How rebuildable are the Federal style power steering pumps? The kits I found on the NAPA website seem to include seals only and the pumps I find for sale are all re-mans. Is there a kit with bearings and/or bushings as well as seals?
The pump is in my 1970 Dart (4-door, 2bbl, a904).

Thanks in advance,

Nat

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1970 four-door Dart, 225/A-904/2.45 gears. 0-60 in twenty three minutes!

Is the pump noisy or are there other problems? The Saginaw pump is a better unit if you don't mind seeking out the brackets and changing the hoses.

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Joshua

It's noisy as all get-out. I'm going to be tearing in to an '80 Aspen wagon with power steering (Saginaw pump). The pump and brackets should swap right over, yes? Would the steering gear from the Aspen fit my Dart? Might be nice to have a spare...

As far as the hoses go, would the hoses on the Saginaw pump hook up directly to the gear in my car? Or would I need to come up with a work-around?

Thanks,

Nat

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1970 four-door Dart, 225/A-904/2.45 gears. 0-60 in twenty three minutes!

Yes, the Aspen pump and brackets should bolt into the Dart. The pressure hose may fit, but then again it may not. The steering boxes do not interchange as the later box uses a larger spline for the pitman arm.

If you were, at some date to change the center link, pitman arm, and idler arm to the '73-'76 A-body parts you could use the later large sector shaft steering box.

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Joshua

Thank you sir.

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1970 four-door Dart, 225/A-904/2.45 gears. 0-60 in twenty three minutes!

A simple trick to try - I had a very noisy (Saginaw) pump; sounded like there was something rattling around inside - I too it off, turned it upside down and dumped it out, rinsed, refilled and the noise was gone and never returned. I suspect it was just a bit of debris banging around, but didn't actually see it.

Mine sounds like a duck farting when the fluid is cold. Seems to go away after a few minutes on the road. Sounds a lot like a bad bearing to my ears.

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1970 four-door Dart, 225/A-904/2.45 gears. 0-60 in twenty three minutes!

Eh? That has definitely not been my experience. What makes you say so?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Dan,

I've never had either type fail, but the Federal pump is lower volume and it's much easier to get ahead of the boost with a Federal pump than a Saginaw. I freely admit this just one criterion of "goodness" and doesn't affect many peoples' cars. It does however affect those that drive too fast in parking lots among cones as quickly as possible.

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Joshua

Thanks for the replies,

I guess I'm going to swap the Saginaw pump from the Aspen into the dart, but I'd still like to rebuild the Federal pump if possible (I'd like the experience and it'd be a good back-up). Does anyone know of a decent rebuild kit?

Thanks again,

Nat

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1970 four-door Dart, 225/A-904/2.45 gears. 0-60 in twenty three minutes!

Interesting — I haven't looked deeply into P/S pumps in a long time, but I was under the impression the Federal pumps came in at least two displacements, and their roller design had less internal friction (thus less drag on the engine and less noise) than the vane-type Saginaw pump.

I really like the Thompson slipper-type pump used through...ummm...'66 or so. Silent, strong, and reliable. Probably cost more than the Federal or Saginaw pump, though.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

It's cheaper to go to the bone yard than to rebuild. Most of the time you just need to clean them up real good w/ fresh fluid

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