Power Steering, AC, Delete

[WrathOfSocrus]

its not worth the slight power gain

That's funny, anything done to a V6 would be a 'slight' power gain compared to a V8.

We mess with these engines for fun and to learn. Many of us here have probably spent entirely too much time on a modification of some type. It's part of the learning curve. Sure here in Florida most people would prefer to keep the A/C but other people might not have much need for it in other parts of the world.

I always see people getting bashed for wanting to move their battery or modify something that wont significantly affect performance. So what? If we solely needed performance, we would all have supercharged big blocks.

That being said there really is little to gain from removing the belt drive accessories. If it is already in a state of malfunction it could be easier (and cheaper) to remove instead of replace. I personally wouldn't jump in and remove working components, but again that's just me. I'm not looking for more work than I have lined up at the moment.

On the steering issue I have come across a few things worth mentioning. As mentioned before a manual rack should have a different turn ratio to make turning easier. I had a manual steer Mazda B2200 that you could easily turn the wheels at a complete stop. Not sure if it had any more power than a power steer truck, but that thing was a pretty durable little truck.

I have also had two experiences with a bad power steering pump. The first was with a '79 Coupe DeVille 425 big block and about 7 feet of car between the windshield and the front bumper. I was being an idiot doing donuts in the snow and too much snow packed in the wheel wells. Needless to say the pump took a dive. It was alright to steer when driving down the road, but parking was a nightmare. On New Years Eve '97 I was trying to park right before midnight and a cop came up to me thinking I was drunk. I told him about the steering and he laughed. Then he tried to turn the wheel himself. Then it was my turn to laugh as he and his buddy couldn't turn it either! All that weight on a system designed for power assist was terribly difficult to use without the hydraulic power.

Then there was my brothers 2.2L Dodge Duster. He had it for a few years and I had even driven it before without issue. My mother tried to drive and had much difficulty. Turned out the system hadn't been functioning for a long time. In such a light car it wasn't noticeable except at a dead stop.

If your power assist system is in need of repair/replacement it isn't that much of a stretch to remove and go manual.

I'm pretty sure the output end of the steering shaft is standard on many FWD GM vehicles. I have only seen two different rack styles, one with 90* powered N body's like late 80's early 90's Grand Am's and Skylark's, the other being on 60* vehicles ranging from my '89 Cutlass Supreme to the one in a '00 Venture. I haven't looked to see if the N body racks I have seen was used anywhere else, but many of them should be like the ones I have seen on 60*V6's. There aren't splines on the steering shaft. It is round with a flat spot on it where a through bolt slides in and makes a tight connection. The entire steering assembly from outer tie rod end to the steering shaft output are identical on older W body's, 3400 powered vans and probably many other vehicles.

[Imminent34]

To the haters:

stop being like a honda owner its not worth the slight power gain

Whats wrong with my honda? You got a problem with a honda CRX with a TTNSX V6 mid engine under the hatch?

OK so thats not my car, but it is a cool ass honda

I would like to point out that if you had read my earlier posts I said that my power steering AND AC systems have had constant problems for the last few years and especially the power steering, and I just want them out.

The ps has been repaired twice, and it is not that hard to turn as it is. I am interested in how to make it a bit easier for say my wife to turn.

The ac has not worked in 2yrs.

Now for those of you who so far have been very helpful, thank you.

Currently I put the car up on stands bacause the engine shifted on my wa home from work. I made it home but when it did the ps pully rubbed against the top mount and shattered so I lost my belt. Since I have to lift the motor a bit anyway to replace the mounts, as well as replace the pully, I figured it was a good time to taackle the ps and ac delete.

As you can see here the spline to the power steering pump is NOT where it is supposed to be.


I belive this caused my problem. I think that the pole on the end of the tranny(left) should be inside the rubber block on the mount(right)

[bszopi]

Not sure how you did the attachments, but they don't work...

[3400CaMaRo]

if they dont work then get rid of them honda owners get rid of them for weight reduction i thought thats why u wanted to get rid of them

[onefastV6]

Something that I have looked into in the past and decided against it, I wanted to remove the PS pump to see if a supercharger could be mounted in the valley. The only thing that I found in the past was the 71-72 Ford Pinto racks that people modify to use on a variety of vehicles.

After searching for a GM specific rack, I found that the rack out of a newer Cobalt, HHR, Malibu, ect. are manual racks that use power assist in the steering column. If anyone has access to a newer vehicle with the electronic steering, I would be curious to see how hard it would be to steer when disabled. I am sure the unit could be unplugged or you could pull a fuse to the power assist module in the steering column.

HHR/Cobalt Rack


HHR/Cobalt Column (Notice the electric assist motor)

[01GPGT]

stop being like a honda owner its not worth the slight power gain

my teacher had a TT BBC in a '79 cutlass it had working P/S and A/C he was stuck at 13.00 he removed that and ran a 12.98 i would imagian it would benifit a V6 nicely mainly from the loss of waight

[Z26-T]

Something that I have looked into in the past and decided against it, I wanted to remove the PS pump to see if a supercharger could be mounted in the valley. The only thing that I found in the past was the 71-72 Ford Pinto racks that people modify to use on a variety of vehicles.

After searching for a GM specific rack, I found that the rack out of a newer Cobalt, HHR, Malibu, ect. are manual racks that use power assist in the steering column. If anyone has access to a newer vehicle with the electronic steering, I would be curious to see how hard it would be to steer when disabled. I am sure the unit could be unplugged or you could pull a fuse to the power assist module in the steering column.

HHR/Cobalt Rack


HHR/Cobalt Column (Notice the electric assist motor)

I've driven them with the electric power assist inop, and it's about the same as if it was hydraulic assist that wasnt working. So hard, but that was because i had to turn the electric motor that's attached to the steering column. without that, I'm not sure.

[candychevy87]

my teacher had a TT BBC in a '79 cutlass it had working P/S and A/C he was stuck at 13.00 he removed that and ran a 12.98 i would imagian it would benifit a V6 nicely mainly from the loss of waight

dude a twin turbo big block would move the 1/4 mile in like 8 flat at most