Saginaw Pump Issues

[Machspeed]

After much work, I finally did the Saginaw Pump mod only to find that my pump is not pumping. Looks real pretty in there but no workie.....arghhh! I bought a reman'd unit from AutoZone. I did pull the reservoir and replaced it with a chrome one. Valve and spring came out in the process but put it back in the way it came out. Filled the reservoir with fluid, jacked the front up to bleed and I get no assist from the pump. Fluid is not even circulating in the reservoir nor is it dropping. Thoughts???

 

[Gary Lewis]

I'm at a loss.  The fluid clearly isn't moving in the pump.

My only suggestion is to check out the Saginaw section of the FSM at Documentation/Steering & Suspension/Power Steering and then the Pumps and Saginaw tabs.

[85lebaront2]

Mary's cousin had an old Chevy Suburban that he had a similar problem with. Rebuilt pumps would not pump. I was putting the pulley on the 3rd one with my Dewalt cordless impact and my pulley R&R kit. When the pulley slipped and spun fast, we suddenly got fluid out.

They apparently pack the vane assembly with grease and it takes a pretty fast spin to expand them.

[Gary Lewis]

Interesting, Bill.  So you'd suggest spinning the engine a bit faster.  And maybe if that doesn't work the grease will thin overnight with ATF on it?

[85lebaront2]

I would spin it with something else, like I did, I have no idea how many rpm it was but, it suddenly squirted fluid out and worked fine after that.

[Machspeed]

I took the engine to about 3k RPMs and it did nothing. I will remove the belt and spin it with my drill.

This is one Scott's "fix it till you break it"..... 


Thanks Bill

[Machspeed]

So after all the work to fit my Saginaw pump into my 86 (this in not a purely bolt in fit), I got no assist from it. Frustrated, I made the above video, closed the door and turned out the light. Got up yesterday morning, went back out to the shop, tapped the back of the reservoir with a small rubber mallet and fired the truck up to find it working. Strange!!! I seriously doubt my mallet tapping did anything, rather think it was air locked or something of the sort. Anyway, it seems to work just fine. I must say, after owning the truck all these years, it's kind of a strange sensation not to hear the old CII pump wine. Thanks gentleman!

     

[Gary Lewis]

Congrat's!  

I'll guess that Bill was right and the thing was packed with grease which softened overnight with the ATF on it and started flowing.  Or there was a large air bubble inside that your rap with the mallet caused to move.  In any event, it is working!