I have been running my 87 this way for the last 5 years, after the rack started
leaking.  I picked up 3-4 mpg, and increased my biceps 1".  As you noticed,
there seems to be no difference in feel once moving.  I live in the suburbs and
don't have to parallel park very often; if I did, it would have been a different
story.
Chris

Max/Joyce Wellhouse wrote:

> Spent the last few days drivingthe 90GL with the PS hoses coupled but
> disconnected from the crank pulley and I must agree with Ken, this tired old
> waterboxer motorr has more pep without the drag of the ps pump.
>
> As others have reported, the stiffest part is cranking the wheel from
> deadstraight away when at a stop, but burning a few extra calories wrestling
> the wheel won't hurt me in the leat.  The "feel' of the wheel doesn't seem
> to have been conpromised as I've been driving through hydroplane-quality
> rainstorms the past 2 days and felt very comfortable with the feedback the
> stock(ie smaller) wheel is giving me.  Prolly won't buy me another 20k on
> this motor, but it will take some stress ofthe breaking in ofthe new one in
> a few weeks.
>
> Dimwitted moose and Flying Squirrel