# B13 OEM Power Steering Removal



## veedubxlr8r (Dec 29, 2004)

Looking for information on converting a OEM-equipped B13 with power steering to OEM non-power steering setup.

What I need to know is this: What modifications/parts do I need to "downgrade" for an OEM fit?

-My car has three belts:
1. A/C
2. Alternator
3. PS Pump and Water Pump.

-Sentras w/out PS have two belts:
1. A/C
2. Alternator and Water Pump.

More specifically, what do i need to have to get the Alternator to line up with the Water Pump? or vice versa? Can anyone confirm that an alternator bracket from the Sentra E will move the alternator in line?

I doubt a different water pump setup was utilized, but I have nothing to disprove this.

I do realize a manual rack is necessary. Skip that part.

I want information from people who KNOW what they're talking about. I want real info. Please, no off-topic stories or "just do this" suggestions. There are NO useful posts on this subject that I can find. Info from Nissan Technicians or Parts employees would be GREAT!


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## greenbean699 (Jan 18, 2004)

you take the p/s belt off and go to the part store and buy a non p/s alternator belt.

put the belt on the water pump and alternator.


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## kizer24 (Mar 23, 2008)

Im wondering about this also, but from what I can see the alignment is pretty far off. Im not sure just using the other belt will work. At least not for long.


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## greenbean699 (Jan 18, 2004)

well i just took off my p/s on my ga16de and routed belt to the water pump and alternator without any problems. this engine came stock without p/s and i added it later. but i have removed it cuz i dont like p/s on the sentra's. 

unless the brackets are different, i dont see a problem.
someone else may know.


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## kizer24 (Mar 23, 2008)

Yeah im pretty sure there is a difference in the brackets. I just found a manual rack for 75 and am looking to change that out. I hear you on the power steering on these cars. Mine is way to soft. I prefer a little more resistance when riving a little more aggressive.


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## veedubxlr8r (Dec 29, 2004)

The brackets have to be different. Cars *WITH FACTORY P/S* have ALTERNATORS and WATER PUMPS that DO NOT LINE UP.

*there are two crank pulleys available for these engines*
--- some are 3-belt design, some only 2-belt

BOTH designs support A/C operation, difference is:
--- 3-belt design supported factory P/S
--- 2-belt does not have factory P/S

As i stated earlier, my P/S pump and water pump are on ONE belt. They line up with the 2nd (middle) grooved section of (my 3-belt) crank pulley.

My Alternator runs on a completely separate belt from all other pulleys. It is on the 3rd belt section, closest to the engine.

(A/C also had its separate belt, but that has been removed)

The only way to eliminate the P/S pump (that I can see) is to MOVE the alternator more towards the drivers side of the engine bay. This has to move a good 20mm or so. The reason this has to be done, is because by eliminating the factory P/S pump, the water pump belt tensioner is eliminated.

*by adding the alternator setup to the water pump and crank pulley, the alternators tensioner bracket can be utilized to tighten the water pump belt*

You know what would be great? If someone could give me a VIN code from a factory non-p/s car... so I can go to the Nissan dealer and look up the parts differences between the cars. If anyone can go to a junkyard or find a parts car like this, it would be the best bet of figuring this out.

Pictures of non-p/s setups would be great!!

keep this thread going...


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## Sentra E (Oct 16, 2007)

I will be getting started on swapping the engine and trans from a '93 Sentra XE that is a factory P/S car into my '92 Sentra E that is a factory non P/S car this weekend. I will make a note of exactly what the differences are for you guys, and get pictures. 

My Sentra E's VIN is 1N4EB32A2NC773233 if that helps anyone with the VIN codes and what not.


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## greenbean699 (Jan 18, 2004)

veedubxlr8r said:


> The brackets have to be different.
> 
> The only way to eliminate the P/S pump (that I can see) is to MOVE the alternator more towards the drivers side of the engine bay. This has to move a good 20mm or so. The reason this has to be done, is because by eliminating the factory P/S pump, the water pump belt tensioner is eliminated.


I took a ga16de w/out p/s and added the p/s bracket and 3 groove crank pulley.
I ran this setup for a year or so, then the pump went bad. so now i took and put the 2 groove crank pulley back on and I am just running the alternator, water pump. I never changed the alternator bracket. 

but according to this: 230 Alternator Fitting :: Engine Electrical :: Genuine Nissan Parts :: Sentra / NX (B13) 1991-1994 :: CourtesyParts.com

they have 2 different brackets and i have the p/s bracket on my car now.
i just took off the p/s pump and got the belt for a non-p/s engine.


