Ok so I recently picked up a 98 Outback as my new daily and the steering seems really tight, no leaks from the pump, and everything seems to be in working order so I’m not sure if it the pump going bad or is there something else I should look at first.
Ok reason I need answers from a Suby guru is because the car is a 98, which had the 2.5 motor, however at 100K that motor blew and the guy had a 2.2 put it in it because it was cheaper, my question is what parts are interchangeable from the 2.5 to a 2.2, such as p/s pump?
is this a legacy or an impreza. With Subarus of this year they are basically legos almost everything swaps between the motors. If its an Impreza come up to my house in Toga and we’ll compare your car to mine and see what is the problem
Its the Legacy! 5 Speed, yea I did hear a lot of parts were interchangeable just not sure about the p/s pump.
It might not be the powersteering at all. The U joints on the actual steering shaft have tendency to seize over time causing this like tight feeling in the steering.
Does it feel like there is no powersteering or is the turning steering wheel like “lumpy” in turning?
I wouldn’t say lumpy, just very tight, like there is very limited power steering. And my wife has an 09 Forester and after driving her car to mine you can tell thats its a huge difference.
Depends on the pump. One thing subaru DID change between models were the accessories(AC + PS pumps, ALT). Almost all of them can be swapped with appropriate brackets, however the pumps were sized accordingly to the car and the rack used.
Most 2.2 pumps had the attached reservoir on the top of the pump, whereas most 2.0 + 2.5L pumps had the remote reservoir and a feed hose. The SVX had a pump similar to the 2.2L square can, but had bigger internal rotor vanes.
If the pump is shot, 99% of the time it will howl like noones business and/or leak like a sieve out the front seal. I have had a few that had the internal check bypass valve lock open. Pump operates as normal, but little pressure goes to the rack servo.
Hmmm good to know, no leaking and the reservoir is a top mount. I noticed they are sold w/o reservoirs. What else should I check before buying a pump?
Check to see color of fluid.
They could have put in power steering fluid instead of ATF.
Or some sort of stop leak which kills these pumps. Much like it does on the Audi ones