Looking for leaks today while changing the oil I degreased the engine with "Purple Stuff" and a pressure sprayer. Oil filter housing is leaking, but what I thought was oil cooler line leak looks to be from the power steering pump. Not a bad leak, but a leak. Needed to add about 4 oz of PS fluid and after a highway run the PS belt is wet and drops of fluid on the front of the engine.
I have searched the old posts and found some info but not all. How hard is it to rebuild these pumps? Do I need a press to R&R the front seal on this pump or can it be done without one? This is on the 83 300d.

rebootit


I did see something about rebuilding the pumps in the MB manual but when mine started making noise I found one at the U pick for cheap. They usually last a long time and are easy to replace. I too am wondering if someone has rebuilt one.
Good luck

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Found a buddy has a nice press. Figure doing this will be easy enough but when looking to order parts I see there are two sizes of front seals. How do I know what to order, is it a pump number, style, VIN number or do I remove the old one and measure for the new one?

rebootit - try to remove it without damaging it. The size should be stamped in the rubber edge. Otherwise you can probably just measure it.

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Jim

My pump is now in about 25 pieces. New parts will be here today. My indy mechanic was able to tell me what kit I needed and ordered it for me. (least I could do for the free advice)
Anyway the thing comes apart in no time. Easy easy easy job. Hope it goes back together the same, should not be a problem. The front seal was hard as a rock. Came out in chunks like dried out plastic. Mechanic said I don't need a press to put new one in, just use a deep well socket to tap it in. Should have it back together this afternoon and flush all the old fluid out of the system and add new power steering fluid.

Since we all have these things in our cars, and they are all old enough to have the seals changing to dried plastic, how about taking some photos and preparing an instructional post to show us how to do it? I have been lucky, I change my fluid regularly and have not had a leak yet, but see one as inevitable. A good post with photos would be excellent. Jim

Edited to fix my failure to think ahead!

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Jim, now your post is going to come up whenever somebody searches for those three letters. If we're going to use them as the key to a step-by-step procedure, then we need an understanding that they will not be used anywhere else.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

Ok here is a step by step as I remember it...

remove low pressure hose from steering pump
Start car and pump fluid into a container (I used an old gas can)
Stop engine
Loosen all mounting bolts on pump.
Loosen high pressure side hose fitting
Remove pump from car
Remove pulley by backing lock nut off and using a sharp blow with a hammer to nut will cause pulley to pop loose from key
Remove nut and pulley
remove top of revision and take out spring and filter
Remove spring clip from back of pump
Remove back cover
Remove guts from pump, guts include...
Short fat spring
back 1/3 section
middle section
shaft section with 10 little vane sections
two O rings
two pins
Remove keyway from front of shaft
Push shaft section out the back of the pump
Remove old front seal, needle nosed pliers worked fine for me
Clean everything with parts cleaner

reassemble
install two large O rings
Insert pins
lube shaft section with a thin coat of PS fluid
insert shaft
insert second section
insert all the vane pieces into first section
insert third section
drop in spring
place back in place and push in to start spring clip
seat spring clip
coat bushing with a thin layer of grease
flip pump over and use a deep well socket to seat new bushing
add new filter
add spring
install reservoir top
install pump
attach low and high pressure hoses
fill pump with new fluid
install top
start car and check fluid level after a few stop to stop turns of the steering wheel.
Think of all the stuff you can do with the $250.00+ you just saved by not buying a new rebuilt pump.

If I left out something or you have a better way of doing it or see something wrong with the way I did this please tell anyone who may read this.

Thanks for the instructions. I am sure I will get a chance to follow them soon as my Father-in-Law's 1980 240D is a likely candidate for beginning to leak. I just changed the fluid for the first time in 100,000 miles in November. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)