Festiva power steering

[bravekozak]

My Festiva power steering pump was binding on every rotation. After I took the rear housing off to take a look, it now turns free. Does anyone know what the specification should be for endplay on the power steering pump shaft?

I am tempted to put it back in without doing a rebuild, even though I purchased a Gates P.S. repair kit #348406 from NAPA Auto Parts. What I don't understand is why The secondary pulley on my crankshaft and air conditioner and belt tensioner are all V-belt. Yet my pump had a serpentine belt pulley. After phoning junk yards across America, I never once found a Festiva power steering pump with a V-belt pulley.

Instead, I bought a 929 V-belt power steering pulley on the bay and then had the splined center EDMed out to 15mm along with a keyway. The pulley is slightly smaller than the stock Festiva pulley. Now, I just need to find the proper size V-belt and then "problem solved".

[25Horseplay]

I need one of these pumps also, they are hard to find.

[b8kedbeans]

Ahh. you conquered the same challenge that I am currently facing. I recently installed the entire power steering system from an Aspire to my 93L Festiva and have the serpentine pulley on the pump and everything else is v-belt. I plan to solve the problem by converting all the pulleys to serpentine rather than make the PS pump a v-belt.

[bravekozak]

aspire p.s.

I have an aspire p.s. too. The bracket is different and requires through holes to get the bolt out that holds the pump to the block. I anticipated that and had the two small holes from the 929 pulley end milled out to allow for .010" clearance for the socket should I use the pulley with that bracket.

Here is the original Festiva power steering pump:

http://www.bwbronze.com/festiva/pump0.jpg

Here is the Aspire pump beside my ultimate (the "u" is prononced "oo") solution.

http://www.bwbronze.com/festiva/ps1.jpg

I just have to take the brackets to the metal laundry along with four intake manifolds.

I already dropped the engine in and it's too much trouble to replace the crank pulley with a serpentine one. Hardly any clearance with the second pulley on!

I phoned one junk yard in the south, and he had just scrapped his Festiva p.s. pump a week before I phoned. He thought it would never sell.

[b8kedbeans]

Wow, nice work. I am still going to go with the serpentine solution and hoping that I do not run into too much trouble replacing the other pulleys. I do think your solution is solid though and glad to see that someone else out there has already successfully installed the Aspire power steering in a Festiva. I have 185/60-14 tires now and power steering seems a bit more compelling than it was when I was running the stock tires.

[jr.fester]

my 1.6L 323 motor has serp. on it. I bet the crank pulley's would swap over. then you would just have to find the belts. or has this idea been tried?

[bravekozak]

pressure switch assembly

Where does the power steering pressure switch assembly go back to?
A check engine light?
A computer module?
The instrument cluster?

Also, is the wiring part of the standard 1989 wiring harness?

Thanks.

[25Horseplay]

^^The 89 Festiva never had PS as an option so it probably isn't part of the harness anywhere.

[b8kedbeans]

I believe the pressure switch goes to the idle up circuit on the computer. I found the wire on my 93L when I added PS, but Brian is probably right about the wire not existing on the 89. You may be able to tap into one of the other idle up triggers though (AC?).

[bravekozak]

synthetic fluid

I am not sure, but did the festiva have an idle up circuit which converted the electrical signal from the A/C on and power steering being turned at idle to a vacuum relay? or was it strictly electrical with no vacuum relay?

Also, do you think it is safe to fill up the Festiva Power steering system with Bardahl synthethic power steering fluid?

http://www.bardahl.com/mods/gallery/gallery.asp?action=viewimage&categoryid=&text=power+steering&imageid=276&box=&shownew=

[Festiva GTX]

^^The 89 Festiva never had PS as an option so it probably isn't part of the harness anywhere.

^You are right, the early EFI auto 1989 never have power steering load signal input for ECU, however you still can install the PS in 1989 and only slight changes in idle rpm as when load with PS.

I am not sure, but did the festiva have an idle up circuit which converted the electrical signal from the A/C on and power steering being turned at idle to a vacuum relay? or was it strictly electrical with no vacuum relay?

Also, do you think it is safe to fill up the Festiva Power steering system with Bardahl synthethic power steering fluid?

http://www.bardahl.com/mods/gallery/...&box=&shownew=

^I used to have two PS system in Festiva and one of them got leaking bad due upgrade to synthetic oil for PS and I guess it's not recommend unless you already change all new rubber rings, seals, hose, etc.

[Biglay5150]

b8ked, didnt I send you the crank pulley with your power steering setup? It should bolt up the the outside of the existing Alt pulley on the crank.

[bravekozak]

Ecu

I am installing a non-stock carb setup which only has a vacuum chamber to pull down on the throttle linkage and speed up the idle. That is the only point that both the air and P/S idle up can be accomplished. If the Festiva doesn't have it, I know that the 626 has it.

I have a 1989 wiring harness in my 93 GL. What I am afraid of is that I cut a small section off of the harness that went to the relays on the firewall. I do not know what they were for.
I hope it wasn't for idle up.

I also have what looks like a plunger system with a spring on the back of the carb with an electrical connector. I put my multimeter on it but didn't see any movement. I wonder what it could be for? I thought it might detect fuel pressure at the carb.