Got an issue with my power steering pump on my rally car , been playing up recently but only when the engine is cold on start up , turn the steering wheel side to side and the belt squeals and steering power is reduced.
Once warm it is fine , belt is in good condition and tight.

On the last rally coming into hairpins , clutch down , revs on tickover and it would lose all assistance until it was revved up again , caused me to bugger a hairpin up and hit the bank in front of loads of people who probably think i'm a tosser and can't drive ( maybe they are right lol )

Going to change the fluid , but today have noticed a slight leak on the pump , so will be looking at getting a rebuild kit or bite the bullet and fit a brand new one , which is where i'm having a problem in locating the correct one.

My car is a 98/99 WRC car , but looks to have the early 93/95 pump fitted , but with the reservoir removed and a special fitting on top fed from an alloy tank , would anyone know the differences in pumps , I see some look similar but have an electrical connection on the back , anyone know what thats for

This is my pump





Haven't removed the pump yet , but does anyone know where the part number is on it ?

I have noticed a small amount of end float on the shaft , is this normal or a sign it's fecked ?

Cheers Ian

 

I'll have a look at mine when I get home, it's a 97 model.

 

The wire is apparently a sensor that speeds up the idle of the engine when you steer and the car is a tickover.

I would have thought any pump would fit but the top may need to be adapted slightly. That pulley looks unique. Maybe just get any old second hand one from a known year and try it. They are cheap on ebay. I'm sure a new one will cost £100's from Subaru.

 

A new one is £450 !
A repair kit is £30 lol

I'm trying not to modify anything so its all original Prodrive , just trying to repair or change like for like

Cheers Ian

 

So I take it your gonna buy the new pump then?? Lol

 

I probably will lol , will be the cheapest thing i've bought for it !

 

have you tried these, i know the prices are usually astronomical but you never know, http://www.subaruwrcspares.com/4.html

 

looks the same as my 93 wrx, i tryed fitting a newer on 97-98 i think and it was the bracket that was differentm making the pulley out of line, swapped the brackets over job done, mine leaked between the pump and the tank causing loss of pressure, but any leak will cause pressure loss more noticeable at low revs, and yes the wire is tickover related

 

Yes spoke to them , they want £900 + vat exchange for one !

 

Ian, yours being a WRC car, for all the pumps looks the same, the innards are probably very different. I'd imagine they, along with the steering rack, would need to be to keep up with the demands of a rally stage, ie loads of steering input needing very fast response.

 

As my car has been converted to RHD they use a standard STi rack , the pressure release valve is modified but I can fit that into another pump , the rest is standard as far as the info I have received