I'm replacing the power steering pump on a MY96 EJ18 impreza. The replacement pump is off a 95 (says on the tag from a salvage yard) and there is an electronic connector on it that my pump doesn't have. Looks like an inductor or something like a knock sensor would look like. 1) What is the connector? 2) Can I still use the pump? My wiring harness has no connect for it. My guess is that its a pressure sensor or something to turn on an idiot light on the dash. What do you think? Thanks.

That's my guess as well. My 1.8 had the connector on the PS pump, but all the Legacy 2.2 that I have worked on do not.

My '96 and '00 's both have some sort of connector on the pump, which I believe is a pressure switch of some sort, I believe it is used for the ECU to bump up the idle if required when turning the wheel at a stop or near stop.

 

If that's the case, and you don't hook it up, then depending on whether the switch is normally open or normally closed, then the ECU would think the steering pressure is always up and maybe try to keep the idle up, or it will never sense any steering pressure and when turning the wheel at idle/stop it might stumble a little.

The current pump has no sensor, so the ECU is gonna do what its been doing (without input from the pump).

 

I'm going to install it and hope that it has no ill efects. If it was the other way around, with the new pump not having the sensor,I think then there might be a problem.

 

Thanks for the input. I'll post of any effects.

 

As a side note, this is my fisrt subaru and I've been really impressed with how easy it is to work on. So far I've replaced the front axle (45 minutes), and now the pump (10 minutes to remove). I've never worked on an easier car.

Yes it's nice to work on a car where it appears service was actually taken into consideration in the design (gasp!) Man I've had other domestic vehicles before and everything was so crammed in and buried it was unbelievable; some newer vehicles you'd be hard pressed to even find the battery.

Its a pressure sensor. It ups the idle rpm at full lock. If you dont have one you dont need it.

 

nipper

I also had to leave out the bracket behind the pump. Then replacement pump didn't have the threaded holes in the back of it to attach it.

 

My initial drive reaction w/ the replacement pump is, "feels funny". We'll give it a day or two before I give the final verdict. Who knows if this one is even good because it was from a salvage yard and might have been sitting a long time.

Alway a good idea to replace the fluid in there once every couple of years. Suck out as much as possible with a turkey baster and refill.

Yes it's nice to work on a car where it appears service was actually taken into consideration in the design (gasp!) Man I've had other domestic vehicles before and everything was so crammed in and buried it was unbelievable; some newer vehicles you'd be hard pressed to even find the battery.

 

 

Of course the words "spark plugs" are banned from that discussion