Help with adding power steering to 1951 car

[Guest 1951Olds88]

For a non-computer literate acquaintance, I have a question about adding power steering to a 1951 Oldsmobile 98. The gentleman had found a pump and a suitable steering box, but wants to know how best to install the pump and drive it. Should it be driven off the generator belt or off the waterpump belt. Does he need to add an idler, I presume to increase the amount of belt on the pulley.

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

[F&J]

I know the Olds in the mid 50s 324 had the round can shaped pump and tank mounted on the top driver side of motor, driven off the front belt.  The early Rocket 303 had a generator mounted there, but I don't know what year the generator was moved.  My 53 303 has the generator on the pass side.

 

If you get stuck, I can try to find some info in Olds parts books.  There may not be an illustration though.

[61polara]

I don't know what power steering unit your mechanic found, but I believe that in 1951 the steering column and gear box are one unit.  You will have to replace the steering column as well as the box unless you mechanic is using a Ford unit from the '50's or '60's.  1952 was the first year of GM power steering, so look at how it is mounted on a '52 Olds.

 

[Guest 1951Olds88]

3 hours ago, F&J said:

I know the Olds in the mid 50s 324 had the round can shaped pump and tank mounted on the top driver side of motor, driven off the front belt.  The early Rocket 303 had a generator mounted there, but I don't know what year the generator was moved.  My 53 303 has the generator on the pass side.

 

If you get stuck, I can try to find some info in Olds parts books.  There may not be an illustration though.

I will pass this one, so since it is a 303 and probably has the generator on the driver side, should the generator belt be extended with an idler and a longer belt to drive the pump?

Thnaks for the quick reply

[Guest 1951Olds88]

2 hours ago, 61polara said:

I don't know what power steering unit your mechanic found, but I believe that in 1951 the steering column and gear box are one unit.  You will have to replace the steering column as well as the box unless you mechanic is using a Ford unit from the '50's or '60's.  1952 was the first year of GM power steering, so look at how it is mounted on a '52 Olds.

 

Thanks for the quick reply, I will share this with the friend

 

Stefan

[Rusty_OToole]

May I suggest you have a good front end man go over the front suspension and steering, replace any worn parts and do an alignment? And if you have radial tires pump them up to 32 PSI? I know people who have done this and it took away all desire for power steering. Proper front end alignment makes a big difference and after all these years, they all need it.

 

When your car was built old ladies and grannies drove them. They were not hard to steer except at a dead stop, and then the cure was to have the car moving slightly when you turned the wheel.

[F&J]

8 hours ago, 1951Olds88 said:

I will pass this one, so since it is a 303 and probably has the generator on the driver side, should the generator belt be extended with an idler and a longer belt to drive the pump?

Thnaks for the quick reply

I am sure the one I had with PS, (324) , needs a second belt just for the P/S pump.

 

One thing about early 303 versus later 303, is the lower crank pulley.  The early one has no damper, it is just a cast iron 3 spoke, single belt.  The 53 303 I have here has a damper.  My 53 did not have P/S, but I will see if the damper has one or two belt grooves, but I think it has one.

 

I will see if the parts book shows the 303 pump, and look into the lower crank pulley situation.

  I will dig out my books by evening.

Edited July 13, 2016 by F&J (see edit history)

[F&J]

I found a perfect illustration in the Olds factory printed parts book of a 1953 303 power steering system.

One thing I spotted instantly is the exhaust crossover pipe is kicked forward for the bigger P/S box.  I looked up that pipe, and the book shows that it is a P/S-ONLY pipe.  Your pipe will not work, so if a repro is not available, you need to tow the finished swap to an exhaust shop that custom bends new pipes.

 

Also note that the pump requires the following:

-a later lower crank damper with 2 belt grooves. (this will be found on P/S engines from 53 to 56 only.  You cannot use the 57-up, as it is balanced differently).

-you need to remove the extra long timing pointer pin pressed into the front timing cover.  I've done that swap on a car here, and can look to see what I did for a new pointer

-there is a slight possibility that the two bolt bosses that the pump bracket fits to the intake manifold, "might" be a different height on one, but if so, you can use a spacer to get the pump level.

 

The major issue I can't look up in a parts book, is to know which P/S box and column you bought, will be the correct length at the dashboard entry, nor if your new column will fit into your dashboard brackets, etc.  I do not know when body shells were changed, as to cause differences.

 

On the steering box mount holes on your frame; I suppose we could look to see if a 51 manual steer box is the same as the "year" of the donor car your new box came from.  If it was the same, I would think the mounting holes in both years would be the same.

 

This is not a weekend project, unless you had a complete donor car there, with the same body shell and same dashboard.  If you don't have a complete P/S donor car, you will likely find things that pop up that you did not expect.

 

---as far as what to expect from this swap:  These early P/S Oldsmobiles have a very "light" road feel, and what I call, a "wide ratio" steering system.  It will NOT feel like your 1977 Olds.   Two things can be changed to add more "road feel".  You can have the car alignment changed to add more positive caster, that will help.  You can also try either bias or radials as a test.  You can lower the front tire pressure somewhat, but not too low to cause excessive tire heating.

 

Would I do this swap?  As some of us know, we get somewhat frail in our older years, and need power assist brakes and steering.  So, in that case, I would do the swap if you need it.

 

Let me know if you need more info, and I might be able to find a pump or get some info on who might have some parts. 

 

EDIT:  You also need that two groove water pump pulley.  It is impossible to run the P/S and generator with ONE belt.  And look to see where your generator is.  If it is like the 49-50 on the driver side, you need to move it to the passenger side.  It may require a different exhaust manifold on the pass side that has generator mounts.  If so, I might have one. I'm just not sure without looking, to know how the 53 generator is bolted on.

 

Second EDIT:  I see where you considered the Chevy style late 50s to early 60s P/S pump mounted to the generators backside.  I would think this cannot work.  The Olds box is called "integral P/S" and the early Chevy is "Power assisted manual box" with a small hydraulic push/pull cylinder at the tie rods.  The pressures and flow rates must be a lot different in my opinion.  The Olds has a much larger fluid reservoir compared to that tiny Chevy pump.  That hints that the Chevy pump on an Olds box will overheat quickly, if it even works at all.

 

Edited July 13, 2016 by F&J
adding (see edit history)

[Guest 1951Olds88]

Thanks again for this info, I am printing it out and sending to to Mr. Eller

 

Stefan