Thanks for the response(s) guys. No intention of having bad forum manners, I just have read too many threads that drag out with 100 questions just to get to the bottom of the issues, that's why I was specific in listing the issues.
No offense to PYTHON. I respect you for your mad stats, I am just still looking for more feedback on some of the questions I posted. I ran about 6 searches and they really turned up nothing definitive, that why the post is so deep.
Look forward to more dialogue...I've ordered the ps pump, after learning through other posts that bad ones kill alternators.
92;
It's unfortunate because this should have been a sticky along time ago.........
The root cause of your problem is the filter that is on the Power Steering Rack Solenoid. It is clogged and needs to be cleaned. When it's clogged, it causes the discharge pressure of the power steering pump to increase to the point where the pump leaks fluid onto alternator and kills it. Don't even bother replacing the pump until you clean the filter on the solenoid.
When you replace the P/S pump, hang on to the old one awhile before you return it for the core. Chances are good you will have to scavenge the flow control valve (NOT the Air Control Valve) out of the old pump. When you install the new pump, it could have the wrong valve in it, resulting in stiff steering. Provided you haven't returned the old one for the core, you can take the old FCV out of the old pump and put it into the new pump, which fixes the problem.
Myself and probably 40 other people have written about this. This subject comes up every 2 to 3 weeks..............
Thanks thread. I am assuming that solenoid is the black shock looking part just topside of the rack and pinion assembly??...looks fairly simple to remove it?? based on what you have said, do you think the pump is salvagable once the pressure backs down, or the seals are blown for good??