Power Steering

On top of the engine, passenger side under the windshield.

Does your van have the serpentine belt? If so maybe I can help, I replaced the Power steering pump on my 90 G20 a couple of weeks ago.

The trick is that you need to pull the pump pulley which is pressed on to access the mounting bolts which attach the pump to the engine.

Harbor Freight tools sells a great tool designed for this job for $20.00.

Once you have the correct tools, remove the serpentine drive belt. You may also need to remove the fan shroud.

the pump shaft looks like it has an Allen socket in the center, but this is for use in the manufacturing process, and will not come out.

Place the puller tool on the pulley following the instruction that come with the tool, and remove the pulley.

loosen, but do not remove the nut on the high pressure hose connection.

use a pair of dyke pliers to cut and remove the crimp clamp on the low pressure hose.

If your pump has the remote reservour loosen the clamp on the reservour hose also.

Remove the three mounting bolts, place a large pan under the pump to catch drips, and remove the prevously loosened hoses. there will be fluid leaking all over and the pump should come free,

There are two types of replacement pump sold. With and without reservour. This reservour is a metal cover that fits over the back of the pump, and should not be confused with the reomte revervour found on some newer models which is next to the battery.

This reservour is held in place be two throught the pump bolts which are removed at the back of the pump. If your new pump has a reservour you will probably still need to remove these bolts and put them in the replacement pump as most are shiped without these bolts.

If you replacement pump comes without a reservour pull the bolts, the reservour should pull off of the old pump and slide onto the new one. check the o rings and replace the through the pump bolts.

Installation is the reverse of removal execpt that 1/2" hose clamps replace the crimp clamps on the low pressure hose, and the puller tool is set up differently to replace the pulley.

Finally if you don't flush contaminants out of the system your repair will last maybe a week. www.cardone.com has a great article about power steering flushing, read it before you start

Good luck

Article about Flushing...

http://www.cardone.com/English/club/products/steering/protech/tech_bulletins/pt75-20.asp

take it to the dealership

you should check your power steering fluid. it may be low. if you don't know how, take it to a gas station and ask them to check. When you get your oil changed, all those fluids are usually checked and topped off as well.

To bleed out any air, start the engine and turn the steering wheel fully from side to side. Keep checking the fluid and add as needed. This will force the air into the reservoir and out of the system. Caution: The fluid will expand as it heats up, so do not overfill.

No, but lowering it will make for slightly more room to work thuse saving you from scratches on your hands. Gloves might also save you from such scratches.

Get a 5/8 flare wrench to take off the high pressure hose and a screwdriver to take off the low pressure hose. Drain out fluid. Then you'll have to get a pulley puller to pull off the pulley. Once off the mounting bolts are exposed for you to take off the pump. Be sure to check brackets for cracks as the 89 is prone to this. Mounting is the reverse of this.

........................................................................................................................................

Just a suggestion, I just replaced my power steering pump on a 94 which should be the same. Remove the two piece radiator shroud which improves accessibility. Now you can see what you are doing much better. When you get to the pulley removal part.... leave it on (unless you have a good air supply and 1/2" impact gun) and remove the bolts from the aluminum bracket that goes into the cylinder head. If your pump has a remote reservoir remove the filler hose at the top of the pump. Next remove the two front bolts holding the ac compressor to the aluminum bracket. Slide the bracket down and you can take the whole deal to Advance or Auto Zone and they will gladly remove the pulley and pump and reinstall the new one back on the bracket.

reach behind the alternator and down. there is a cap on the resivior. get a long funnel and pour a little at a time and keep checking. although I know that year had problems with their powersteering systems.

Bad steering rack mostly found on GM vehicles exhibits itself usually at the first start in the morning Weak power steering pump

Belt slipping or glazed

The power steering pump is held in place by two bolts one is accessed on the top of the pump body using either an offset wrench or a socket(requires lining up the holes on the pulley with the top bolt). The second bolt is on the bottom of the pump and is actually part of the adjusting mechanism (best reached from underneath the car). There is a bolt on the front of the pump (kind of closer to the radiator) that is the actual adjuster. Loosen the two mounting bolts (do not remove all the way) and tighten or loosen the bolt on front until there is only a quarter inch slack in the belt. Once the proper tension has been placed on the belt tighten the two mounting bolts and you're done.

turn steering wheel lock to lock several times.

No.

No.

You either have no/low power steering fluid in your car, or there is some other problem with the power steering, such as a leak in the tube.

The cap on the power steering pump has a dip stick built into it. Remove the cap and look at the dip stick. It will tell you the fluid level. If you see no fluid you are low.

It is very hard to turn the steering wheel and/or a whining or squealing noise when you turn the steering wheel.

Because a seal has failed.

Don't get a used one, get a rebuilt one.

Replace the pump before the serpentine belt and rack and pinion are damaged.

locate the power steering pump is located on the right front of the motor remove the plastic cover from the top of the engine unscrew the cap of the pumps reservor check the stick under the cap

that's the stuff you need!

This sounds like a classic case of the belt tension being incorrect. The pump is loaded when turning to full lock in either direction and causes the belt to slip when to loose. Adjust the belt and the noise should go away. If it is excessively worn it may pay to replace the belt.

All of the Avalons with a front bench seat have the shift on the column, 1995- 2004 Find out what car dealers don't want you to know at www.dealertricks.com

It is a silver-colored cylinder right at the beginning of the engine as soon as you open the hood. It is right behind the fan and the radiator and will be looking at you when you open the hood. It has a black knob on top of the cylinder. Unscrew the black knob and remove the silver lid and you will see the red power steering fluid.