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FML a losers guide to hydroboost


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Let me start by saying sorry for the long ass post. Read at your own risk. foul language inside

 

Ok I did a hydroboost conversion on my truck a couple of week ago and have been having nothing but problems with it. Along the way I learned a few things I didn't see anyone talk about that I would like to share for people like me.

 

First my truck is a 2005 VHO and in looking for a hydroboost I saw that from years 2000-02 had one hydroboost part number and from 03-06 had a different part number. Looking at pictures I couldn't see any real difference. I tried finding one from a 03-06 locally but none of the junk yards I contacted sold them as a complete kit. So to make a long story short I found a 2000 complete kit from brake pedal to power steering pump and I bought it. I planed on using my old master cylinder but the difference from a 2000-02 hydroboost and a 03-06 is the two master cylinder bolts on a 03-06 are wider apart than the 2000-02 modela. so that was my first problem I had to change master cylinders.

 

Second problem and this one was the real mother ****er for me. When I got my used kit I got another used hydroboost model power steering pump with it, so I figured I might as well use that one. I thought it would be cleaner install if I didn't Tee my return line and would just be better to the correct style pump. I used the hydroboost pump and the damn thing whined like a son of a bitch. Rather than putting my old nonhydroboost pump back on using the TEE method I decided to get a remanufactured one from auto zone. I put that one on and it whined too. ****. So I figured I'd try another remanufactured pump. I bought another one and upon inspecting it before I put it on I noticed one of the return lines was bent up closer towards the reservoir and kinked. ****. so I exchanged that one before ever installing it on my truck. Now I have my third remanufactured pump and put that one on. In the process of installing the pulley on that one I noticed it had a shit load of play on the shaft the pulley presses on. I figured it was shit but considering the pulley was the last thing to install, I might as well try it. That one a complete piece of garbage whined the worst of them all and neither my power steering or brakes worked right. ****

 

At this point I'm like **** this autozone shit I'm gonna get me a new pump so I went to Oreilly's. I went to one Oreilly's and they told me that they didn't have any new pumps but another store about 10 miles away has a new hydroboost pump for me. I'm like **** it I got to fix it now so I drive over to the other store to get the new pump and when I get there they don't have any new ones. Only remanufactured ones. ****. Since I need another pump one way or another I get the pump from them, so I get one. In the process of getting the remanufactured one from Oreilly's I realized that I didn't have a core anymore because I had already returned the original one to Autozone 2 weeks ago and I needed to return the one I had currently on my to get my money back for that one. ****. I need a another pump though so I eat the core charge on that one. ****. In my checkout I ask if they have a power steering pulley puller I could rent. They're all out and the only other Oreilly's that has one is the one I originally went to. **** So I drive back to that Oreilly's and my brakes aren't working for shit but what brakes I did have I had to use to brake torque around corners to get my power steering to work.....IT SUCKED. ****

 

Anyway on the way to that Oreilly's I decide to stop by the Autozone I returned my original core to, to see how they would handle that once I returned the shit pump I had on my truck. They basically told me I'm ****ed. I could return everything and get all my money back but I'm out a core which is about 40 or 50 bucks. ****. Now I'm even more pissed but at least I got a number to the corporate office and the managers name at that Autozone. Gonna call and bitch tomorrow. Now it back to the first Oreilly's to the pulley puller.

 

I get back home start changing my pump again. I get everything off and I notice the pump from Oreilly's had a cracked rubber oring in between the reservoir housing and the pump itself. I'm like MOTHER ****ER. After a moment of reflection I realize I could just steal the one from the Autozone pump. Now I'm thinking I'm good to go. I started to swap the rear bracket from one pump to another and MOTHER ****ER again. The Oreilly's pump had a slightly different return line and I could not get the bracket that mounts to the back of the pump to fit on that pump. I wanted to kill somebody.

 

At that point I had 3 pumps still at my house though. The shit one, the Oreilly one that didn't fit, and my very first non hydroboost pump that I didn't want to TEE off the return lines on in the first place. Without any real options at this point I put my original non hydroboost pump back on my truck using at TEE fitting from some air compressor hoses and BOOM everthing works, no whine, perfect. I'm still out my hydroboost core and probably a good 40 bucks in power steering fluid from all the times I changed my pump but at least everything is quiet and working right.

 

Now if anyone actually takes the time to read all this, well I feel as sorry for you as I do for myself but the real moral of the story is.......Remanufactured power steering pumps are SHIT ****ING GARBAGE. If you do a hydroboost conversion and you have a good non hydroboost pump unless you are 100% positive you have a good hydroboost pump don't ****ing change it, just TEE the return line and what ever you do, do not get a piece of shit remanufactured pump. they are pure garbage.

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word to the wise. DO NOT BUY THESE PUMPS FROM AUTOZONE.. go spend the expensive price tag at a dealer and get a NEW GM PUMP.. it will work like a CHARM.

in addition, pay attention to the type of hydroboost unit you get. in addition to your issue with the master cylinder, you will find out that not all lines fit the same.

the upper line that screws into your unit, is DIFFERENT from a truck to van.. trust me.. i know.. i went through that.

i went though 2 autozone pumps. one literally went out in TEN FEET after i installed it.. once i put in a genuine expensive GM pump.. been fine.. goin on 2 years.

 

also a warning.. pay REAL CLOSE attention to your safety clip for your pedal.. you dont want to know why im telling you that.. just pay CLOSE attention to it so you know its on 100%.

i jb welded mine on with a bolt and washers.. because....

Edited by Mr.Scary (see edit history)
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Yeah honestly it's not a very difficult swap if you have all the right shit and a good pump.

 

I had 5 different hydroboost pumps and for one reason or another not a single one was I able to use. **** it's been a long day I got up at 7am to do this today to try to beat the Phoenix AZ heat and I just went back out there to swap a better Tee in the return line now the engine has cooled off a little. BTW it takes a while for shit to cool down when it's over 100 degrees outside.

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I just did the hydroboost swap and tee'ed in to my original non hydroboost pump and now it is whining I completely understand your frustration I am so mad about it now I have to figure out why its whining, plus pumps are pain in the ass to replace with a procharger.

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I just did the hydroboost swap and tee'ed in to my original non hydroboost pump and now it is whining I completely understand your frustration I am so mad about it now I have to figure out why its whining, plus pumps are pain in the ass to replace with a procharger.

yes they are, but please trust me.. get a new pump from your dealer made for a hydroboost setup.. you'll find it works out in your favor.

the thing i hate about the non hydro pumps is no bracket on the back to connect it to the block

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I just did the hydroboost swap and tee'ed in to my original non hydroboost pump and now it is whining I completely understand your frustration I am so mad about it now I have to figure out why its whining, plus pumps are pain in the ass to replace with a procharger.

I hear ya. I've been trying to get mine all ironed out before the turbo build starts because I don't want to have to dick around with my cold side plumbing to change another pump. I'm still contemplating buying a brand new pump to go in when it's all apart for the turbo. The pump I put back on has over 90k miles on it right now.

do you notice any sloppy play in your pedal after the swap?

 

Hmmmmmmm I don't want to jinx myself but no not yet.

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