Noob Alert: power steering pump

[gravyface]

For those of you following my virgin mechanical adventures, I successfully swapped my summer wheels on a few months ago and they haven't fallen off yet, so I'm ready to move on to something more advanced... like my leaking SOB of a power steering pump/rack/reservoir.

I'm going through about a quart of ATF (Dexron II) every couple of weeks, dribbling pink goo all over the driveway that the wife really enjoys.

Anyways, I had an S10 back in the day without power steering and while it was a bit of a chore at a complete stop or close to it, the threads I've been reading are pushing me towards going the PS delete route.  My only issue is that my wife does drive my car once in a while and she'd really have a hard time without power steering.  However, telling her I saved $300 on a rebuild kit/parts, etc. would probably go over ok.

So long story short, I've seen in various posts that you can "test drive" without power steering by taking off the power steering belt.  Back to the "noob alert": how would one do this?  Take the pulley off, take off the belt, put the pulley back on?

[DesktopDave]

You can unbolt the pulley, but it's easier to use the tensioner.  The PS pump is on the driver's side and it's the outermost belt.  Look for a bracket with two stacked nuts on it...
loosen the smaller one a few turns (13mm IIRC)
then get under the car & loosen the two pivot bolts a turn or two,
then get back up & twist the larger nut (17mm IIRC) until the belt is loose enough to pull.
Finally, get an oil trap, loosen the bit bolts on the hoses, let the oi drain out.  You should drain the rack the same way too.  Put it up on jacks & turn the steering lock-to lock a few times to push out all the fluid.

Steering will be firm at low speeds.  Above ten MPH it'll be much like it was before the ATF-ectomy.

[gravyface]

Thanks Dave.  If I take the belt off, they'll be no pressure in the system so it should stop leaking correct?

I just want to try it out first and then if I decide to delete it, I'll pull the pump, hoses, etc. and drain the rack too.

[DesktopDave]

That's correct.  All you'l have to worry about is the engine oil after that.

I'm still 'trying it out' on mine - all the plumbing is still there, six months later.  You never know if a cheap e36 rack will show up.