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## greenbean699 (Jan 18, 2004)

just another thought, you could put your alternator where your p/s was, not sure how hard it would be on the GA engine but i did it on my CA and all i had to do was fab up a adjusting bracket. you might be able to use the adjusting bracket from the p/s pump, i dunno i have not looked into it.


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## veedubxlr8r (Dec 29, 2004)

Although that's definitely not the kind of answer i'm looking for... i like your idea. Might have to lengthen a few wires, but at the same time it would get the alternator away from the header. My stainless header is only about 1/4" away from the alternator right now (using a different bracket would put it about 1" away, like i want to do).

I'll check into it this weekend if i can.


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## kizer24 (Mar 23, 2008)

My alternator has to be moved towards the passenger side... I am looking at fabing a bracket so I can get rid of the AC/Alternator bracket that weighs a ton. So from what im getting from this post. I can run the WP and ALT on the same belt with no probs right? Just one belt for the accessories... Oh and I have a UD pulley so thats what I think is the difference for my alternator.


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## greenbean699 (Jan 18, 2004)

yes you can run just 1 belt. 

on my CA i actually cut the lower half of my bracket off to get ti out of the way and to reduce weight.


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## kizer24 (Mar 23, 2008)

greenbean699 said:


> yes you can run just 1 belt.
> 
> on my CA i actually cut the lower half of my bracket off to get ti out of the way and to reduce weight.


Yeah Ive heard of people cutting it, but you still have half of the heavy bracket. Then I still have the issue of aligning the pulleys to run one belt...


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## greenbean699 (Jan 18, 2004)

cut the bolt holes so you can slide the bracket as much as you need then tighten. 

tho i like the idea of making a new lighter bracket.


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## kizer24 (Mar 23, 2008)

Yeah that idea jumped in my head when I was looking at the bracket. That thing is massive and it really wont be to hard to make a bracket. Just finding the time and right tools is the issue.


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## veedubxlr8r (Dec 29, 2004)

Okay. This thread was designated for OEM factory power steering removal.

I'm not looking to fabricate brackets OR make 3/4" longs slots in the factory cast steel bracket. Besides, slotting it to that extent would move the bracket beyond the bolt holes, and likewise look, fit, and work like ass.

By all means, someone go ahead and attempt it. I won't ruin my parts because someone suggested I do so without even looking under the hood of their own car to see that THIS WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE to accomplish.

At the beginning of this thread, I stated very clearly what I was looking for and what type of advise that I was NOT looking for. Before posting, it's really beneficial to read the ENTIRE thread before adding misleading and irrelevant posts.

Back to the topic of discussion.

Next time i hit the nissan dealer, i'm gonna look for part 11710, from this diagram (kudos to "greenbean699" for this):
230 Alternator Fitting :: Engine Electrical :: Genuine Nissan Parts :: Sentra / NX (B13) 1991-1994 :: CourtesyParts.com

the non-power steering bracket in the big picture shares part numbers with the power steering bracket in the little picture, but there will be a difference in Nissan's parts catalog at the dealer.

And I'll bring the VIN to "Sentra E's" car, because I know they'll be asking for one. That should narrow it down. I'll post results when I get them.


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## kizer24 (Mar 23, 2008)

Well I was giving you a way to do this and also remove a 8 pound useless bracket. As for doing it with factory parts, someone already posted that the difference was in the pulley. Go to a junkyard and try to find a stock pulley that is on a car that had no powersteering from the factory. AND I have looked under the hood of my car many times while thinking about this post and fabing a bracket.


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## Sentra E (Oct 16, 2007)

Here's what I found. The large cast bracket that the A/C compressor and Alternator mount to are definitely different between P/S and non P/S cars, and the difference *IS* in where the alternator is positioned. The non P/S bracket aligns the alternator pulley with the water pump pulley, where as the P/S bracket aligns it with another pulley on the crank shaft pulley that runs the alternator only. 

Also, the water pump pulley on the non P/S car is bigger around then the P/S car. And then of course ,the P/S cars have the 3 groove crank pulley where as the non P/S has the 2 groove. 

So, you will need the 2 groove crank pulley, water pump pulley, and the cast bracket that the A/C compressor bolts to in order to convert a P/S car to non P/S. 

For the record, I did try to just bolt the A/C compressor bracket and water pump pulley from the non P/S car onto the engine that had P/S, without changing the 3 groove crank pulley. The serpentine belt off the non P/S car is too short, because the diameter of the middle groove on the 3 groove crank pulley is smaller then that of the 2 groove.


