LS swap Power steering.

[Nate52]

Does anyone know what the stock 1980 K5 Blazer Power steering gearbox requires as far as pressure and flow? I found some information on the pump I plan to use (off of a 1999 6.0 2500). It should be around 3-3.5 GPM and 1350-1450 psi for the pump. I need to make them match one way or another.

 

[Bent77]

Those will work together

 

[TreeFarm]

Just connect your factory hose from the truck to the ls power steering pump. It’ll work.

EDIT. for anyone else reading this. This only applies to 1980 and up trucks. In79 they switched from sae to metric fittings. If you have a 79 and older truck you will need a 80 and up box and hose to match the pump or to switch the output fitting on the pump to sae to match your hose and box. Just take the fitting out of your old pump and put it in the new pump

 

[Nate52]

I’ll check power steering off my list then. Thanks for the help

 

[K85 Octane]

How about someone that has a PSC pump on a serpentine belt set up going to an LS? Will the pump bolt up?

 

[TreeFarm]

Depends on what pump you have from PSC. A stock style replacement will be a P style pump. If this is the case the pumps themself are the same. A Saginaw P pump is just a Saginaw p pump. This pump is the same on the truck LS platform and the square body. The difference is the reservoir and some pumps have some of the mount points not drilled and tapped. So if your pump has all the mounts drilled and tapped. It will bolt up. Wether or not your Psc reservoir will work is dependent on if it fits in the LS brackets. If it doesn’t fit you can put your pump in the LS reservoir.

if you got a different style pump, like a TC pump or a type 2 pump. Then the mounts will be different.

 

[8seater]

Ok what if you, want a ls swap with hydroboost brakes and hydro steer

EDIT. for anyone else reading this. This only applies to 1980 and up trucks. In79 they switched from sae to metric fittings. If you have a 79 and older truck you will need a 80 and up box and hose to match the pump or to switch the output fitting on the pump to sae to match your hose and box. Just take the fitting out of your old pump and put it in the new pump

 

[TreeFarm]

Ok what if you, want a ls swap with hydroboost brakes and hydro steer

You will use the factory hydro boost hoses from the truck assuming its 1980 and up. Same statement applies for the year split. The fittings are all the same 1980 and up. the LS power steering pump is close enough to the factory SBC location that the hoses reach. so PS pump to hydro boost unit, then hydro boost unit to Steering box. its about 50/50 on if the application that the LS was pulled from came factory with hydro boost. if it did the reservoir will already have two return ports, one for the box, and one for the hydro boost. IF the engine you have doesn't have two return ports, you can either get a reservoir that does, or just T your two return lines together. Ideally your ps box will be the straight through and the hydroboost will be the T since it only flows when brakes are applied and its a tiny port.

if by hyrdo steer you mean hydro assist, that's all done in the steering box, nothing really do do with the engine. if you mean full hydro steering, again done in the orbital valve.

There is a lot of mystery about power steering pumps. People swear by PSC pumps and other name brands. The fact is that for the Saginaw P style pump(OEM for the square body and LS truck motors) there are only a few types of castings. and while PSC rebuilds their pumps to the "highest" standard. they are internally no different than a oem or part store pump. they just have flow and pressure mods done and maybe use better seals. People have torn them down and measured them on pirate to prove this. When it comes to upgraded pumps staying with a P style doesn't get you much improvement. going to a TC pump is where its at these days.

 

[Bent77]

You will use the factory hydro boost hoses from the truck assuming its 1980 and up. Same statement applies for the year split. The fittings are all the same 1980 and up. the LS power steering pump is close enough to the factory SBC location that the hoses reach. so PS pump to hydro boost unit, then hydro boost unit to Steering box. its about 50/50 on if the application that the LS was pulled from came factory with hydro boost. if it did the reservoir will already have two return ports, one for the box, and one for the hydro boost. IF the engine you have doesn't have two return ports, you can either get a reservoir that does, or just T your two return lines together. Ideally your ps box will be the straight through and the hydroboost will be the T since it only flows when brakes are applied and its a tiny port.

if by hyrdo steer you mean hydro assist, that's all done in the steering box, nothing really do do with the engine. if you mean full hydro steering, again done in the orbital valve.

There is a lot of mystery about power steering pumps. People swear by PSC pumps and other name brands. The fact is that for the Saginaw P style pump(OEM for the square body and LS truck motors) there are only a few types of castings. and while PSC rebuilds their pumps to the "highest" standard. they are internally no different than a oem or part store pump. they just have flow and pressure mods done and maybe use better seals. People have torn them down and measured them on pirate to prove this. When it comes to upgraded pumps staying with a P style doesn't get you much improvement. going to a TC pump is where its at these days.

When I ordered a pump from PSC, the tech dept was adamant that there was no pressure boost done. I confirmed this with an in-line pressure gage. Then tore it apart and boosted it and drilled the fitting to feed the hydro assist

 

[rderosier]

I run a 5.3 with hydro boost and hydro assist steering. The PSC pump was for a TBI serpentine setup, I changed the pully and it bolted right up and hoses all fit. No mods to the PSC pump.