Bleeding the Power Steering System.

[colbystephens]

My buddy and I are replacing his power steering pump - and I'm wondering what we need to do to bleed it. Our shop manuals don't say anything about it, and all my searching online hasn't brought up any results. Can you help? Thanks.

colbystephens.
www.web.pdx.edu/~colbys

 

[theperfectgarage]

I really dont know whats correct, but I always top it up, run the engine and crank the wheels back and forth a few times, repeat till feels normal, top off and go.

 

[WhiteBurb]

Fill it as normal, start the engine and turn the wheel back and forth, lock to lock. Keep doing that until no more air bubbles come up in the resevoir.

 

[colbystephens]

wow. didn't realize it was that easy. thanks.

 

[beater_k20]

its best to do this with the front wheels off the ground. less pressure on a dry PS pump, makes it last longer.

 

[colbystephens]

so we finally bled the p/s system tonite. it's got a brand new pump and pulley, yet when you lock the wheel, it still makes a small amount of that horrible p/s noise. what could be the cause of this? i'm pretty sure the p/s bled sufficiently. when he bought the rig, it lacked about 1/2 qt of p/s fluid - could this have ruined his steering box and thus the squeak?

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

That's just the noise that the pump makes when it is at full crank. The valves in the steering box shut and the pump cant move any fluid.

 

[colbystephens]

you're telling me a noise that ugly is normal?? i have a hard time with that. this isn't the normal hum of a steering wheel at full lock - this is the squaking noise a bad pump makes.

 

[beater_k20]

i have yet to hear a PS pump hum at full lock. they always scream bloody murder, for the reason above.... its still trying to turn the wheel, and the wheel cant be turned any further.

 

[colbystephens]

really? i'm not too experienced with old chevy's yet, but that's wierd.

 

[1-ton]

One trick that many people are not aware of is, with the front wheels off the ground...after turning them back and forth several times, turn the wheels to full lock one way, then shut the engine down, and let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes; then do it again for the other side. This is the way of getting all the air out of the system.

I am sure someone will come along and disagree with me on this because they always do, but they are full of sh!t. I know this works because I read it in a factory Sagnaw training manaul many years ago during some factory training I recieveded.

 

[colbystephens]

good tip - i'll have to try that as well. Thanks!

 

[mini_mull]

I am sure someone will come along and disagree with me on this because they always do, but they are full of sh!t.

That made me smile. Tell us what you really think next time OK.

It's true though, gotta be careful who you listen to, but it's usually not that difficult to discern who's blowing smoke.

 

[1-ton]

I am sure someone will come along and disagree with me on this because they always do, but they are full of sh!t. I know this works because I read it in a factory Sagnaw training manaul many years ago during some factory training I recieveded.

Actualy that should be "saginaw"...as in Saginaw Michigan