Yesterday I decided to change the power steering belt on my Maxima. Well I went through hell trying to take the belt off and putting it on. After all the profanity, stress and time wasted I figured out how to do it. But the end result was an unsuccessful install due to a bent bolt (tensioner) and a cross threaded bolt that holds the p/s pump. Well I ordered the parts so that means down time for my car that I can't have. Too many reasons as to why but anyways I figured why not run my car without p/s. Anyways as of now my car is on jack stands and after testing the feel of the car by turning the steering wheel it feels normal, like as if I had p/s. I am going on a road test but my question is has anyone had to run there car, any car for that matter without power steering for a while, for what ever reaon other than the car just not being equipped with power stearing. Will I cause any bad to go wrong. I doubt I'll have any bad side effects but I can't be too sure so I thought I ask. The whole system is in tact other than the belt. Thanks guys. Take care.

 

I hope you got forearms like Popeye. If you run the pump with no fluid, you will probably ruin it.

 

It's gonna be a pain to steer the car, especially low speed. Very Very hard to turn the wheel. It happened to me when my power steering was leaking and I've noticed the change of feel. Luckily I caught the leak, it was a crack hose wrapped around the exhaust. Fixed under warranty.

 

Thanks guys for replying. Well now that I got a chance to drive it, it is a pain to steer. Jeff92se, thanks for reminding me, I forgot that I move the resevoir out of the way and had it tilting down. Well fluid leaked out and when I came back to work on the car again, there was a puddle of fluid so I am below the minimum. Good thing I don't have the belt on. Hopefully I will get those bolts soon and I hope that they are the right ones. Just curious if anyone reading this has changed the p/s belt on a VQ30. Just wondering how they went about replacing it. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

I drove 7 months with my max without the belt on, on purpose. Better gas milage and car was slightly faster.
I was going to put electric on but the 2000 intake manifold on my car takes top priority