Where to source Saginaw PS pump rotor and vane kit?

[vlad01]

Hi all,

Since prices of basic parts and services have gone through the roof. What used to be a $100 outright for a "rebuilt" PS pump for the Holden V6, which most often were only a clean up, maybe a new pressure valve and a seal kit. Now they are asking close to 300 and exchange for just a seal kit run through them (kit costs about $30 so wtf!).

I pulled one completely apart the other day to see if I can easily do it myself, 20min I had it fully disassembled and other than the seals, the only wear parts I see is the rotor and vanes themselves.

I thought, surely. I can do a full overhaul much better than those exchange ones you get for way less and it will literally be like new.

Upon disassembling I noticed the Saginaw logo in the casting so this made it very easy to identify.

However, seems rotor/vane kits are non existent? Surely not. The pump appears to have been very common on most GM cars of this and earlier era including the Corvette. So what gives?

I found this listing which is out of stock for the exact rotor/vane that mine uses, the 2 sets of holes, completely round (although this doesn't seem critical) and has those 3 small identification dimples?

I already have a random seal kit I found in the shed. Would be great if I can get new vanes and rotor as all my PS pumps eventually start to cause a steering shudder and front wheel hop like feeling when flying around a rough corner (100% a PS pump issue despite thinking it was a suspension problem years ago).

The aftermarket pumps they sell now are garbage. Put one on my nephews 4Runner which has the Buick v6 conversion, the pump has basically shit itself after only a few weeks. Noisy as hell and only works intermittently , despite full of clean fluid.

Screenshot 2023-09-17 at 12-11-26 saginaw power steering vane and rotor kit - Google Search.png (218.07 KiB) Viewed 2787 times

[immortality]

I feel your pain, I've had the same issues. Much rather buy the parts than get it done "professionally". Like you, I've not found a source for the rotor/vane parts. These are the only wear parts (other than tired seals) I ever see on old pumps.

[vlad01]

So many basic parts are just garbage too these days. Very frustrating!

[Gampy]

What irritates me is how many people I hear/see say this, yet that same person is doing it themselves, they make something, it's sub par but it works, it's good enough and they move on ...

Not saying this is any of you, just in general ...

-Enjoy

[The1]

Ive never seen rotor and vane kits for em. Ive just junked a few used pumps to make one good one, put in a new seal kit and run with it.

But yeh parts prices arn't to bad, add some company to "rebuild" something now days and it's 1000x the price and probably not even done properly.

[vlad01]

The one I pulled apart was actually a good unit that I changed because the whining sound I thought was the PS pump was actually just the oil pump whine due to higher than average oil pressure.

The replacement is the one that is giving me hard cornering shudder. So I figured I pull the good one apart and see what they look like. Simple enough and I gave the outer "cam ring"as they are called a polish over with some 2000 wet/dry by rolling it with a cylindrical object with the paper on it on the inside like a rolling pin action. This was to take off any microscopic high points. I found 2 spots that have chatter marks, I suspect this is what eventually causes them to shudder on high load, but this pump still worked well, even with nearly 400K on it.


I also lapped the vanes until the lapping action no longer felt sandy and went like glass. This was the same 2000 paper on a sheet of glass and water/detergent. I also figured that flipping the vanes over the sliding action of the vane inside the cam ring felt way smoother, as it's basically a brand new surface, evident by the slight greenish heat treated look remaining on that edge.


When I have a free day next I will put it back together with all new seals and call it done. Unfortunately with no real parts available this is the best I can do. But I would love to find a rotor and vane kit for a reasonable price, I found one in the US that looks like it might work but it's over 100 AUD and then some for shipping. It's a GM genuine kit. when I google the part number, only that and one other on ebay come up. They are very old stock by the looks.

The number is 650695

I think when funds allow I might get one and see if it's the part in question. Unless something else like a whole pump comes up for reasonable price.

I'd like to have one or two to keep my good cars running without much attention.