~~~ is wrong with my power steering pump?

Ok, so I live in Illinois, and I have a problem with keeping tread on my tires, so with as much snow as we have and currently being on unemployment waiting to go to college, my car gets drove maybe once a week when the roads are clear. Well, I let it sit for about a little over a week a couple weeks back. Went out and started it and I heard a clattering sound coming from the motor. I popped the hood and my power steering pump pulley is wobbling like crazy. It never did this before. Could this be the bearing in the pump? I tried ordering a new pump from Advance Auto parts and it wasn't the right one. It came with no pulley and it wasn't the special "drive assist" one the SC's have. I don't think my pulley is bent, either. If I can't get this fixed, I will be willing to buy a used working pump off of anyone that has an extra laying around or one off of a parts car. Any help from you guys would be awesome

The pumps do not come with pulleys. You must get the special pulley puller to remove the existing pulley, and the special installer to put it on the new pump after you have it installed. Also the EVO sensor can be reused and swapped from the old pump.

Advance does carry the correct pump as I just bought one, did you tell them it's for a thunderbird sc with variable assist? They also have the pulley removal/install tool you can use for free with a deposit. While you at it you can eliminate the power steering pump bracket that bolts to water pump housing, it's not needed and is just a pain in the azz.

nickleman60 said:

Advance does carry the correct pump as I just bought one, did you tell them it's for a thunderbird sc with variable assist? They also have the pulley removal/install tool you can use for free with a deposit. While you at it you can eliminate the power steering pump bracket that bolts to water pump housing, it's not needed and is just a pain in the azz.

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Yeah, they actually ordered the wrong one at first. They just got the variable drive assist one in the other day. If I can't find a used one I will have to go pick that one up.