i am building a 56 F100 with a mustang 2 ifs and a power rack. I am getting ready to drop a 68 302 in it and need a power steering pump. I like the look of the old metal reservoir pumps.
1. are the old pumps rebuildable or worth rebuilding
2. can I take a 351 or another engines ps pump and put it on a 302?
3. Would it be better to get a newer pump from a van or truck that might be more powerful

obviously I know nothing about ps pumps so any help would be appreciated

 

I would go with one of the older all-metal pumps. I found that the newer types, from mid-70's on, were made for energy savings, and don't have enough reserve power. If you had to make very rapid turns in opposite directions, they run out of boost, and you have to fight the steering wheel.

I've installed a power steering system onto a car that did not have it, and I pulled parts from multiple cars in the scrap yard. I believe the pump from a 351W should work on a 302. I had to make spacers and modify brackets to put the pump in the right place and line up with the belt drive.

 

Ford vans used to use a Saginaw pump that was far superior to any Motorcraft pump, they're smaller, more powerful, and quiet. You might be able to find the brackets in a junkyard, but they are getting hard to find, especially if you are running V belts. Or you can buy a new bracket like this one.

Borgeson Universal Company :: Pumps, Brkts & Hoses :: Power Steering Pump Upgrade Kits for Fords :: Ford 289/302/351W Saginaw P/S Pump Bracket

That's what I used when I converted my F-250, along with a rebuilt pump and pressure hose for a early 1980s Econoline.

 

Is one line a high pressure and one low pressure on both new and older pumps

 

One line is the pressure line, where high pressure fluid is forced out of the pump, going to a control valve of some sort, and the other is the return line, usually going to the bottom of the pump. The pressure line will usually be connected with tube nut fitting, while the return line uses a simple hose clamp as there is minimal pressure there.

 

Ok I found a ps pump bracket that came with my 68 302. I don't know if this is original but in looking I found two different pump setups. If someone can shed some light on what the applications of each were I might figure out which one I should get

 

This is a picture of the bracket I have and I found a pump on ebay

 

I have seen this one too. What is this off of. It has a cleaner look to it

 

You might also want to look at a setup off an 87-91 Crown Vic/Lincoln Towncar/Marquis, these grouped the alternator and P/S pump together on the drivers side and used a flat belt with the standard rotation water pump.

 

If you can see the engineering numbers on the bracket, that'll tell you what vehicle it was originally made for.

 

Upgraded P/S on the 65 F100, went salvage shopping and came across a 70 Torino 302 bracket and pump and bolted up to 68 302 and no issue with the size of the pulley.

 

^ 1967/77 Ford/Thompson 'pencil neck' P/S pump that has a steel reservoir.

The P/S pressure hose threads onto the pump.
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1978: Ford changed the P/S pump on everything except Econolines and Passenger Cars with Hydro-Boost (both used the Saginaw P/S pump).

This Ford C-II P/S pump has a plastic reservoir, the P/S pressure hose connects to the pump w/a qwik connect fitting.

302/Saginaw P/S pump: 1979/96 E100/250.

 

Got the engine back yesterday and tried to mount the power steering pump up and it's definitely not for 302. Pretty sure it's a 351 bracket....

 

The "pencil neck" pump shown in all the pictures was common among many car models. What differed are the brackets that mounted them to the different engines.

 

Look at the engineering numbers on the bracket, the prefix will tell you what it was made for. A 302 bracket will have an "O" or a "Z" in the third position. One for a 351 will have an "A"