[Gyras]

1994 GMC Sonoma SLS Z vin
With the kids back in school and winter around the corner, I am planning on replacing my power steering pump before it gets chunky style. I already have all the tools and parts but 1 major question is this. How do you undo rusty steel lines with out ripping them off? My break lines and my gas lines I did this to. As soon as you break it loose, the steel end sticks to the line and it just rips off the end of it. Is there any way to prevent this or is it just guaranteed with these old trucks? In that case is there any easy way to handle these power steering pumps or is there no option besides breaking out the cone kit and making a new end? I mostly want to prevent this for the fact that it's a tight space with a 4.3L and it would be hard to fit hands and tool down there.

 

[oldeerslayer]

On brake lines I soak them with PB Blaster and when they break loose wiggle the nut back and forth in tiny increments until it loosens. Doesn't always work because I'm in the salt belt and that brine solution creates some very tough rust.
A lot less likely to be as much of an issue on a PS line since everything under the hood tends to have an oily film on it unless you have a show truck.
Worst case scenario you have to replace 1 hydraulic line which isn't that difficult or costly since the return is just rubber fuel hose. I'd replace that simply due to age.
You'll find the biggest PITA is removing the PS pulley in those tight confines. Not a lot of room to work with the special pulley puller required. ($16 at HF w/ coupon)

How to Remove an Automotive Power Steering Pulley

Repair guides, articles and advice for car owners, enthusiasts and repair technicians.

www.2carpros.com

GM does offer a replacement pulley with openings in it (12568997) so that you can get to the mounting bolts if you EVER have to get in there again. Rockauto has them for $16. But you now own a puller so why waste the money. Some of the big box APS loan the puller, I think.

 

[Gyras]

On brake lines I soak them with PB Blaster and when they break loose wiggle the nut back and forth in tiny increments until it loosens. Doesn't always work because I'm in the salt belt and that brine solution creates some very tough rust.
A lot less likely to be as much of an issue on a PS line since everything under the hood tends to have an oily film on it unless you have a show truck.
Worst case scenario you have to replace 1 hydraulic line which isn't that difficult or costly since the return is just rubber fuel hose. I'd replace that simply due to age.
You'll find the biggest PITA is removing the PS pulley in those tight confines. Not a lot of room to work with the special pulley puller required. ($16 at HF w/ coupon)

How to Remove an Automotive Power Steering Pulley

Repair guides, articles and advice for car owners, enthusiasts and repair technicians.

www.2carpros.com

GM does offer a replacement pulley with openings in it (12568997) so that you can get to the mounting bolts if you EVER have to get in there again. Rockauto has them for $16. But you now own a puller so why waste the money. Some of the big box APS loan the puller, I think.

Thanks for the info! Ill give it a try! And ya i'm in St. Louis so I have a lot of issues with rust. And when it comes to the pulley, I already own a tool just like the one shown. I have been using a similar one to remove my balancer so I know how it works. My biggest thing will be going out to by a bigger wrench for it. I pulled my balancer off 4 times (first it was a garbage, unbalanced, dampener. Then I had to replace the chinesium chain... always buy OEM) and each of those times I had to use an 8" adjustable wrench because thats the only thing that could get up to 1 inch.

You raise a great point. Ill go buy a new line and ends just in case.

 

[oldeerslayer]

Make sure you clean the threads inside the pump shaft so the pullers inner shaft will screw in easily. I've had to run a tap into a couple because they were crudded up with rust. Just be sure it's the correct thread IDR if 4.3's were SAE or metric in there. Even if there is rust the tap shouldn't take much force it you rock it back and forth a bit as you go farther in. Gives the rust a chance to work into the openings between the threads of the tap.
Also put wheel bearing grease on the big bolt. It'll extend the life of the puller and make things easier to do.

 

[Gyras]

Make sure you clean the threads inside the pump shaft so the pullers inner shaft will screw in easily. I've had to run a tap into a couple because they were crudded up with rust. Just be sure it's the correct thread IDR if 4.3's were SAE or metric in there. Even if there is rust the tap shouldn't take much force it you rock it back and forth a bit as you go farther in. Gives the rust a chance to work into the openings between the threads of the tap.
Also put wheel bearing grease on the big bolt. It'll extend the life of the puller and make things easier to do.

Yaa I learned the hard way with my water pump, you shouldn't ignore rust buildup on threads. My solution for most of those is working never-seize back and forth over it.

 

[Captslow]

Soak in PB blaster and use line wrenches instead of a standard wrench. While you are taking them off use a squirt of pb blaster so that it seeps into the threads which helps in the long run.