Avanti power steering problems

[davette59]

I'm making great progress on the restoration of my 78 Avanti II. Exterior is done and the interior is in progress. The power steering pump is leaking badly and I'm wondering if it would be better to get a replacement pump or to try and rebuild the one on the car. I haven't been able to locate a replacement pump and the only rebuild kit I can find is at Studebaker International and you have to buy all of the hoses with the kit. Is there a kit that can be bought without the hoses or is there somewhere I can purchase a good used pump? Possibly since The Avanti is made up of parts from so many different cars, a pump from some other year and make would fit.
just one more stumbling block but it's looking up.

Dave

[Gunslinger]

Isn't that a standard GM power steering pump? If so, it should easily be found from a parts supplier.

[Skip Lackie]

Agree with Gunslinger. It should be a standard GM pump used on other 77/78 Chevys.

[sweetolbob]

The pump is common GM for the era, read Chevy, but the issue may be the configuration of the reservoir. Because it appears to be a single unit, it is not - the pump and reservoir are individual pieces, it could be difficult to find with the fittings oriented in the correct direction.

Rock Auto generally has accurate pictures of what they sell so try to match your setup with a picture. Those pumps span a lot of years so just keep at it.

You can also do what I did. I just swapped the pump reservoir from my old pump to the new one. It's just a bolt or two and a fitting removal to do. Just be sure to use the large O-ring and be careful to get it back in place.

As a side note: other configurations of attachments will work if you pay careful attention to the hose configurations and lengths, but it's best to try to go with the original configuration

After thought, you will need a special puller to remove the pulley. HF has them cheap or you can rent them free from you FLAPS. If you go that far use the Rock Auto picture to identify the pump and buy it from the folks you get the puller from with free rental.

Bob

[davette59]

That sounds great, I will get one from the supplier and compare them. I think I would rather replace the whole thing as opposed to trying to rebuild. Love this forum!!!

[davette59]

It's difficult to get under my car so I haven't checked to see if the hoses are leaking. I took it to a mechanic to have him put it on a lift and check what needed to be done. He said the pump was leaking but didn't mention the hoses. He also said the valve cover gaskets were leaking and wanted $269 to replace them and I did it for $10 and two hours. He also said the master cylinder was leaking and I replaced that with some difficulty getting the proper one to fit. The last two things he said needed work were the carb needed replacing, I am going to purchase a rebuilt one for $180 and the rear main seal is leaking. He said he can put an additive in the oil that swells the seal and should stop the leak. Is he correct?
The interior is starting to look good and I am excited to see it completed.

[57pack]

All issues are common Chevrolet issues. Been down that road many times with the succession of Caprice wagons my wife drove when the kids were small. Now I'm putting together my 1965 Wagonaire with the Chevybaker 283, here we go again!

[Gunslinger]

I would not buy a rebuilt carburetor...have your own rebuilt by someone who knows what he's doing. When I was selling auto parts years ago, rebuilt carbs were the number one headache...they have a very high defect rate. They're not truly rebuilt...merely cleaned, new seals and gaskets and not much else. They're not rebuilt for a particular application but to a generic standard and will rarely work for any particular car properly. Assembly line rebuilt parts generally have a high defect rate, but carbs are the worst.

There is an additive that will swell gaskets and help reduce leaks. I don't know if it's still on the market or if there's another similar additive...years ago when I had a '63 R1 Avanti that leaked severely I used "Bearin' Seal". It made a huge difference in the amount of oil leaking out. It's not a real cure...replacing the rear seal is...but it did the job until the engine was eventually rebuilt.

[studeski]

Rock Auto is less than $40.