[Dragncar]

I am going to pull my power steering pump. Have not used it in years drag racing the car. I was thinking about making a loop for the fluid.
But do I have to, can I plug it ?.
If I loop it its going to work exactly like running it with the belt off.
Its not worth it to me to change it to a manual box. Its not that big a deal steering it at the track. Skinny's up front.
Thanks for any help.

[jamaca85]

yes it will. also use the power steering hose (the metal tubes that connect to the box) cut and clamp

[johnta1]

Just make a loop at the pump connectors, I also make sure there is still fluid in pump for lubrication.
(plugging it will make it hydraulic, won't turn at all)

[mgarblik]

Make sure you use barbed fittings if you use hose between the the two. Pieces with smooth metal tubes, and hose with worm clamps may push off and put fluid on the ground/track/rear tires.

[Sirrotica]

Since fast ratio manual boxes are not common for GM cars, (or inexpensive) the oval track community has been looping the lines on power boxes for decades because they have better ratios, so yes, it's been done for years. Just remove the pump and make the car manual steer, with a power box.

I can vouch that it works just fine, as I've built a few cars with this setup.

Just to keep it simple we also used a belt that fit over the balancer and water pump pulley, with no adjustment provision (pried on) just in case the alternator belt broke, you'd still have the water pump circulating water. You probably have no need for that though with only running WOT for 10 seconds, but on a dirt track you can do some serious engine damage if the water pump stops.

By the time you realize that the engine has overheated, because there's not a lot of time to look at water temp gauges during a race. Having the extra belt may help you finish a race that you would have either pulled off the track, or done some serious engine damage. Just thought I'd throw that out if you have any interest in a back up system.

[Dragncar]

Thought she might lock up if plugged. I bought some barbed fittings and a double lap flare kit.
I think I will make something out of steel. The less rubber the better.

[ta man]

So a guy could put a shutoff valve in each line, pull the belt and run at the track and pick some free et up? Put the belt back and open the valves and have powersteering?

[johnta1]

Not shut off.
Really just take the belt off and it will work but probably stiff.
(some restriction in pump I think)

You could 'shut off' the 2 at the pump and have a bypass that will make the 2 fittings on the steering box connected together.

[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by ta man

So a guy could put a shutoff valve in each line, pull the belt and run at the track and pick some free et up? Put the belt back and open the valves and have powersteering?

I did tests at the track. Did not find any gain with belt off.

[ta man]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

I did tests at the track. Did not find any gain with belt off.

Thanks,always looking for et somewhere. I do like the ps at the track.

[Stan Weiss]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

I did tests at the track. Did not find any gain with belt off.

Troy,
Back in the early '60s my brother's '62 OLD had a 394 ci engine and it would pickup .1 in et with the belt off. That was replaced by a '65 GTO which don't have PS, so can not say about what that would have done.

Stan

[ta man]

Originally Posted by Stan Weiss

Troy,
Back in the early '60s my brother's '62 OLD had a 394 ci engine and it would pickup .1 in et with the belt off. That was replaced by a '65 GTO which don't have PS, so can not say about what that would have done.

Stan

.1 is huge..I'm happy with anything..I always figure its the little things that add up.

[Stan Weiss]

Originally Posted by ta man

.1 is huge..I'm happy with anything..I always figure its the little things that add up.

Remember the HP lose from the PS is not much. But the Olds was not a HP car, so the et improvement would greater than what you would see on a higher HP car.

Stan

[Sirrotica]

Back in the 60s when the car magazines road tested the musclecars, it was common practice to get a baseline, then do a few no/low dollar hot rod tricks such as loosening the accessory drive belts to gain as much as possible, without any major investments. According to the road tests they usually gained at least a little bit by flipping air cleaner lids, stepping up the jetting, etc.

Some cars had a minor gain, while other cars gained as much as a tenth and a half. It all hinged upon how well the engineers had designed the whole package for minimal power losses.

Of course when they tested Pontiacs, almost every test, the cars were run through Royal Pontiac before they were delivered to the magazines for testing. Jim Wangers was at the top of his game to get the absolute best numbers for Pontiac road tests, and favorable ink from the magazines.

[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by Stan Weiss

Troy,
Back in the early '60s my brother's '62 OLD had a 394 ci engine and it would pickup .1 in et with the belt off. That was replaced by a '65 GTO which don't have PS, so can not say about what that would have done.

Stan

All I can tell you is what I found in my testing. Pulled the field wire and found nothing too.
Going in a straight line the PS pump is not doing much.