School Bus Power Steering Pump Front Seal

This is a Haldex 2 stage Power Steering Pump removed from one of our 1998 Pusher School Buses. The problem found was the power steering level was rising on it's own. No, it's not magic but a front seal allowing engine oil to enter the pump suction side.

The power steering pump is bolted in tandem to the rear of the air compressor which has an open crankcase with lots of engine oil being splashed about. Since the suction side of the pump is facing in this direction, if the seal is faulty engine oil will enter the pump and end up in the power steering reservoir.

One quick check to confirm this is the engine oil is black as usual from hydrocarbons while P.S. oil is standard 10w30 engine oil so there is a noticeable difference from the normal appearance.
To change the seal the pump must be removed and the front housing taken off. Always mark the pump stages before dis-assembly for easy reassembly.

With the end housing taken off the seal snap ring can be removed then the front seal can be easily replaced. This pump operates not only the power steering but the hydraulic fan motor as well. There are 2 output ports on the pump which supply pressure oil to run the 2 systems. This pump is mainly found on the 3116 cat Engines in our fleet & work very well in normal day to day operations.

Perkins Diesel Engine Assembly

The Perkins diesel engine has been around a long time and I'm very impressed with this engine assembly video. If you notice the front timing gears, they are literally bulletproof. Much more durable than a timing belt on a fuel injected vehicle.

The pistons are one piece opposed to the 2 piece units that are usually installed on higher horsepower engines. The injectors are a hydraulic type that actuate under extremely high pressures. At the right time the fuel injection pump delivers high pressure fuel out each injection line at the exact time to the next injector in line on the combustion stroke or power stroke.

Diesel engines can take a licking alright but still need good maintenance. Once you get carbon buildup from lack of maintenance you're looking at poor valve and injector performance and hydrocarbons galore eating away at engine components. So oil changes, fuel filter and air filter replacement and regular valve sets are key to avoiding trouble down the road.

Enjoy The Show!

Deutz Engine Assembly - Animated Version

Deutz Engines are a quality engine and here is an amazing animated video showing the assembly of an automotive 4 cylinder model. I believe this one is a 2.0 Litre displacement. You'll notice the double overhead cam construction which is run off a timing chain run off the crankshaft. This looks easy with fancy graphics but don't be fooled!


I would love to have this type of software when assembling an engine especially a Deutz Engine Assembly.