Power steering pulley troubles

[aleros_eat_rice]

I was headed to work and the plastic power steering pulley decided to break. I thought that (since I wasn't far from home) I could go easy on it and get a little closer to home. After the pulley broke, of course the steering died, but after a moment, the battery light came on. I figured I can always jump it with the other vehicle after I got home and put a new pulley on. I was driving pretty slow with my hazards on and after a bit, I saw the temp gauge climbing. I immediately pulled over and cut it off and waited about a half hour and started it again. I managed to get pretty close to home without running hot, but the battery died. Luckily, I have the Bravada and I was able to borrow a car dolly from a friend to get it home.

This week, if I can't find a steel pulley at a junkyard, I'm ordering one from RockAuto to prevent this from happening again.

This isn't the first I've replaced, either. Why would they break so often? I may be answering my own question here, but maybe it has to do with it being cheap Chinese plastic crap.

[richardg]

That sucks! I did the same think on my GAGT, though when it broke, I went straight to a metal pulley. I was unaware that they break so often. The ps pulley on my 05 impala (3400) has been on there since I had the car in 2008/01 @ 65k miles - it's at 175k.

You're probably right on the money about that piece of plastic. The nice thing is when I had it off, I rerouted the ps hose around the engine pull so I can access the schrader valve on the fuel rail

[sleepyalero]

Ive never broke one. Sucks to hear.

[Redog]

Good luck on finding a steel one considering they never made one ;)

Don't bother with Rock Auto or the auto parts store. All they have is the Dorman, made in China crap. and every review on it is bad. People saying they broke within 2 weeks of install, if they could install it without it breaking.

Your best bet is to look for OE on eBay. I bought one on eBay a few years back. Never installed it, but hanging on to it because mine has stress cracks in it. Nothing too bad and been that way for about 60,000 miles

If I can find it, I'll pull a part number off of it and post it here tonight, I'm at work right now and I brought the Alero today, so I have to go in the garge after work. I get home around 4:30PM today.

The part is Made in Canada :awesome:

[aleros_eat_rice]

So the steel pulley from RockAuto or Autozone is no good? I know the plastic one is crap, but at least with RockAuto, it says the steel one has a lifetime warranty.

[Redog]

Never seen the steel one on rock auto. When I bought mine, all they had was dorman crap

Part number 10166335. Made in Canada.

Says "Gates" on the back. Very good brand

[aleros_eat_rice]

On RockAuto, they do have Dorman, one plastic and one steel. The plastic one is like $14 or so, and the steel one is $22 and some change, but carries a lifetime warranty.

Thanks for the part number. I'll check that out.

[sleepyalero]

Yes they do make a steel version. But im not a huge fan on dorman, but its steel, so it has to be pretty tough compared to plastic.


Im on my second pump, went to GM when i was 16 for a new one so i got OEM replacement. No issues. Blew my old one out doing reverse donuts.... Yup, stupid. I was 16 at the time. And treated the car unfairly. But after 7 years i have grown out of the being an idiot stages with your first car, and take super good care of her.

[richardg]

I have the steel one. I picked it up at the local o'reilly because i needed to go at that time. There is very little that can go wrong with a steel pulley unless it severely damaged/warped.

I can attest the pulley worked well and was the correct size. I am sure it will not have any problems and it had bigger spokes so you can see the bolts to the power steering pump way easier.

[aleros_eat_rice]

I'm going to try and get up a picture of the remains of my old plastic one. Should be able to tonight.

Can't right now because my phone has trouble uploading pics for some reason.

[falloutboy]

good to know. My pullies are all the original and well, it was 1998 when the car was built :D

[zzyzzx]

Is this something I should be looking for at a JY, since I hate plastic pulleys!

[zzyzzx]

Yes they do make a steel version. But im not a huge fan on dorman, but its steel, so it has to be pretty tough compared to plastic.

http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-300-202-Power-Steering-Pulley/dp/B00FY7LBRU/

It has only one review on Amazon.

Prize on Autozone's site is outrageous! ($41).

It's made in China.

[zzyzzx]

good to know. My pullies are all the original and well, it was 1998 when the car was built :D

I don't trust plastic not to get brittle and break when it gets old.

[aleros_eat_rice]

I don't trust plastic not to get brittle and break when it gets old.

I found that out.

[richardg]

Yep it's pricey. I paid that at o'reilly because I had to drive. Works well - as a pulley should and I have another 3400 car that it can be swaped too if the time comes. I'll probably stick with 3400 and 3800 for a few more years.

[zzyzzx]

How hard is it to change this pulley?

[aleros_eat_rice]

On the v6, pita. I supported the engine with a jack and a small piece of plywood. Removed the motor mount, took out the bolts and moved it out to where I could put the puller on it. Switched the remains of the pulley for the new one and put the pump back down into place. Then, I got one bolt started and stuck a nail in one of the other holes to keep it lined up.

Let's just say I hope it's a long time before I have to do anything with the power steering pump.

[richardg]

I didn't find it hard at all. I drained the reservoir, pulled the pump off then took the pulley off on the bench.

[Redog]

What kind of tool do you use to remove the PS lines from the PS unit?

Even when I did the swap in the Delta, I took the PS pump, pulley, and even the bracket off the motor and pushed it off to the side to leave it in the engine bay while doing the swap :eek:

[richardg]

Just a regular wrench. I generally don't have any special tools. I don't seem to recall it being hard to get the lines off of the pump and I actually replaced one of the lines at some point or another.

[aleros_eat_rice]

I actually have the puller/installer kit. I say it was a pita because I had to take the motor mount off.

[richardg]

Oh yeah 3400 in the GA has that mount there.

[zzyzzx]

Now that I have done more research on this, it really doesn't seem to be something you should do as PM, unless you see a crack in the pulley or happen to find a metal one in a JY that you can get cheap. Having to get the loaner tools at AZ adds another extra hassle to the whole process (assuming that they even have that).