im looking to buy this 1997 civic hatchback....it has no power steering pump. will not having a pump hurt the steering rack? will it be hard to install a pump?

 

Having no P/S pump wont directly hurt the steering rack... however, power steering racks are lubricated by the fluid that would be pumping through the rack via the pump. what you need to do is get a U shaped hose and loop the input/output fitings on the rack, just be sure there's some fluid still in there (i.e. dont flush out the old fluid with brake cleaner) and you should be fine.

 

umm...i know i might sound stupid but what model is it. if its a cx then its not supposed to anyways, it has rack and pinion. dx is the only hatch with power stearing i belive. and if it was taken out then i bet its a total bear to drive