spacemanpan

My Grand Cherokee had a catastrophic failure of the pulleyon the front of the power steering pump on the front left top center of theengine. The pulley shattered, and only a circumference of the outer ring of thepulley is left. The serpentine belt survived a little scuffed, but usable.

I don’t know why the pulley shattered in the way it did, butthe Jeep is undriveable as it is, and needs a new pump to replace the possibly/probablyfaulty pump that failed. There is some reason the pulley shattered as it did;catastrophic failures of this type is a new failure mode to me. Is it commonfor bearings on the various pumps and compressors common on Jeep Grand Cherokee’s,or on vehicles with belt driven accessories in general.

More importantly, how much would it cost to replace thepump, and it is something I could do myself, if I had the proper tools?
Any help and advice is sorely needed, and needed now. Deadon the offramp from I-70 westbound at Exit 228, the first Georgetown exit westat GeorgetownColorado.

dnuccio

on later ZJs, 96-98, the PS pulley was plastic. the early ones, 93-95, were metal. common failure for the plastic ones to explode

Creature85

I think the pulley is around $30, but you need a special tool to install it that cost about $40. You may be able to rent one from a auto parts store though. Your pump is probably fine.

dave1123

My advise to you is to get a junkyard pump to get you home and then deal with it.

Here's a life experience that may help. My mother's Pontiac alternator died in Pennsylvania about 300 miles from home. My brother and I drove down there, not knowing what the problem was. It was a Sunday. After determining the alternator was the problem, we went to a local truck stop to ask where we could find one. There was an older Impala in the back of the lot covered with dirt and bird crap the guy said we could take the alternator from. We gave the guy $20 and that alternator was still on my Mom's car 2 years later when she sold it.

Just saying, you do what you have to do to survive.

po0dingles

Why the hell would they do that?

kennzz05

plastic? its the "new" metal
hell chinese metal is about as good as plastic

Creature85

Cost of production I'd assume.

dave1123

Gentlemen (Where?), I've worked in plastics for 40 years. There are plastics that last longer and are stronger than aluminum, but manufacturers won't use them because they are not "cost effective". When things start to break, they want you to buy a new car. They even design them to be very hard to replace parts. Henry Ford found out with the Model T, he'd built too good of a car. After flooding the market with his car, his sales dropped off very quickly.

Deandro20

I had the same problem with my 96 ZJ, bought a reman pump, rented tool from Autozone, built the pump with my old resevior and electric cylinoid, installed and nothing...tried bleeding air out and still no power steering. Took it all apart took pump back and repeated process with new one....guess what, still nothing! 2 bad new pumps. Someone needs to make a pump Made In USA!

dave1123

Did you transfer the pressure relief valve from the old pump? If so, that could have been your original problem.

Deandro20

I did Dave, changed the o rings but didn't think about that, thanks Ill try that