I have a 2001 Subaru Legacy SOHC 2.5L engine and the P/S pulley on the front is warped from falling over on it. Yes, it fell over.  Stupid me!   Anyway, I am looking at all my options. 

1. Replace whole P/S pump

2. Replace only the P/S pump pulley

3. Do I need to buy P/S gaskets/seals kit if I replace the pump?  Seems like that is only if i rebuilt one myself from scratch... Confused.

 

Questions are: 

- Can I get the P/S pulley off the engine without having to take the whole P/S pump off?  If so, any guidance on tools, and procedure are appreciated.

 

If I have to remove the whole pump just to replace a pulley, I might as well just replace the whole pump.. So, I've looked online and found this pump.

 

http://www.carparts.com/details/Subaru/Impreza/Replacement/Power_Steering_Pump/2004/REPS510407.html?TID=80000000CP&origin=pla&CP=1&CP_SRC=PPC&003=27372932&010=cprepostpu04subaruimpreza20032005replacementreps5104071&gclid=CNjNy_j5wrsCFSVgMgodDHkAKw

 

- It seems like all the years from say '00-'04 should be compatible, but when I look at this part online, it says "no---sir----eeee!  You cannot put this pump into an '01 Legacy".  Weird.  Why would it be different across these years!?

Edited December 22, 201312 yr by coclimber

i ordered a power steering pump earlier this year or last and when i got it I too thought it had a bent pulley - wobbling while engine running.  i swapped pulleys - it still wobbled. pumps are so simple, cheap, and easy to replace that i didn't bother to inspect the thing, I can only assume the pump shaft was compromised in some way.

 

but that's the only occurrence i've ever seen so i'm not able to tell you if that's normal or an outlier or if the pulley alone can bend....

 

pumps are so cheap and easy to find i'd just swap in another used pump.

 

no need to reseal or do anything while it's out, particularly if it's completely dry.  hopefully you're not buying a wet (leaking) pump.

 

www.car-part.com

I wouldn't think the pulley would bend very easily.

But they're easy to remove. Use a 17 or 19mm socket to loosen the nut on the front. You can do this before removing the belt. But if the belts already off put a big screwdriver or prybar through one of the holes on the pulley.

Remove the nut then the pulley will pull right off.

Wow.  Lots of good options on that car-parts.com site near Denver! 

tip:

when you have the pump off, replace the o-rings on the suction line on top of the pump from the reservoir.

they can some times leak and cause a noise from the pump sucking air.

it is cheap and easy and eliminates a future failure.

 

having said that,

it is so east to do, only one bolt, it is no biggie if you don't.

tip:

when you have the pump off, replace the o-rings on the suction line on top of the pump from the reservoir.

they can some times leak and cause a noise from the pump sucking air.

it is cheap and easy and eliminates a future failure.

 

having said that,

it is so east to do, only one bolt, it is no biggie if you don't.

So that's where that hissing sound is? It always sounds like it comes from the back of the pump.