Treat your power steering pump nice

Spowers · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:40 am

$650 later I wish I would have done the same.

The CRD is unique for the powersteering pump (so DCX say's)

I think mine was bad from the begining, it worked fine, as long as the vehicle was in motion, even the slightest movement reduced the friction on the tires enough that the pump could handel it.
Around 37 k it began to get worse, and from there it was a matter of 2 months befor it was impossible to turn the wheels with out movement.

Ext warrenty ( if purchased ) $1500
New pump minus deductable : $550
Would it have been worth it? : $950 to go?

oldnavy · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 1:13 pm

I always suck the old fluid once a year, and replace with new. Takes 10 minutes and I never had a PS pump failure. Just did ours yesterday, takes MOPAR tranny fluid by the way, not power steering fluid.

longarm · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 1:40 pm

Is it easy to change out? Are there any write ups?

vtdog · **Joined:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:27 am **Posts:** 640

The pump fluid is easy to change out. Use a "Mellisa Ethridge impregnation device" (turkey baster) to suck out the old fluid, then refill. You cant get 100% of the fluid out, but enough to make a difference.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 2:00 pm

longarm wrote:

Is it easy to change out? Are there any write ups?

I just suck the old fluid out with some type of suction device (I use the thing for adding water to a battery) and suck out all I can then add new fluid, I repeat that the a couple times over a few days time, unless I have the wife start the car and ture the wheel a few times. Just sucking out the fluid in the bottle will only get about 1/4 of the fluid inm the system, but if done a 2 or 3 times in a row you will get most of the fluid. However just replacing what is in the bottle once a year will have the average PS pump lasting years beyond normal life span of non serviced units.

The PS pump on my '83 MB 240D was original when I sold it at 21 years and 157k miles and is still on the car. One the MB you could pull a hose (lots of room under hood) and start engine and turn wheel as it pumped out the old fluid. Took about 10 minutes to flush the system on that car.

alljeep · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 2:42 pm

oldnavy wrote:

longarm wrote:

Is it easy to change out? Are there any write ups?

I just suck the old fluid out with some type of suction device (I use the thing for adding water to a battery) and suck out all I can then add new fluid, I repeat that the a couple times over a few days time, unless I have the wife start the car and ture the wheel a few times. Just sucking out the fluid in the bottle will only get about 1/4 of the fluid inm the system, but if done a 2 or 3 times in a row you will get most of the fluid. However just replacing what is in the bottle once a year will have the average PS pump lasting years beyond normal life span of non serviced units.

The PS pump on my '83 MB 240D was original when I sold it at 21 years and 157k miles and is still on the car. One the MB you could pull a hose (lots of room under hood) and start engine and turn wheel as it pumped out the old fluid. Took about 10 minutes to flush the system on that car.

Strange how things fail different for everyone. I know that on my 1989 Z-71 Chevy pickup truck I had never changed the PS fluid and sold it after 15 years with the original pump and fluid still going. It had about 160k miles of all city driving and trailer towing... It did have a factory PS oil cooler in addition to the engine oil cooler and transmission oil cooler (bought it new in AZ - all the extra coolers are standard issue out there

).

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

That is one expensive power steering pump for 550 dollars.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 4:17 pm

I think I paid around $70 for a new pump on our Grand Cherokee. Sounds like someone got raped at the dealer..

GilaMonster · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 4:59 pm

Is that price for the power steering pump alone, or with labor included?

Spowers · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 4:59 pm

No rape here - Just CRD specific.
the pump alone was over $350 from the dealer and was a 7 day special order.
2 dealers same quote

RFCRD · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:55 pm

Spowers wrote:

No rape here - Just CRD specific.
the pump alone was over $350 from the dealer and was a 7 day special order.
2 dealers same quote

Was there anything to indicate why it failed?

Goglio704 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:05 pm

$215 on http://www.wholesalemopar.com/parts.htm

That's about $100 more than the gasser pump. Power steering fluid would be the only major fluid I haven't changed on the Jeep yet. Guess I'll put it on the list.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:46 pm

Goglio704 wrote:

$215 on http://www.wholesalemopar.com/parts.htm

That's about $100 more than the gasser pump. Power steering fluid would be the only major fluid I haven't changed on the Jeep yet. Guess I'll put it on the list.

It uses the special MOPAR transmission fluid, not the PS fluid other pumps use.

Goglio704 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:15 am

oldnavy wrote:

Goglio704 wrote:

$215 on http://www.wholesalemopar.com/parts.htm

That's about $100 more than the gasser pump. Power steering fluid would be the only major fluid I haven't changed on the Jeep yet. Guess I'll put it on the list.

It uses the special MOPAR transmission fluid, not the PS fluid other pumps use.

I'll buy that, but once I pour it in the PS pump, I think of it as PS fluid. :wink:

I'm glad it is tranny fluid. I don't need any more bottles sitting on the shelf.

Spowers · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:14 am

Goglio704 wrote:

$215 on http://www.wholesalemopar.com/parts.htm

That's about $100 more than the gasser pump. Power steering fluid would be the only major fluid I haven't changed on the Jeep yet. Guess I'll put it on the list.

Ok maby just a screw with out dinner. :wink:

Atleast it works now, as I do not have a heated garage or a good place to work. It was not on my top 10 things to do befor xmas.

Zonie · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:56 pm

Last time I was under the hood, I noticed that the PS container was considerably below the minimum. Took it to the dealer.
They couldn't find a leak. Even checked the boots over the struts. Where'd it go? Why'd it go?

oldnavy · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:27 pm

Zonie wrote:

Last time I was under the hood, I noticed that the PS container was considerably below the minimum. Took it to the dealer.
They couldn't find a leak. Even checked the boots over the struts. Where'd it go? Why'd it go?

There is two check fluid levels on the bottle, make sure if you are checking the fluid it is either at normal operating temp or cold from sitting at least 8 hrs for the cold marks. It very easly could not have been filled all the way at factory and if the dealer prep was lacking, when you finally happen to check it was low. Let it sit over night then add to cold fill mark. In heavy city driving where the PS pump is sees heavy usage, you will loose some from vaporazation over a period of time/miles.

no-blue-screen · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:39 pm

The fluid in my power steering appears to be purple and not red like the Trans fluid. Do the 2005 and 2006 have different fluid?

oldnavy · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:06 pm

no-blue-screen wrote:

The fluid in my power steering appears to be purple and not red like the Trans fluid. Do the 2005 and 2006 have different fluid?

No, it has proibably changed color due to useage, mine was a dark color also.

Jeger · **Posted:** Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:22 pm

Mine was purple when I got it with less than 10 miles on it.

Treat your power steering pump nice

Who is online