Leaking 57 power steering pump

[TJ Hopland]

Got a minor leak around the power steering pump.  Does not seem to be leaking from the input shaft or the high pressure line, its just generally wet.   I'm wondering if it could be the reservoir to pump gaskets?  Or perhaps the reservoir cover gasket?  I see vendors that have rebuilt pump assemblies available but no one seems to sell a gasket kit.   Or is the leak likely more complicated than some simple gaskets and I just need to plan on a getting a rebuilt unit? 

Are these Saginaw pumps?  When I use that as a search I get the typical 70's GM looking pumps and those are listed as fitting a 57 Chev.   Looks like Cad, Pontiac, and maybe Olds used the same one with the big round reservoir.  Did the Chev's use that one too or did they use the one that became the 'GM' one?   Looking at photos it almost looks like the later one uses the same 4 mounting bolts so maybe its an easy swap if you are looking for function vs original?   

[Walter Youshock]

I got a rebuild kit from Fusick.  They have them listed.

Mine started leaking at the pump body.  The big O ring turned to glass and had no sealing capabilities at all.

[TJ Hopland]

The O ring is between the front and rear half of the body?    Was it easy to split it and replace that?  Or is there a bunch of stuff that pops out when you split it?

[TJ Hopland]

Looking at Fusick's site looks like 52-55 was one style then 56-57, 58 its own then 59 was the newer style.   Anyone know the difference between the 56-57 and 58?   Pictures of the kits look the same.   I am assuming that since the car is a 57 that its the 56-57 pump but it would be nice to know that for sure since its possible that in the last 50+ years its been swapped.   Maybe the shaft seal is different?  Can't quite tell from their photos.

Also looks like there are two larger O rings?  Are those the ones you speak of in the body?

[Walter Youshock]

I would call them and tell them what you need. 

The pump isn't that hard to get apart.  The worst thing to replace is the front seal.  The kit should come with instructions.  And, I have to ask: DO YOU HAVE THE SHOP MANUAL?

[TJ Hopland]

I do have the shop manual, I just forget to look at it.  I see it does have decent photos and instructions.  Not too many J tools either. 

So looks like Cadillac, Pontiac, Olds used the same pump.  Chev and Buick were different.  Also looks like if you had air ride in a Cadillac the power steering part bolted to the back of the air compressor and ran off the same shaft pulley.  Interesting arrangement.

Oddly I am still not finding seal kits guess its because Chev was different.   Fusick is the only place and they are out of stock at the moment.   Good thing its not a bad leak and I have bigger issues to deal with.   Hopefully they will have em back in stock soon.  I sent them an email asking about the status.   Hopefully its not one of those things that there is one part of the kit that is NLA.   

[Walter Youshock]

Air suspension was a '58 option.  Power steering on Chevies was connected to the back of the generator.

All '57 Cadillacs used the same pump.

One trick is to add a little brake fluid to swell the seals.  But, then you also have to cut or get another reservoir cover gasket.  Total PITA.

[TJ Hopland]

I was looking at this one again and its wet on the top of the pump so maybe its the reservoir to pump body gaskets or the cap gasket.

Chev ran off the generator?   Guess I have never seen one with the original setup.  I have a friend with a 50 Nash and on that the water pump runs off the back of the generator.  Come to think of it I think it was a Delco generator, maybe that was why Delco had a model with a through shaft and why Nash chose it?   

[J. Gomez]

Looking at Fusick's site looks like 52-55 was one style then 56-57, 58 its own then 59 was the newer style.   Anyone know the difference between the 56-57 and 58?   Pictures of the kits look the same.   I am assuming that since the car is a 57 that its the 56-57 pump but it would be nice to know that for sure since its possible that in the last 50+ years its been swapped.   Maybe the shaft seal is different?  Can't quite tell from their photos.

Also looks like there are two larger O rings?  Are those the ones you speak of in the body?

TJ,

There are some minor internal differences on the 56-58 steering pump/tank from the main shaft to the tank filter.

As for the tank cover and tank to pump gaskets these should be the same for 56-58 except for the one with air suspension (57-58). If you have the MPL early one you can reference Group 18.2088 and 18.2073.

I’ve rebuilt a few of these myself and it is not that complicated, like everything with these cars just take lot of pictures to get it back together. 

If yours is leaking at the tank cover and/or tank to pump the gaskets are probably bad. You can try re-torqueing the bolts at the tank to pump and see if that helps.

You can make these yourself with the old ones as a template, but again sometimes is easier just buying them already made.

Good luck..!

[Walter Youshock]

Save yourself the trouble and get a kit.  I tried cutting tank to pump gaskets out of cork material--all I had.  That failed. 

Do it once and you'll be farther ahead.