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## veedubxlr8r (Dec 29, 2004)

now THAT's what i'm looking for

Sentra E, did you try using the non P/S belt with the 3 groove crank pully, p/s water pump pulley, and non p/s alternator bracket?

if the non p/s water pump pulley is larger than the p/s water pump pulley, i'm wondering if the belt may fit without changing diameters of the crank and water pump pulleys


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## kizer24 (Mar 23, 2008)

or u can go to the auto parts store and get a longer belt.


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## Sentra E (Oct 16, 2007)

I did, and the belt was too short.

I made a mistake in my last post, I meant to say the the NON P/S belt is too LONG, not too short. The factory P/S belt is too short. I tried pretty much every combination of pulleys and belts to try and get a working combination without having to change the 3 groove crank pulley out, but couldn't come up with anything. The closest I got was to use the NON P/S water pump pulley and A/C bracket with the NON P/S belt. The NON P/S belt was maybe a half inch too long with the alternator extended out as far as it would go at the adjustment, and this was due to the the 3 groove pulley having a smaller diameter then the 2 groove. If you could get a belt maybe an inch or so shorter then the factory non P/S belt, then it would work.


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## veedubxlr8r (Dec 29, 2004)

kizer24:

i'd like to clarify that i'm not saying a bracket could NOT be fabricated, i meant that the factory bracket could not be altered effectively to be used in this case

besides, you're NOT giving anyone a way to remove an 8 pound useless bracket, for a couple of simple reasons. that "useless" bracket has a couple advantages, even without an a/c compressor mounted. one. it serves as an exterior brace to the engine case, as all engines flex thousandths of an inch during operation (especially ones with non-structural [stamped metal] oil pans). two. it's also a nice little heat sink to suck some heat away from the case (we want heat in the combustion chamber, NOT outside the cylinders). three. you won't be getting rid of "8 pounds"... you'll be removing 8 pounds, and REPLACING about half. so, for a couple hours work of cutting, welding, and drilling... and ending up with a bracket that's 3 lbs lighter, you can shave 0.005 seconds off your 1/4 mile time (given the general theory that a car lightened by 100lbs can average a 0.100 second quicker 1/4 mile time).

AND, nobody posted that the stock pulley (by which we'll assume harmonic balancer [crank pulley], since you did not specify) was the sole solution to the issue at hand.

"Sentra E" stated (i realize this was following "kizer24"s post):

"So, you will need the 2 groove crank pulley, water pump pulley, and the cast bracket that the A/C compressor bolts to in order to convert a P/S car to non P/S."

I have yet to 100% verify this resolution. My hours have been cut at work, and my junkyard sentra racecar has been put on hold.


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## dreadsword (Dec 2, 2002)

Resurrecting this thread. Did anyone ever find a definitive solution to PS elimination?


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## veedubxlr8r (Dec 29, 2004)

Thanks for keeping it alive. I watch this post every time it's updated, when I can.

I was never able to finish the project. My Sentra has seen better days, and I need to do a little engine work before I worry about dropping money into this type of a project. It also doesn't help that I have a list of other projects to finish, bills to pay, and a garage that I'm trying to buy off of my landlord.

By the time I get around to it, the parts may be discontinued from Nissan. But as of my last post, the parts listed towards the end should be everything to do this conversion.

My suggestion is to hit junkyards and try to pick up the dealer-only brackets and parts. Belts should be no problem at local auto stores.


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## zacward (Aug 23, 2009)

Power Steering Elimination kit

You guys havent thought of something like this yet? Its basically just replaces the p/s pump with an idler pulley and you switch out the steering racks.


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## TheBrownRobert (Aug 28, 2007)

I've dabbled into the idea of downgrading to manual steering and that kit looks like the easiest way from what I've seen. The only problem is it's almost $200 just for a pully mounted on a metal block. Sheesh!

I wonder if it would be possible to find a busted P/S pump and gut it somehow so it acts like an idler pully. I checked eBay and there are plenty of pumps for under $50, some as low as $20 plus shipping.


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## yomama (Jul 9, 2010)

Hi guys. new to the site. but i am currently working on my project now. my friend told me that the easy way to solve the belt problem is to flip the pulley on the water pump so it is aligned to the other grooves on the crank shaft so you can run the belt to the alternator. just buy a bigger belt.


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## southforkff (Sep 30, 2015)

@the brown robert, did you ever find out if gutting the pump would work?


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