Im doing a Saginaw conversion. Does anyone know if a Saginaw pump will build pressure at cranking speed. New pump and lines. The instructions say to fill reservoir, then crank not start the engine no more the 15 seconds at a time to flush pump with return from the box disconnected into a pan. I did that 4 or 5 times nothing out of the return. I'm thinking cranking speed is not enough to push the vanes out on this pump to get it to build pressure. I'm at work on a 12 hour shift with this problem bugging me. I'll start her when I get home hopefully it builds pressure. I don't want to order another new pump.

 

Anybody? No thoughts!

 

To bleed the pump, jack the truck up and turn the wheels back and forth.

 

No. I know that. I am more concerned that it didn't pump at a cranking speed. I'm hoping it's just too slow too pump and it will pump after I start the truck.

 

I generally disconnect the return and flush the gearbox with the old pump before I install the new one. That being said, I would assume cranking rpm might not be enough to push fluid through the gearbox. Like I said though, I've never done it that way. Like the kid above posted, it takes a little while to get the air out of a power steering setup with the engine running. Might take forever to move fluid at cranking rpm. Good luck with it. FWIW I just rebuilt my first saginaw pump for my highboy. I ran across a serpentine setup from an 89 van 460. If you do suspect something's wrong with the pump, don't be afraid to take it apart yourself. They are very simple, and much like the pump in an auto slushbox.

-Jared

 

Thanks I appreciate it. It's a new box lines and pump but I had fluid in it from a new pencil pump I had it hooked to for about 200 mi. Did the Saginaw to hopefully get rid of that horrible groan. I'm assuming as well with the air in the pump and box and slow cranking speed it's not enough to push it through. I'm going to lift it up cycle the steering with the motor off a bunch of times. After that I'm going to fire it up do the same off the ground then on. Just nervous about the new install. I always am about unproven parts for som reason.

 

There is no way cranking rpm could bleed. You should have no issues starting it and turning side to side, on jack stands of course. The saginaw pump will have way more pressure than your stock pump. I got a junkyard one and have had zero problems with it. Good luck I'm sure you'll figure it out .

 

What vehicles have the saginaw pump that I could steal out of a junk yard for my 79 f150?

 

How is your high pressure line connected at the pump? When I did my saginaw swap, I had the same issue. I was to lazy to make a new high pressure line, so kept the old one with the o-ring flare and swapped the fitting from the ford pump to the saginaw. Went threw 2 pumps before I realized that I needed to make a new line without the o-ring and use the gm fitting at the pump.

 

You can get a Ford Saginaw Power Steering Pump from a 1976 1977 1978 FORD GALAXIE LTD COUNTRY SQUIRE COUNTRY SEDAN BROUGHAM AND FULL SIZE FORDS WITH 460 ENGINE AND WITHOUT HYDRO-BOOST.*The Saginaw P/S pump was also used on 1975 and later Econolines.

My bracket came out of a 1975 to 1978 econoline with a 460. The pump I used came from a 1976 LTD country squire without hydro boost. The hose I actually went to a hydraulic shop and had it custom made. Cost me $50.00 but worth the money to make it fit right.

I got home and bled it as described above. It works beautifully. Not a single sound out of it. Nice and quiet. Standing still on dry pavement I can steer her with just about one finger and I'm running 35's. Nice 

 

I found mine in an old ice cream van, early 80's not to sure what exact year it was. It had the bracket, pump and pressure line! I think I got it all for $60-$80. You will know when you've found it!

 

Thanks guys! I have an excuse to cruise the junk yard now

 

A full sized Ford is an LTD or a Galaxie, but...there were no Galaxies after 1974. Dunno where you got your Saginaw/Hydro-Boost info from (prolly confusing one model with another), it's not correct.

Saginaw P/S pump:

1973: Thunderbird/Continental Mark IV.

1974: LTD/Mercury Marquis 460 & Thunderbird/Continental Mark IV.

1975: LTD/Mercury Marquis 400; 460-without A/C / Thunderbird/Continental Mark IV.

1976: LTD/Mercury Marquis 351/400/460 with or without Hydro-Boost / Thunderbird/Continental Mark IV.

1977/78: LTD/Mercury Marquis 351/400/460 with or without Hydro-Boost / Continental Mark V 400/460.

1979 Continental Mark V 400.

1973/79 Lincoln Town Car.

1977 Econoline from serial number O40,001 / 1978/91 Econoline.

LTD includes Country Squire/Country Sedan / Mercury Marquis includes Colony Park.

Peeps confuse 1977/78 LTD's with 1977/79 LTD II's, the idiotic name Ford used to replace Torino. LTD's have horizontal round headlamps, LTD II's have vertical rectangular headlamps, did not have Saginaw pumps.

Since these FoMoCo Passenger Cars look pretty much the same from year to year (except 1977/79 Mark V's), the first digit in the VIN is the year (as it is for all 1960/79 Passenger Cars).

Info source: 1973/79 Ford & L/M Passenger Car & 1973/91 Ford Truck Parts Catalogs.

 

I know. The galaxy thing was a mistake. And yes you can get it the cars with hydro boost but it has two returns. I just didn't want a return sitting there with a cap on it. It was easier to buy one without hydro boost.

Also there is a point ( I think in the early 80's) where the P.S. Pressure line switches to o ring style at the pump. I didnt want to deal with that either since a hydraulic shop probably wouldn't have that fitting.

 

1978: Ford changed the P/S pump on everything except w/Saginaw pump, has a plastic reservoir.

The P/S Pressure Hose on the pump end has a straight tube with an O-ring on it, connects to the pump w/a qwik disconnect fitting.