I need to the replace the front pump seal on my power steering pump. Is it ok to drive the car with the pump removed? I know it won't be a problem for the engine, but will the lack of pressurized fluid damage the steering gear box?

It should not hurt it, but remember it will be difficult to steer. especially at a stop or low speeds.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

Agree with rrg... only difficulity is steering effort.

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83 SD

84 CD

I wonder what increase a person could see mileage-wise if they did away with the P/S pump.....? Not that I would do it, but it'd be interesting to see if it made much difference.


Heck, why not go for a few hundred mile freeway drive with a special sized belt installed that only runs the water pump.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Isn't disabling the power steering just a little bit dangerous?

Most likely.


I could barely turn the wheel once when I turned the engine off while going about 25 mph.... (don't ask...I turned it right back on...)

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Depends on how strong you are. The MB steering wheels are humongous so you can get plenty of leverage without the assist. Plus the 14" wheels are pretty light weight, 25 lbs mounted to a tire. With my lil Nardi wheel (2 inches smaller in diamter) it is pretty difficult to steer without PS.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

You'll save just a bit of energy by not running the pump, but it's not working against much of a load while running on the highway. I assume that eventually and partly for this reason, all the automakers will go for electric power steering.

If I had the time and $$ I would create an electronicly assisted steering system like what my moms chevy has.. It is going to suck when the suck when the electronics in that system go

True, no hydraulic pressure to work against.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

It's not fighting hydraulic pressure that can make inoperative power steering much harder than manual steering, but the differences in steering ratios of the steering boxes. Typically, power steering is geared much quicker - fewer turns lock to lock, which requires a huge effort on most cars if the assist fails. Manual steering is geared slower - more turns - to make it tolerable without power assist.
Also, manually-steered vehicles may have different alignment specs to make steering easier.
And in the days when manual-steering was the norm, most cars had skinny bias-ply tires. It's much harder to steer today's fat low-profile radials without power assist.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

I beg to differ.

I've driven cars with fairly wide radial tires and 3 turn lock-to-lock manual steering, and while parking is a bit difficult, it's not extremely hard with even a 13" steering wheel.

Any time I've tried to move a non-functioning power steering system while stopped, it was extremely difficult to turn the steering wheel, regardless of the size.

Something else is going on. It's the fluid. You're trying to push it through the pump when you turn the wheel.

Matt L,
Compared to the same model with power assist, the car in your example probably has different alignment settings or steering geometry designed to make the steering effort tolerable without power assist. Also, the power-assist version may only require 2 or 2.5 turns lock to lock.

Power steering is designed so that the steering will still function if the assist fails. There is only a slight added drag from the fluid and servo piston in a non-functioning power-assist system.
If you jack up and support the front end of any power-steering equipped car, with the engine off, you will see that the added effort required to turn the steering wheel is minimal, compared with the effort required when the car is on the ground.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW