My friend is driving a $400. 2WD Impreza with EJ18 and 5 speed that has a bad power steering fluid leak. She has been content driving it as is for a while but the whining of the dry pump is annoying at best. She doesn't want to spend money fixing it if she can help it. How hard would it be to remove the power steering stuff from the car?

About as hard as replacing it with a used unit. The trouble will be finding a belt the right size. You can literally replace it with a 20 dollar used part and a few tools. If you think you have to spend $$$ for dealer/mechanic/new parts, just let it die a peaceful death.

 

But, there is no sense in ignoring it because SUBARU IS EASY TO FIX compared to other makes and models.

got it. I'll get on figuring the leak issue. There are about 5 Imprezas sitting in the Wadsworth pick n pull right now.

It's like 4 bolts to get the PS pump off. As Fox said, get a used unit.

They don't really fail very often so there isn't a high demand.

This could be the pump, a hose, a simple O ring on the rack at one of the fittings.

The pump can be easily rebuilt for about $40 in parts if the seals are leaking. If you have a vice and a brass hammer you can rebuild it.

Some years back, I replaced a 91 Leggie P/S unit. Cost about $35 from a wrecking yard. It was really easy to swap one in. Lots easier buying a used unit, then trying to repair the old pump.

what they said - this is too easy to try to work around.

 

simplest solution is to just get a used pump, should only run $20-$40. car-parts.com will give you the cheapest listed one in the country - probably $10 plus shipping unless you're lucky to find one close.

 

there is also an oring under the reservoir that often leaks and is really easy to fix, don't even have to remove the pump - just the reservoir via a two bolts or something - remove it and replace the 50 cent oring. that fixes a lot of them.

 

the complete rebuild kits aren't that expensive either to reseal the rear and front of the pump - that's the 100% solution that will last the life of the car. i would add fluid first and make sure the pump isn't currently shot though from being run too low for too long on fluid. but the reseal kits are a little extra work too.

 

but all in all this is a common issue with lots of information online and an easy fix. subaru power steering pumps rarely fail - they leak - but rarely fail and when they do they're easy to replace.