1G Early 1G power steering pump rebuild

[Red Rider]

I'm going to try to rebuild my power steering pump (leaking and 150,000 miles). I've read this article

https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/how-to-rebuild-and-modify-a-power-steering-pump.345914/

however all the parts sites I've looked at say the rebuild kit is for 6/90 and up. There were lots of Eclipses built before that, including mine, which is fairly early, March 1989 build date. Does anyone know what the differences are in the early pumps, if the standard rebuild kit will work, or if it's missing a few needed parts for an early pump? Thanks.

 

[Stunn3r]

There is a $10 kit that I just bought from RockAuto. Worked perfectly for my 1991 Talon pump. I followed the exact same article you provided.

I would buy the kit and slowly disassemble your pump matching up the used rings and gasket with the kit. If your missing any o rings, just buy a mm O-Ring Kit on Amazon.

 

[AWD-Tony]

Post a pic of your pump

 

[Red Rider]

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Here's photos of the top and rear, I'll post a few better ones once I get it off the car. It seems to look similar to later pumps, the pulley, high pressure fitting, and rear bolts look the same, but a lot is hidden still.

 

[AWD-Tony]

Yeah it looks very similar with just a few differences. I’d say roll with that kit. Mines a 92 and when I rebuilt mine (gates rebuilt kit) the top two o rings weren’t the correct size. Contacted gates and they sent me the correct ones.

Maybe contact gates directly and see what they say. They were super helpful when I contacted them.

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[We're on Boost]

My car is a September 1989. When I went through buying a reman PS pump, I found there were 2 types, the external difference being the size and style of the port and fitting for the return line. I don't know if there are any internal differences.
Mine was the type that NAPA calls the "cast iron" version. The o-ring size that fits well on that return port is an American Standard -112.
The high pressure fitting on the top, somebody had put o-rings on mine that were slightly too fat, and they leaked! Into the alternator! Which caught fire! I don't remember if they were torn or what, but it was not good being too fat!

I ended up using metric o-rings for those top 2 o-rings:

1.9 x 11 mm https://www.theoringstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=368_12_41&products_id=1860

and

1.9 x 13 mm https://www.theoringstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=368_12_41&products_id=1867

and that is just what the FSM calls out for those. #1 and #2 in this diagram:

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[ist dwa]

90s is all cast iron the others (91+) is half aluminum.

 

[DSMPT]

I'm going to try to rebuild my power steering pump (leaking and 150,000 miles). I've read this article

https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/how-to-rebuild-and-modify-a-power-steering-pump.345914/

however all the parts sites I've looked at say the rebuild kit is for 6/90 and up. There were lots of Eclipses built before that, including mine, which is fairly early, June 1989 build date. Does anyone know what the differences are in the early pumps, if the standard rebuild kit will work, or if it's missing a few needed parts for an early pump? Thanks.

Some internal parts are different between the two pump, so some seal wouldn't fit. The biggest difference on the early pump's rebuild seal kit would be one of the large seal's shape. You are probably seeing one large circle seal and one large strange shape seal in the most of kits that are sold. For the early pump, you should need a kit that has two large strange shape seals, instead of the large circle seal. You should open the pump and confirm which one you would need first.

 

[Red Rider]

Here's what a 1989 PS pump looks like:

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The linked article has a different back plate.

Hopefully I can clean the case up enough, but if it goes sideways or has unobtainable gaskets or O-rings, at some point my time is worth more than $5/hr and I may just swallow the cost of a rebuilt one. I'm going to send out the alternator and the AC compressor.

 

[Mech Addict]

I have seen kits to rebuild these older, cast iron body pumps. I ended up getting a rebuilt Cardone one for my car but kept my leaking core. I probably will rebuild it when I catch up on other priorities. It didn’t come with quite the right o-ring for the pressure fitting, but found one at the local parts store. Been working fine so far. Other than the rebuild kit, I think most repair parts for these are NLA, like if you want to replace the actual pump cartridge, with all the little vanes. I found a few sources that showed them for $300+ new, but likely even that was fiction.

 

[19Eclipse90]

The 1990 model seal kit is Mitsubishi part number MB501695. I ordered and received one a few years ago. MitsubishiPartsWarehouse.com shows it still available which is more than can be said for the 1991-1994 seal kit (MB636433, replaced by MR244546).

Edit: As I'm learning with my current fuel tank adventures, probably a good idea to double-check with them that it is actually still available.

Craig's rebuild guide is still usable for the 1990 pump as well.

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[turboAWDfanatic]

Anyone know if I can just replace the old cast iron one with the later aluminum bodied one? Are the fittings for the send and return lines the same? I rebuilt my old cast iron one years ago but it's leaking again and I'd like to replace it with the newer one.

 

[Mech Addict]

As far as I can tell, they are interchangeable.

 

[19Eclipse90]

They are interchangeable.

 

[We're on Boost]

Anyone know if I can just replace the old cast iron one with the later aluminum bodied one? Are the fittings for the send and return lines the same? I rebuilt my old cast iron one years ago but it's leaking again and I'd like to replace it with the newer one.

So, my 1990 had the original pump on it, the cast iron one. I thought it was making some bad noises so I decided to replace it. Thought it would be cool to have the aluminum bodied one and bought a reman one of those from NAPA. Their web page said "fits your 1990 Eagle Talon" or some such thing.

Anyway the port on it for the return line was different. I probably could have used it if I would have had the hose fitting (suction connector) for that style of port. But I didn't so I returned it to NAPA. That was the only difference I noticed. Ordered the cast iron reman which fit fine.
I was glad I kept my old pump instead of giving it to NAPA for a core, because the threaded fitting for the high pressure hose on the reman had banged up threads pretty bad. Even the one they took pics of for their web page had mutilated threads. Sheesh.

The 1991 FSM shows an o-ring with ID of 17.8mm (0.701") on the "suction connector" (page 19-43). That would be correct for the aluminum pump.
On the cast iron pump I needed an o-ring there with ID of about 0.5 inches. I wound up using one with an ID of 0.487 inches and .103 cross section. That was an American -112.
I don't have a 1990 FSM, don't know what it would show for the size.

But anyway, the port is significantly different. It's not just a matter of using a different size o-ring. You would need the correct suction connector too. Probably you could find a pump that has the suction connector on it. But the remans I bought didn't have it.