Changing the power steering belt
08-16-2005, 02:23 AM
#1
Burning Brakes
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Changing the power steering belt
So I have a new power steering belt since I bought all belts at the same time, and I'd like to change it myself. How hard is it? I'm changing alt., fan, and a/c belts this weekend, so I thought I might try the power steering belt too. I've gotten mixed "reviews" after doing a little searching. Nothing concrete. 
Have any of you changed it yourself? Any tips/pointers? Should I just have the pros do it when I take the car in for the rest of its service (things I can't do)???
Thnx,
-Harry
Have any of you changed it yourself? Any tips/pointers? Should I just have the pros do it when I take the car in for the rest of its service (things I can't do)???
Thnx,
-Harry
08-16-2005, 11:16 AM
#2
RL Community Team
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Hi Harry, it is a dirty job - the dirtiest I had done on my car as of yet, and a fairly tough one, too.
I replaced the belt and the o-ring and camshaft oil seal because they were leaking progressively more and more on my cabrio. It was such a dirty job because of the oil leak - if my car was as clean as Pete000's, it would have been easier for sure.
To do my job, I removed the lower camshaft pulley. It is mentioned you need a special cam pulley holder tool to be able to remove the bolt, but I found something out - you can use the secondary muffler hanger (which you have to remove anyways to get to the pulley and belt) as the tool! I wonder if Porsche designed it this way on purpose. Anyhow, the muffler hanger has two bolts poking out of it, and you can perfectly fit them into the pulley, and wedge the extension portion of the hanger against the shock absorber strut - once it's wedged, you can get your socket onto the camshaft nut and PRESTO! I was really excited for this finding - I was all ready to weld up and create my own special tool, but I didn't need to! Using the exhaust hanger works, upside down this time, for the re-installation as well.
Since you are just reinstalling the belt, you don't even need to undo half as much stuff as I needed to do to get to the seals - so I think it would actually be a much easier job. I think in Adrian's book it talks about replacing the belt from the top - I don't know how you'd ever do this because the bolts that hold the PS pump to the aluminum bracket (not the steel one) are just about impossible to reach way back there. Plus you'd need a special set of tools to be able to get them back there and put enough OOMPH to get them loose - they are dang tight.
My recommendation: go from the bottom, and remove the lower camshaft pulley and the belt will come right out - there is no tension on the belt, so it's easy to put on and take off. It just takes a little practice using the exhaust hanger - but when you're in there, you'll see what I mean how it wedges against the shock body perfectly and pokes into the pulley leaving room for your socket! I don't have any pictures of this because it was way too dirty to touch my camera, but I wish I did since it was almost funny how well that worked!
Good luck!
I replaced the belt and the o-ring and camshaft oil seal because they were leaking progressively more and more on my cabrio. It was such a dirty job because of the oil leak - if my car was as clean as Pete000's, it would have been easier for sure.
To do my job, I removed the lower camshaft pulley. It is mentioned you need a special cam pulley holder tool to be able to remove the bolt, but I found something out - you can use the secondary muffler hanger (which you have to remove anyways to get to the pulley and belt) as the tool! I wonder if Porsche designed it this way on purpose. Anyhow, the muffler hanger has two bolts poking out of it, and you can perfectly fit them into the pulley, and wedge the extension portion of the hanger against the shock absorber strut - once it's wedged, you can get your socket onto the camshaft nut and PRESTO! I was really excited for this finding - I was all ready to weld up and create my own special tool, but I didn't need to! Using the exhaust hanger works, upside down this time, for the re-installation as well.
Since you are just reinstalling the belt, you don't even need to undo half as much stuff as I needed to do to get to the seals - so I think it would actually be a much easier job. I think in Adrian's book it talks about replacing the belt from the top - I don't know how you'd ever do this because the bolts that hold the PS pump to the aluminum bracket (not the steel one) are just about impossible to reach way back there. Plus you'd need a special set of tools to be able to get them back there and put enough OOMPH to get them loose - they are dang tight.
My recommendation: go from the bottom, and remove the lower camshaft pulley and the belt will come right out - there is no tension on the belt, so it's easy to put on and take off. It just takes a little practice using the exhaust hanger - but when you're in there, you'll see what I mean how it wedges against the shock body perfectly and pokes into the pulley leaving room for your socket! I don't have any pictures of this because it was way too dirty to touch my camera, but I wish I did since it was almost funny how well that worked!
Good luck!
08-16-2005, 01:49 PM
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Harry... just a cautionary note on changing your other belts: Take extra care upon reinstalling that all the washers go back in the proper sequence. There is at least one cone-shaped washer (two?) that must be oriented with the cone part facing the right direction. If not, your belts won't align properly and you'll eat up one of those brand-new belts. Ask me how I know. Other than that, it's a simple job.
08-19-2005, 08:37 PM
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Harry:
I have done it both ways. First, from the bottom when the nut on the cam shaft came loose and let the pulley move off and twist (a nasty surprise). More recently, from the top when the belt broke. I would have to agree that the bottom is easier, and probably even faster with less stuff to remove, even if you have the stock 2ndry muffler. Good luck.
Bob K
1989 C4
I have done it both ways. First, from the bottom when the nut on the cam shaft came loose and let the pulley move off and twist (a nasty surprise). More recently, from the top when the belt broke. I would have to agree that the bottom is easier, and probably even faster with less stuff to remove, even if you have the stock 2ndry muffler. Good luck.
Bob K
1989 C4
