97TAMONEYPIT

Hi all, I'm back, drove my T/A another 3 miles and it broke again, what a shocker. So, started, ran fine, does have a power steering leak, I think from the rack. Got to pick my son up from Scouts, started it again, check gauges light came on, battery gauge was pretty far down, but no power steering, at all. Like my nephews 67 ford. So I drive it the half mile home like this, once it seemed to go back to life, check gauges light went out and I had some half-a$$ power steering, but then turned and the light came back on and the steering went out. Could being low on PS fluid cause the pump to seize or? The belt is pretty much brand new, and alternators always been fine. I don't mind replacing the alternator, but would be surprised if it really needs it. Could the PS pump be seizing up intermittently causing the alternator not to spin enough? Lastly, I have a lot of play in the steering, so I think it will need the attention next, any suggestions there help on what needs to be replaced when there's play in the steering wheel, Thanks for any and all help, as always.


P.S. anybody local to east phoenix AZ that can suggest a place to work on these?

Injuneer

Sounds like the serpentine belt is slipping.... could be coated with PS fluid if you have a leak.

97TAMONEYPIT

Hi, thanks for the reply. I rechecked today in the light, and motor will start but belt is not turning, not slipping. Motor did snap crankshaft previous to rebuild, now I'm reading could be woodruff key, which was replaced, but motor starts, but nothing seems to be turning.

Injuneer

On a totally stock LT1 the crank hub is not keyed to the crank. The crank has a key way, but the hub does not. Hub is an interference fit. Hub will only spin on the crank if the crank diameter or the hub hole diameter was incorrect.

There are keyed aftermarket hubs. My ATI damper hub is keyed. What hub are you using?

Dampers typically consist of an inner and outer steel or cast iron ring, coupled with a hard rubber ring in between the metal rings. The rubber can rot or crack and allow the inner ring to turn without turning the outer ring, which is also the pulley for the serpentine belt.

97TAMONEYPIT

Well, turns out hub was spinning on crank. Mechanic says power steering pump is seizing up, and caused the hub to break loose and spin, since it's not keyed. He said that technically the crank needs replacing again, but that it doesn't look like there much wear on the snout of the crank, so he's willing to get a new pioneer hub that's keyed, and install it, possibly drilling and pinning it to crank if necessary. How does this sound to the experts out there. He was upfront that staking the hub to the crank isn't the 100% right way to do it, but works and much more cost effective than replacing crank, but says it is what it is. Says my car is cursed...

Injuneer

Comes down to what is the diameter of the crank snout, and what is the bore of the hub? Which one wore down? How much clearance? Wouldn't be good to have a significant clearance that allows the hub to sit eccentrically on the snout. But I would recommend asking a highly experienced engine builder for the correct solution.