Hi, Just wondering if power steering units can be mixed and matched with different power steering boxes. I've got a 61 Caddy running a sb chev and, due to the mod i can't fit a Borg Warner pump. I like the way the B bodied pumps have the fluid tubes out the top instead of out the rear like most pumps and would make for a nice neat fit but am wondering if I can just pick which pump I want or are there ratios or other things I need to take into consideration when choosing a pump? Appreciate any info on the subject.
There are various pressures that the units are designed to work at. Most GM pumps can have those pressures altered and adjusted somewhat by the internal springs and shims. There is also an inline regulator for pressure. The Factory service manuals should tell you what pressure the 61 needs to work and another FSM should tell you the pressure that the pump you'd like to use produces. Adjusts from there
If you're using a GM pump for an older Saginaw power steering gear, such as GM used in most of their cars from the mid 60s to the 80s, then you can mix and match without any trouble.
There are quite a few articles on the internet regarding how to change the pressure on most GM pumps. On my 1956 New Yorker I used a small GM pump with an external reservoir. The pump is from a mid-90's Chevrolet, and was originally set for somewhere around 1200 PSI, and I needed a maximum of 700 for the New Yorker. I had a hydraulic place in Kansas City set it up with the correct spring/shim setup. Or you could use one of these: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Heidts-PS-101-Adjustable-Power-Steering-Valve,14895.html
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