Gas VS TDI power steering pump interchangeability

[vtveg]

Long story short - i've been dealing with power steering leaks for several months now. I need to replace the (defective) rebuilt rack that I purchased, and since i've been routinely running low on PS fluid, I believe that the pump is going to give up its ghost in the near future.

Since this car doesn't have much more then a year left in the body, I don't want to spend a fortune on another rack, and then a new pump, so I'm thinking of buying a parts car for both the rack and pump (I also need a new AC compressor and TXV so that would be a bonus of a parts car).

I'm wondering if anybody knows if the gas PS pumps are interchangeable? I know that they have different part numbers, and some other noticeable differences. I looked at a 2.0L today, PS pump is at the bottom of the engine vs top. It appears to me that the gas pump spins the other direction of the diesel pump as well. My suspicion is that the pumps are not interchangeable, but I'm wondering if anybody knows for sure.

-Ben

 

[jettawreck]

Pump is the same. The lines are not, at least not the one from the rack with the "cooler" lines that runs up around the front side.

 

[vtveg]

That's awesome. I've already replaced the pressure line so that's not an issue.

It appeared to me that the tdi pump was driven off the "grooved" side of the belt but the 2.0 pump was driven off the smooth side of the belt. I would interpret that as that the pumps go opposite direction.

 

[turbocharged798]

2.0 belts are ribbed on both sides. They do not have a smooth side.

 

[vtveg]

that makes sense. totally missed that when I was looking at the car.