Well, i've been ignoring the leak in the steering pump. I'm going to put in a rebuilt Cardone or GM. No TFE, so it'* a regular reservoir unit. It looks like a real treat to get to it. I'm going to swap off the pulley. It '* a pressure on and off pulley with a very tight axial tolerance. The manuals indicate 2 GM tools to remove it and replace it.

Can I get a generic pulley puller/pusher tool? Is there anything I need to know about how to get the pulley back on, and at the right tolerance to properly line up with the rest of the accessory pulleys?

Advance and Autozone have "loan a tool" programs, and should have the puller that you need. It'* a specific type, and others should not be used. It is really easy to do with that tool. Will take you maybe 5 - 10 minutes. It also presses it on the proper amount.

Those loaner tool programs are pretty much defunct in my area. Advance doesn't do it at all, Autozone and Poopboys don't have the puller/installer. There are kits/tools that can be bought, i was wondering if anybody had a specific brand that they know will work on our pressed pulleys. I don't mind paying $40 for a tool, rather than $200 for labor on the pump.

Anybody have a recommendation?

FWIW - This is what Autozone shows for their puller. If they don't loan it, maybe you can buy it from them.

http://www.autozone.com/in_our_store...ing_pulley.htm

Im not sure if your car uses the same power steering as mine, but on mine you can use a tool called a 2-jaw gear puller. They sell these at advance and autozone. You simply unscrew the bolt most of the way out and position the jaws behind the pulley and the bolt on the tool onto the bolt on the power steering pump. Then you simply tighten it and it will pull the pulley off.

I dont remember the drive distance for you but I know all the advances and autozones in the buck county area loan out tools. Idk if the longer drive is worth the gas money vs just buying one.

I saw that one for sale. Not being familiar with the tool in general, I asked about it, and it'* just the puller. I have a 3 jaw puller, anyway. My need is actually for the installer. Does this llook like it'* an installer, too? It wouldn't be the first time, I got a wrong answer. I always expect the person behind the counter in these stores to ask me if I "want french fries with that gasket".

Rob, I'll stretch my search further, if you think they are still out there. what'* happening is the tools are "disappearing". I know with Advance, the manager has to replentish it from his stock and gets "charged" for it. Plus they lose repeated sales on the item on the floor. So they are not motivated to keep their loaner tools up to date. The area manager around me told his stores not to do it. If it'* gone , it'* gone.

The real pisser was the afternoon I wasted going to 3 Autozones. i called to confirm they had the O2 sensor socket in the store for loan. They said they did, then when I got there, they couldn't find it. I had the exact same thing happen to me at 2 Pepboys today with the puller/installer.

No, that tool is not just a puller. It also presses it back on. I'd recommend against the 3 jaw puller as you run the real risk of bending the pulley and damaging it.

That'* interesting on the tools that they loan out. I don't know how they work it there, but around here, you pay for the tool when you pick it up, and get the money back when you drop it off. So, the store looses nothing, and still makes a profit, if someone decides to keep it.

Excellent! Thank you. Then I'll target that one. And no, the 3 jaw was not my first choice either. They are fine for pulling gearsand other specialty apps, but a pulley has to be about 3 inches or less to get a good grip on it around the center stud.

They run it as exactly as you explained it. All I can do is say the program is "orphaned". Having designed point-of-sale software in a former life, it astounds me that their computer system can't tell them exactly what is in and what'* out and be 100% correct. Anything not properly inventoried is prime territory for employees to permanently "borrow" them. Then the store gets doubled costed.

PepBoys does theirs by a paper sheet. It'* not even in the computer. And they have tool kits like SC pulley puller/installers, not cheap. The first store was supposed to have 2 regular puller/installers in stock. Both were gone.