doveboat

08 MN6, F55, Z51 Sway w/Poly Bushings, R888's, NO PS FACTORY COOLER

Looks like I have another leaking PS Pump after an HPDE event. This is my second failure over a span of 5k miles and 6 HPDE's.

After the first failure I switched to Red Line Synthetic and dropped fluid level at events to the cold mark to avoid any overflow. After the event, I suck out the resevoir and refill with fresh Red Line. Fluid always had a sharp burnt smell.

Will the pumps seals leak due to the high fluid temp ?

Is this a common occurance, or will I need the factory Z51 PS cooler to avoid this in the future. Also, are the Z06 or Z51 PS Pumps different than the base C6 ?.

Any info / tips are appreciated.

Ed

Webz

Lack of a PS cooler is a big factor. Also consider an underdrive pulley which will reduce the wear on the PS pump.

doveboat

Thanks, I have one that will go in with the new pump. I will also do a complete fluid flush and ensure only Red Line in the system.

I am stock motor / tune, so did not think I would be over reving the pump design limits. Is it the sustained high RPM (5500) that builds up pressure and then effects the seals ? or is it a fluid temp issue ?

I want to get this right for the new pump install.

Thanks for the info.

Ed

CHJ In Virginia

You need to do two things to insure the longevity of your PS pump. 1) Get a cooler !!! 2) For the next replacement get a Turn One PS pump. They modify stock pumps to live on track. They are a little more expensive than a stock GM pump but they WILL LIVE and work properly on track. Get their billet pulley for ease of installation - well worth the $. http://www.turnone-steering.com/index.html

froggy47

Do both cooler & turn one pump & your problem will go away.

Daniel_Mc

I am having the problem but on my PS line it keeps blowing the line. The last line lasted me maybe an hour... I have the turn one pump and have no problems with it at all its that dang PS line! This is the 4 or 5th one (I think) but I am running a old C4.

WNeal

Also upgrade your fluid to RP or something similar. I just had my 3rd one put in.
I also had 2 broken motor mounts which no doubt caused a lot of flexing in the PS pump lines.

I have just put in a 25% underdrive pulley as well. Also good to flush the fluid at least once a season

Hoping my PS problems are over
good luck with yours

WNeal

Rocket
Do you really think your 50 MPH top speed is putting that much stress on the PS pump
sheeesshhh

trackboss

Install AN plumbing throughout and you won't have to worry about lines exploding.

SIK02SS

either spend $ on a turn one, or go to autozone and get lifetime warranty units After the PS pump went out in my T1 car I went the autozone route

froggy47

If you are buying oem lines, you MAY be getting (rubber) parts that have been sitting in a warehouse for 15 years or so.

Bill Dearborn

A friend has a 94 that kept blowing/fracturing the plumbing. Eventually he got a special line from Turn One that solved the problem. Not sure what the problem is but he seemed to think the currently available GM hoses and auto parts hoses were different than the original and are missing a support which prevents the tubing that comes out of the pump from failing under vibration.

Bill

SouthernSon

Turn One pump for me, also. Got a rebuilt pump from Auto Zone and ended up replacing with another one a month later. Too much labor for me, thus the Turn One that is in it now.

Snidley

If it is an OEM pump, it may be under warranty. I blew a pump duing a HPDE in October, and Chevy replaced it. I blew another the following May. My extended warranty was supposed to have kicked in, but they refused because I tracked it. Chevy stepped up and covered it under their one year part warranty. They did insist on installing a Z06 pump cooler, and I have had no problems since.

davidfarmer

did your old pump got completely out, or just leak. If it failed completely, your rack is probably damaged and just re-damaging the pump.

Add the OEM cooler....it should help a lot.

redtopz

This is what happened to me. I think if you are losing pumps, you need to check your rack carefully. The failure of one tends to cause the other to have issues also.

FredSM

Bill . . . Richie's boys just put in pump #4. Already on my second rack. Some of us just don't learn!

FM

froggy47

What goes out in the rack to cause the pump to quit, seal(s)?

Pump has to overwork the bad rack?

redtopz

In my case it was probably the rack seals going bad and then the pump running dry. I installed pump 2 (autozone) and it failed soon after. Turned out the rack was the problem. I guess a bad pump should not make a rack fail, but the opposite could be true.

Fred, my car is heading there Thursday for a new rack as we speak . But this was a different issue (broken rack mounting bracket).

doveboat

Thanks David,

Original pump left me a good size puddle on my garage floor, so I refilled resevoir and brough to local dealer who replaced under warranty. Steering never felt affected by the leak.

This replacement pump has a much smaller leak from the bottom that drips when car is sitting in garage leaving a small fluid puddle.

I will visit my service writer in the morning and see what he is willing / able to do. I was just past 3 yr warranty and he replaced the first pump no charge.

I have a Z51 PS Cooler that I will install with either the GM pump if I can have done as a warranty item, or if not will spring for the turn one and still add the cooler.

Ed