I think my power steering pump is about to pack up for good. When I first start the car, it sounds and feels normal. However, after a good 20 minutes of driving it starts groaning like crazy at low speeds. I've checked the fluid level and it's fine. I think the pump is just nearly dead. Is it ok to simply remove, temporarily, the power steering belt and run the car without it until I buy a new pump?

 

yep! eat your wheaties though. pump is actually really easy to rebuild

 

i even have a new front bearing for the pulley!

 

I drove a 67 Mustang with an iron block V8 and no power steering for a year (and it was power rack to boot, so it was even more difficult) so I think I can handle a little Mazda with a 200lbs engine.

 

lol when i had a mustang i did the same thing, the PS was retardedly overboosted on that car.

the mustang i had was a 68, V8, headers, 4 speed, etc etc and the base FC ran circles around it! literally.

 

Just got back from a test drive with the P/S unhooked. I have to say, these cars do not need power steering. I like the added weight below 20mph and above 20mph it feels roughly the same. I don't think I want to hook it back up. Is it ok to run the car like that indefinitely?

 

If the internals are the same, with the exception of a power steering piston on your PS car (i.e. same heat treatment on the parts...) you should be good. Just evac the system of all PS fluid and loop the lines.

 

Why is that necessary? Just to simplify the whole system? Is it ok to drive the car with the system still intact just without the belt on the pump? I probably will remove the pump and loop the lines, but I don't really have time to do that at the moment

 

I wouldn't evac the system. Leave the fluid in there and loop the lines. There is a thread somewhere on here about that.

 

Might be cavitating, any leaks?