubious "rebuild" from any but the VERY BEST folks. So, I decided to spruce up the 1968 TRW pump myself.
Removing the reservoir went FAR TOO EASILY, and I know that a fair bit of the leaking which this pump was afflicted with last year comes from that, BUT,
The front shaft seal also looks to be worn to a point warranting replacement. I took the pulley off just so I could do this anyway, so i might as well.
Yet Chrysler (Miller) Tool C-3783 no longer abounds in auto parts stores, or even ePay. Plenty cheap, and some not cheap seal tools appear to exist, some of which can be rented from The Usual AutoSlop Store as I did for the pulley puller, after my own didn't fit down past the hexagonal 1/2" shaft end. (Suppose I could have used a 5/16" nut in that to give my tool something to press against but...) Anyway, an electric impact wrench and large Crescent makes pulley removal absurdly easy with a proper puller. Will remember that for alternator work later.
I can use possibly a socket or bit of PVC pipe (3/4" Sch 40 I think) to drive a new front seal on, but am a little at a loss for improvising a seal remover here. I DON'T want to scratch that shaft!
Suggestions will be MUCH appreciated.