Andy, thank you for your suggestion.
I'm a bit disoriented with respect to which holes are which but you are correct in that those holes are threaded only at the ends. I'll post a picture as part of this post that I probably should have posted a while back to orient everyone to the exact issue.

Also, I don't see the corresponding hole on the pump picture you posted, but that is probably due to the orientation of the pump in the picture.



This diagram is fun. 16 is the offending bolt which passes through a channel as long as the width of the pump at the 1:00 position looking at the diagram from the left.


The bolt says second design.

But all of my brackets are the ones labeled first design. There is no bolt listed for the first design.
I know I removed one because it took me 5 minutes to unthread it with a hand ratchet. So technically I don't know what the first design version of that bolt should be, or if it should even be present.

Looking at the support bracket attachment for the first design, it looks like the bracket is simply screwed into the threaded through hole in the pump which is not how it was when I took it apart. It had the long bolt going through the first design bracket with a nut on the end. I have the nut.

So basically what I've concluded is that in all likelihood, when the engine was replaced, whoever put the power steering pump back on did so via a combination of parts from the two designs. This could be how it came off the production line.

​​​​​​I ordered some 9.8 100 mm bolts 8 mm x 1.25 fully threaded. And some high strength nylon lock nuts because I don't feel like distorting the threads after all this.

I tried to finish threading the original replacement bolt to make what I needed out of what I have. I added six threads nominally, then officially declared my die worn down. That's some damn hard metal but I know it probably wouldn't work.

If I had a drill press or even a big enough vice and a steady hand, I would do what you recommended, Andy. But I have neither.

Bolts and nuts will be in on Tuesday. Monday is double check day and stray tool / object retrieval day from the bumper.

Again, thanks to all for your suggestions and assistance. I believe I have found a way to make this work with the resources I have at hand.

 

I suspect that the early version used two of the #12 bolts, one as shown and one where your long bolt is. And the #3 bolt from the back side. The trick is to get both of those threads line up perfectly during manufacturing. That is probably why your old long bolt came out the hard way.

 

Long bolt in. I bought 10.9's just in case they had any ideas they were going to snap.
​​​​​​
Took a good 10 minutes of slow but steady ratcheting, half rotation at a time as the threads in the pump actually wore the oxide coating off of the bolt threads. Probably should have put some cutting oil in there. That's never coming out.

I now know why the FSM says do not remove the lower support bracket for the power steering assembly.

I surmise the bolt through the pulley that screws into the end of the lower support is attached to the pulley before it is inserted in the vehicle. Trying to put it back together with the pump still attached is an exercise in spatial relations self-abuse.

For whatever reason, I have been hell-bent on putting this entire vehicle back together without doing anything differently than I did when I took it apart. I've determined that is physically impossible.

I'll be pulling the fuel rail again in order to be able to align the lower support with the screw coming through the pulley and the pump. I'll know when they are lined up when I feel it begin to thread. Can't see it whatsoever it's under the pump. Everything else is blind on this vehicle for this operation so no surprise there. Enough complaining.

Once I get the lower support on I can tighten up the other bolts and easily attach the top brace.

Coolant fill and burp, fluids check, plug in The Purge solenoid valve connector that is constantly in the way, hook up the fuel lines, prime away, check for gas leak then it's crank time.

Andy, your back muscles must be exceptionally strong to do this every day. I'm only part-time.

Had an interview yesterday. Only one since June 1st when my last contract ended. Wish me well. It's rough out here. The power steering pump is on the receiving end of my frustrations.


Yes I know it's too long

 

Good luck on the job interview! I did front brake, rotors and calipers on one of our 550s Monday. Boy was I tired, I am blessed to have two talented mechanics in the shop that are both 20 years younger than I am. Glad to see your baby going back together again.

Andy

 

You're one tenacious son of a gun, derf. When my back starts hurting me while working on a car, I put my stuff away and wait for another day. Now that I'm down to one car, I sure as hell hope I don't run into something like that. I'll be screwed. You take your time with that and I sure hope your interview went well and they call you soon.

 

Thank you, rube.

Add my right hip and left ql muscles to the mix compliments of scrubbing the entire deck last night with the wife. Have to wait for it to loosen up a bit and I'm back out there today. My wife is excited about getting the white car started because it's in her parking space in the garage. It actually started as her vehicle back in 95 not that it matters now.

I've learned quite a bit about myself and the way I think and don't think when approaching this type of problem / project. And the stubbornness. Gets me nowhere. Not at all what I expected but incredibly instructive for the future.

I truly don't give a rat's *** that after all these years on the forum, I take on what should be a straightforward repair and turn it into a fuster cluck that I share with all of you. I've waited way too long to truly get my hands dirty and this seems to be the only way you learn the smart way and they're not so smart way to approach something.

But that's for a final pontification post.
After all it's all about me.

And you guys.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/y8vXbMzT8B1QKcqp9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qNz7Yv2kJVMvP7WE6

Dashboard doesn't even rattle anymore.

 

Nice job, derf. And there's nothing better than listening to some good tunes while you're putting things back together. I'm sure Bren will be very happy to get her parking space back!

 

Thank you. Now I have to find an OEM upper torque axis mount to stop the rest of the car from vibrating.. that one is exceptionally trashed given what it's been through in the last 10 to 15 years. I bought an aftermarket one a few years back to see if I could kill the vibrations some but I guess that was not a good test back then. My back needs some rest. We'll get to it in a few days.
Special thanks goes to my wife for having small hands, small enough to align the lower support bracket with the bolt coming under the pump. Won't tell you how many different ways and how many hours I spent trying to do it. The point is it's done.

And again, many thanks to you guys. I believe my self hazing is over. Lessons learned will be implemented.

 

For the win! Well done.