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Blow out

Green Monster

Green Monster

1/2 ton status
Joined
Aug 10, 2013
Posts
328
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Location
Thousand Oaks, CA
Anyone ever heard of a power steering pump barfing out a bunch of fluid when it's hot? Complete new system (hoses, pump, box). I was driving around during the heat wave to get the bumper installed and a smog check. Probably 105 out. Hottest the engine's ever been since I've owned it. All of the sudden, I look back and there's a huge plume of smoke following me. I pull into a parking lot, and there's fluid dripping down out of the pump. Let it sit for maybe 15 mins, restart it and no leaks. Drive home, pump is making a little noise, little tougher to steer but I still had power assist. Check the level of the ps pump and its dry on the dipstick. Get back to it after a few days, and fill it up (overfilled, but I figured some of it would circulate through). No leaks when I start it, but once it got warm and I revved it up, started leaking again. I can't tell where it's leaking from, but figure if it's the lines, or a crack, it would be leaking all of the time. Think I overfilled it and it's puking fluid? I'm just surprised it would barf a ton of fluid out all at once. Thanks for any direction.
 
Did you properly bleed the system after install?
That sounds like what it would do while bleeding it
 
Super easy. The goal is just to push the air bubbles out of the hoses and steering box and into the reservoir.
Jack up the front end (tires off the ground). Fill the PS reservoir to the normal "cold fill" line. With the engine off: slowly cycle the steering lock to lock several times. Start the engine: slowly cycle the steering lock to lock several times. Refill the PS reservoir. Repeat as needed until steering feel is consistent and reservoir level is constant. Drop the truck back on the ground. Cycle the steering lock to lock once more. Refill to the "cold fill" line. If everything is consistent than you are done bleeding. Check the fluid level after a 15 minute drive, finally fill to the "hot fill" line. Done.
 
Or you could just do like I did after I blew the hose fitting off my '79 F150 trying to run over a rattlesnake on a backwoods highway.
Replaced the hose, filled the pump, put a bottle of fluid in the front seat.

Drove carefully down to the local city marina parking lot, which was empty. Started doing large figure 8s turning the wheel from lock to lock all over the lot while the local police gathered at a safe distance watching me.
Finally the steering felt good, so I leveled off. As I started out, one of the police cars met me on the driver's side and blipped his blues. I stopped and we both rolled down our windows.
He just stared at me for a few seconds, I knew most of them, could not place his name though. Finally, he said: "Getting the air out of your power steering?", I said: Yes.
He reached down, grabbed his mic., and said: "Pay Me!". Grinned at me and we went our different directions.
 
Fordum said:
Or you could just do like I did after I blew the hose fitting off my '79 F150 trying to run over a rattlesnake on a backwoods highway.
Replaced the hose, filled the pump, put a bottle of fluid in the front seat.

Drove carefully down to the local city marina parking lot, which was empty. Started doing large figure 8s turning the wheel from lock to lock all over the lot while the local police gathered at a safe distance watching me.
Finally the steering felt good, so I leveled off. As I started out, one of the police cars met me on the driver's side and blipped his blues. I stopped and we both rolled down our windows.
He just stared at me for a few seconds, I knew most of them, could not place his name though. Finally, he said: "Getting the air out of your power steering?", I said: Yes.
He reached down, grabbed his mic., and said: "Pay Me!". Grinned at me and we went our different directions.
Click to expand...
That's hilarious.....and would not fly in SoCal. There isn't a dirt road within 60 miles of me! I'm just surprised it was fine till it got really hot.
 
not to be a prick but if all new then you didnt read the slip in the box that says must blead system . . . :thinking::surepal:

but as the other guys linked / typed the info you needed.

all fluid systems should be blead when serviced .
 
sweetk30 said:
not to be a prick but if all new then you didnt read the slip in the box that says must blead system . . . :thinking::surepal:

but as the other guys linked / typed the info you needed.

all fluid systems should be blead when serviced .
Click to expand...
Hey, I get enough of this at home......I don't need it here! :1zhelp:
 
I did a saginaw power steering pump conversion from AGR on a 7.3L in an F550 with hydroboost and that thing was the worst ever to bleed. Had to call AGR and get instructions. It's way harder and a different process with hydroboost thrown in the mix.
 
I have hydroboost and yeah it is a bit more of a PITA but just takes patience and time.
 
Update.....drove it to the smog shop, about the same distance as last time, and same thing happened on my way back. It was running for about 30 minutes or so, total. Driving, idling, etc. Not as bad as last time, but still puked a bunch of fluid out. I followed the instructions provided, above, to bleed the system before I took it out. Checked the fluid when I got back, and it was at the very bottom of the dipstick, and fluid was kind of milky-looking. Not clear like it was when I filled it. Any ideas?
 
Been having the same problem with a '90 Jeep, new hoses, new pump, bleed correctly, gets hot pukes all the fluid. I'm at the point of replacing the steering box I'm thinking a valve or something is sticking.
 
Is the fluid clear after it cools down for a few hours?
If it is it sounds like aeration is still happening.
If it's milky perhaps water in he system?
 
Once it cooled it looked normal. Bled it again, saw one air bubble come up, that was it. Then took it to a school parking lot and did figure 8s. Got everything up to temp, and no problems this time. We'll see what happens when I drive it a longer distance. I think I have it figured out.
 
start looking for suction leaks. If you put a pump in an existing can that's a good place to start. There's a good chance you're introducing air into the system somewhere and it's foaming the fluid.
 
Stephen said:
start looking for suction leaks. If you put a pump in an existing can that's a good place to start. There's a good chance you're introducing air into the system somewhere and it's foaming the fluid.
Click to expand...
If it happens again, I will. Probably the only option. Thanks for the idea.
 
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