Honda Car Forum

My girlfriend's '94 del Sol needs new seals on its
power steering unit. It doesn't look like that big
of a sweat to do it myself. (The local garages
and dealers all want ~$500.)

Question: Does taking the pump apart and replacing
the gaskets and seals involve special tools? Or is
this a fairly straightforward thing to do, including
refilling the system with fluid?

I'll check for responses at these two newsgroups,
or you can write to me at the address below.

Much thanks for any guidance on this.

Bob (armistead_rap(AT)bigfoot.com)

I was considering this a few years ago for the PS pump on my
91 Civic, when I thought it was leaking. Turned out it was
fine, but I learned a few things, anyway.

I was prepared to do the job myself and got as far as
ordering a gasket kit from Autozone, which now I do not
recommend. I think it's a DIY job, but I can't say for
sure. If you do try to do it yourself, I would buy an OEM PS
pump gasket kit from a place like www.slhonda.com .
Aftermarket seals seem to have a much shorter life than
genuine Honda (= OEM) ones.

The other interesting thing I observed was that I could have
a PS pump from a junkyard for under $100. If the mileage on
the junk car is under say 100k miles, then I think it's a
pretty safe bet that the pump will have seen only Honda
fluid inside it.

From reports here and my own experience with my 91 Civic, if
one uses the correct PS fluid (Honda only), the seals should
last a very long time.

What happened? Did she put non-Honda power steering fluid
into the system?

"Front Office" <YoMo.nospam@erols.com> wrote
> My girlfriend's '94 del Sol needs new seals on its
> power steering unit. It doesn't look like that big
> of a sweat to do it myself. (The local garages
> and dealers all want ~$500.)
>
> Question: Does taking the pump apart and replacing
> the gaskets and seals involve special tools? Or is
> this a fairly straightforward thing to do, including
> refilling the system with fluid?
>
> I'll check for responses at these two newsgroups,
> or you can write to me at the address below.
>
> Much thanks for any guidance on this.
>
> Bob (armistead_rap(AT)bigfoot.com)

Front Office wrote:
> My girlfriend's '94 del Sol needs new seals on its
> power steering unit. It doesn't look like that big
> of a sweat to do it myself. (The local garages
> and dealers all want ~$500.)

there's a reason for that...

>
> Question: Does taking the pump apart and replacing
> the gaskets and seals involve special tools? Or is
> this a fairly straightforward thing to do, including
> refilling the system with fluid?

no, it's a huge pita. much better to use reconditioned units. avoid
avoid avoid anything but honda-specific power steering fluid - non-honda
fluid ruins the seals.

>
> I'll check for responses at these two newsgroups,
> or you can write to me at the address below.
>
> Much thanks for any guidance on this.
>
> Bob (armistead_rap(AT)bigfoot.com)

Front Office wrote:
>
> My girlfriend's '94 del Sol needs new seals on its
> power steering unit. It doesn't look like that big
> of a sweat to do it myself. (The local garages
> and dealers all want ~$500.)
>
> Question: Does taking the pump apart and replacing
> the gaskets and seals involve special tools? Or is
> this a fairly straightforward thing to do, including
> refilling the system with fluid?
>

The front seal by the pulley can be replaced without too much difficulty.
Use both genuine Honda parts and power steering fluid. Non-Honda fluid
causes the seals in the steering rack to leak.

Eric

Eric wrote:
>
> Front Office wrote:
> >
> > My girlfriend's '94 del Sol needs new seals on its
> > power steering unit. It doesn't look like that big
> > of a sweat to do it myself. (The local garages
> > and dealers all want ~$500.)
> >
> > Question: Does taking the pump apart and replacing
> > the gaskets and seals involve special tools? Or is
> > this a fairly straightforward thing to do, including
> > refilling the system with fluid?
> >
>
> The front seal by the pulley can be replaced without too much difficulty.
> Use both genuine Honda parts and power steering fluid. Non-Honda fluid
> causes the seals in the steering rack to leak.
>

OK, the above statement was for older power steering pumps. It seems that
Honda had redesigned it and made it more difficult to replace the front
seal. Compare the older pump from an Accord http://tinyurl.com/mvl8r with
the '94 Del Sol http://tinyurl.com/nmbky. Oh well...

