Got a call from the mgr at Advance the other day. Powerbilt had been tardy replacing tools for the program. Apparently Advance and Powerbilt had some special deal for the loantools. That'* why the area mgr didn't like moving his normal inventory into the program.

They must have had 3 dozen cases of tools at Advance today. Including a big kit for the SC pulley group. Then a whole shelf of unusual looking hand tools.

I offically withdraw my whining about the loantool programs at AA.

***** A customer cancelled tomorrow, I have a freebie day. Finally.

Has anybody had better luck replacing the steering pump through the engine bay, or through the wheelwell? I searched and there doesn't seem to be a consensus.

depending on your car, i've found you don't need to remove the pulley, you can use a socket and an extension through the holes in the pulley...there should be just two holding the pump/reservior in. and i can reach it fine from above, under the hood.

That'* correct. But if the new pump comes without a pulley, you'll have to move it over to the new one.

Charlie, having recent and extensive PS pump/motor experience..I would say try to bring it out the wheel well.

BE VERY CAREFUL of the oil pressure sender. Actually..remove it first to keep from possibly breaking it. That'* $25-35 to replace and very delicate.

BTW..Advance and powerbuilt have no tools that would work properly for removing a supercharger pulley. Trust me and all the broken pullies in the history of people trying things other than the specifically made tools.

Have a good look at the pump before ordering your new one and make sure you don't have the electronic pump. My 93 had one and there was no TFE in the RPO codes. Easy to check - if there are wires going the pump, it'* electronic. That'* where my pump was leaking from, BTW. There'* a plastic gizmo (technical term) on the pump that houses a valve. The plastic was cracked on the gizmo. The electrical connection is on the gizmo too.

Also, this process is orders of magnitude easier on the NA models. Thought you'd like to know. :P

I replaced mine a few months ago through the engine bay and it didn't take to long at all. Once I removed the old one I took both the old and new one to a local machine shop where they switched the pulleys for me. I don't think it cost me more than 20 bucks.

Bill (and anybody), I hope you are still out there.... cause I'm only 90% there and maybe nowhere. Here was my formula. Top bolt removed/replaced from the bay. Bottom bolt from through the wheel well, and I also wanted to get a good look at the leak. I threw a complete chit fit because the most difficult thing was trying to get the uniit out, once it was off. Both up or down lacked a 1/4 in clearance here and there. Actually I finally used up out of the bay, because as you said there is the sender down there, brake line, wheel speed wire etc. Too much stuff I could screwch up.

ANYWAY, swapped the pulley (the directions read like Chinese calculus) and got it back in. But i still have a problem, hopefully a result of the bleed. At idle, the wheel is extremely hard to turn. As soon as I rev to 1100 or so, it turns like silk. I had to stop because of darkness. At this point, the fliud looked just slightly airy and I may have the level too high in the reservoir.

Could either of these be causing the problem, or could I have a pump that ain't cutting it? It'* a reman GM. I didn't have any problem with the steering before, the old pump just leaked like a siv.

Thanks for the heads up on that Powerbuilt kit. Something started singing on that side a couple of weeks ago and I'm headed there next. But that'* for another day.

I don't have T2V code either. Just the two lines to remove. I think I'm OK because the steering was fine before, the pump just leaked.

On the Powerbuilt kit at Advance Auto you just put a deposit of $50. The directions aren't very good if you have never done it before. Just have to think about what you are trying to do and you can figure out all of the pieces. Then take it back and get your deposit back. So it nets to free.

I was a big zero on this tool loan thing. Apparently it has been reenergized, even expanded.

It is good for me because my FSM always has some funky GM tool, that makes the job easier, and I'm trying to save money, not spend it on a tool I'll need once. I'm basically cheap, too.

They made you pay? lol (I'm apparently too much of a regular)

Yes..sounds like air or an issue. Who has an FSM handy for Charile to check this out?