I am in the process of restoring a 68 Cutlass Convertible. Do most people rebuild there power steering pumps , buy new ones or simply re-install them back on the car.i s there a way to check them.

thanks Bruce

 

If mine is not leaking and the PS worked fine prior, I just clean it up and repaint it.

 

+1.

Takes a lot to kill them, so generally just clean, paint, and reinstall.

- Eric

 

The Saginaw type P is a great pump. They used the same pump through at least 2000 on the GM trucks (not LS engines). Getting the cast iron body out of the "ham can" without distorting the sheet metal reservoir (ham can) can be a bit tricky. Here's a decent write-up on rebuilding the P:
http://tc.wagoneer.org/2012/08/sagin...p-rebuild.html

 

I'm on the other fence here. If you're going to be repainting and restoring anything, if you can replace for pump with a new one for $40 or $50 you should.

Mine recently started making a little noise. I put a stethoscope on it, and it's definitely the power steering pump "whining". I may add some of the conditioner stuff to it for the interim, but when I had the whole front of the car apart I wish I'd changed the damn pump.

 

I have low confidence in new, possibly Chinese, parts, so it it's original and it works, I try to keep it.

Opinions do vary on this, and there's no conclusive evidence one way or the other, but that's my reasoning.

- Eric

 

You're not on the other fence, you're on the other SIDE of the fence.

 

Whining could be also be attributed to a collapsed hose which causes the pressure to rise dramatically which causes a whine. There could also be an issue with your steering box.

 

Over the course of 10 years I went through SIX reman Saginaw CB pumps on my car. I couldn't find any company that rebuilt the pump worth a darn so, when pump #6 went, I hit the junkyard, found an OEM pump that had never been messed with, and rebuilt it myself. I pulled some extra vanes for parts and built a matched pump (vane ring and vanes matched to 0.0005") and it works great! I autopsied pump #6 before returning it to the big box store and found out the vane ring had been installed both upside down and 180 degrees out. I think 3rd world quality control leaves much to be desired.

 

My point exactly.

- Eric