[Ivan D.]

Originally Posted by Mr79C10

OH GREAT......... So how can you tell what year your pump was made? Im doing the same thing installing power steering on my ride. Only I have a L6 just got the brackets and I did get this pump (used) and the dude I got it from said late 70's early 80's pump..
Hmmmm,,?

Have you ever noticed how double-flared brake line fittings look where the brake line attaches and seals to them? Well, them that's what you're looking for - look down the high-pressure port of the pump, if you see something that looks like a huge double-flare brake line fitting then you have a '70s pump. The '80s pumps look like the A/C radiator ports, they have a flat face and line actually slides in them and there's an o-ring that seals the step formed on the line to the fitting's face, then the nut just keeps everything pressed together tightly. Really tho, it ain't that big of a problem:

- if you have an '80s truck and a 70's pump then cut off the pump side of the pressure line and double flare, reuse the pump's original nut
- if you have a '70s truck with a an '80s pump then cut the steering box end of the pressure line and double-flare that, reuse steering box's original nut

No matter which situation you have you should always use an '80s pressure line, as its o-ringed end can be made into double-flared ends, but there ain't no way to make a double-flared end of a '70s pressure line into an o-ringed end for an '80s system component. In my truck I run a hydro-boost off an '80s 1-ton diesel, for that I had to cut and double-flare one end of both the line from the pump to the booster and the line from the booster to the steering box, worked well and I have no noticeable leaks.