during the summer i had the timing belt, drive belts and water pump replaced at a mitsu dealership. Since then, the belts have squeaked especially when cold/wet. I brought the car back once and they tightened the belts which didnt really solve the problem. So i brought the car back AGAIN today and they told me that there was a BENT power steering pump bracket that didnt allow the belts to remain tight enough? Does this sound like one big pile of crap to you guys too? I dont see how i can bend a power steering bracket if i dont hit anything. If you guys feel that this is the probable cause of my squeak, do you guys know how difficult it is to replace it because mitsu wants 79 for the part and 140 for the labor which is just ridiculous. Thanks in advance.
-Jza69

i've heard that there is an UPDATED power steering bracket for the 420a engines. I went to the dealer at San Jose, CA and that's what they told me, cause my belt kept on sliping. I don't know about you actually bending the bracket. But yeah, supposely the new bracket is corrected to align the belt that goes around the power steering. hope this helps..

belts squeek when they loose traction on some part. they loose traction when they are loose. a bent bracket will not cause this at all, unless there is SO much tension on the belt that it is somehow able to bend the p/s bracket itself (thats a joke. ;) ). im calling BS on satan. a misalighned or bent bracket might cause the belt to slip, but wont cause it to squeek.

because someone will probably bring this up...if the angle of the p/s pully was wrong (due to a bent bracket), it would result in les surface area contact from the belt, and might cause a squeek, BUT, our a/c:p/s belt system is so sensative i think the belt would slip LONG before it started making noise.

make sure to check your alternator belt too, that one might be the culprit. as a general rule, the belt should deflect no more than 1/2 inch or so with a moderatly forcful push in the center section of the longest stretch in the belt. on the p/s belt, that aera is inbetween the crank pully and the a/c.


forgot to add...even if you decide to go ahead w/ the new bracket, do the labor yourself, it wont take more than a couple hours and you dont even have to jack up the car (or at least from my memory you dont).

if it is bent, they probably did it when they changed your timing belt and stuff. have you tried tightening the ps pulley. i got rid of my squeaks just by tighten the bolt for the ps pulley.

mitsubishi tightened the belts and they still squeak. They are saying that the bracket is bent which isnt allowing the belts to remain tight. They want 250 bucks to replace the bracket. Does anyone knwo how difficult it is to change myself? The belt squeak is annoying and nobody has touched the motor in the car except for them. Do any of you have any idea how else the power steering pump bracket would get bent other than them doing it? TIA.

the ps bracket is easy to change.
all you do is remove the belt, take out 3 bolts to remove the pump/pulley from the bracket and take out 3 more bolts to remove the bracket.

ya, its very easy. just loosen the tensioner assembly and remove the belt(10 mins.), remove the p/s pump (another 10), and remove the bracket (another 10). even if youve never touched yor engine before you can do it. 140 bucks for labor is insane. i could do it with my feet in less time. the only tool you need is a ratchet an a socket. (i THINK all you need is 10, 12, and 14 mm, not sure though).

>tool you need is a ratchet an a socket. (i THINK all you
>need is 10, 12, and 14 mm, not sure though).

i don't think you need a 10mm, you need an extension too. and unless you remove the ps pulley, you should probably have a 12 and 14 wrench too.

Thanks everyone...After bitchin Mitsu out for a few hours and then threatening to bring up my situation to the NY law office, they opted to install a new bracket free of charge for me on monday.

I posted about this a while ago, the bracket actually craks but it is hard to see my belt kept getting thrown off. new bracket fixed it