Eric

Elle wrote:
> I was considering this a few years ago for the PS pump on my
> 91 Civic, when I thought it was leaking. Turned out it was
> fine, but I learned a few things, anyway.
>
> I was prepared to do the job myself and got as far as
> ordering a gasket kit from Autozone, which now I do not
> recommend. I think it's a DIY job, but I can't say for
> sure. If you do try to do it yourself, I would buy an OEM PS
> pump gasket kit from a place like www.slhonda.com .
> Aftermarket seals seem to have a much shorter life than
> genuine Honda (= OEM) ones.
>
> The other interesting thing I observed was that I could have
> a PS pump from a junkyard for under $100. If the mileage on
> the junk car is under say 100k miles, then I think it's a
> pretty safe bet that the pump will have seen only Honda
> fluid inside it.
>
> From reports here and my own experience with my 91 Civic, if
> one uses the correct PS fluid (Honda only), the seals should
> last a very long time.
>
> What happened? Did she put non-Honda power steering fluid
> into the system?

Thanks for the comprehensive response. Good suggestion,
getting a used pump.

No non-Honda fluid was used by her, but who knows what
others who've tended her car might have used . . .

thanks,

Bob





>
> "Front Office" <YoMo.nospam@erols.com> wrote
>
>>My girlfriend's '94 del Sol needs new seals on its
>>power steering unit. It doesn't look like that big
>>of a sweat to do it myself. (The local garages
>>and dealers all want ~$500.)
>>
>>Question: Does taking the pump apart and replacing
>>the gaskets and seals involve special tools? Or is
>>this a fairly straightforward thing to do, including
>>refilling the system with fluid?
>>
>>I'll check for responses at these two newsgroups,
>>or you can write to me at the address below.
>>
>>Much thanks for any guidance on this.
>>
>> Bob (armistead_rap(AT)bigfoot.com)
>
>
>

Roger that, Jim. Thanks.

Bob



jim beam wrote:
> Front Office wrote:
>
>> My girlfriend's '94 del Sol needs new seals on its
>> power steering unit. It doesn't look like that big
>> of a sweat to do it myself. (The local garages
>> and dealers all want ~$500.)
>
>
> there's a reason for that...
>
>>
>> Question: Does taking the pump apart and replacing
>> the gaskets and seals involve special tools? Or is
>> this a fairly straightforward thing to do, including
>> refilling the system with fluid?
>
>
> no, it's a huge pita. much better to use reconditioned units. avoid
> avoid avoid anything but honda-specific power steering fluid - non-honda
> fluid ruins the seals.
>
>>
>> I'll check for responses at these two newsgroups,
>> or you can write to me at the address below.
>>
>> Much thanks for any guidance on this.
>>
>> Bob (armistead_rap(AT)bigfoot.com)

Eric wrote:
> Eric wrote:
>
>>Front Office wrote:
>>
>>>My girlfriend's '94 del Sol needs new seals on its
>>>power steering unit. It doesn't look like that big
>>>of a sweat to do it myself. (The local garages
>>>and dealers all want ~$500.)
>>>
>>>Question: Does taking the pump apart and replacing
>>>the gaskets and seals involve special tools? Or is
>>>this a fairly straightforward thing to do, including
>>>refilling the system with fluid?
>>>
>>
>>The front seal by the pulley can be replaced without too much difficulty.
>>Use both genuine Honda parts and power steering fluid. Non-Honda fluid
>>causes the seals in the steering rack to leak.
>>
>
>
> OK, the above statement was for older power steering pumps. It seems that
> Honda had redesigned it and made it more difficult to replace the front
> seal. Compare the older pump from an Accord http://tinyurl.com/mvl8r with
> the '94 Del Sol http://tinyurl.com/nmbky. Oh well...
>
> Eric

I will check out those sites. Much thanks.

Bob