Friday, July 23, 2010
Remaining Parts for Accessory Overhaul
The remaining parts needed for the accessory overhaul arrived today. I bought the parts from the local dealer primarily because I wanted to simplify handling of the core charge refunds. The dealer's parts guys were kind enough to extend a 20% discount to me so the alternator cost $471 ($589 retail) while the power steering pump cost $333 ($417 retail). I also picked up a few extra fasteners I neglected to pick up in the last Tischer order for around $6, which brought the total to $810. I also paid core charges of $50 for the alternator and $60 for the pump but I'll naturally get those back when I return the cores after the work is complete.
While the ETK indicates only the power steering pump is remanufactured, as the pictures show the alternator is remanufactured as well. I have heard stories about the relative quality of Bosch rebuilds and one site went so far as to disassemble an Bosch overhauled alternator to find it equipped with cheap Chinese bearings. Will I get the same lifespan out of this remanufactured alternator? Time will tell. Fortunately the rebuilt pump looks as good as new and feels like it should go the distance.
 The alternator comes like this out of the box. The tag warns the installer to disconnect both battery cables from the battery to prevent diode damage. |
 This URO Parts aluminum power steering pulley is an exact copy of the OE plastic piece and mates tightly with the hub of the pump. |
 This should be a plug and play replacement. Notice the pressure rating of the pump, which explains why flushing power steering fluid is best done with the pump shut off. |
You may note that the alternator does not come with a pulley. This means I'll need to swap the pulley from the old unit using my air ratchet. The power steering pulley is, of course, being replaced with a new aftermarket aluminum unit as shown. After checking the fit of the new pulley on the pump the plastic pulley I bought earlier from the dealer was returned for credit.
Mileage: 194575, Parts: $810, Parts Saved: $202