pseudomike
1/2 ton status
Ok guys a little long but if you got a minute could use some help.
Trying to help a good friend out and I think we have some sort of hydroboost problem. He has a truck that has sat for 4-5yrs that he is trying to get up and running. So I have been giving him a hand here and there changing the transmission and so on. Early on we noticed the PS gear box was leaking so we purchased a napa replacement for the old girl. Everything was ok for the first few weeks and then the PS pump belt started squeaking like mad. He went down, bought a new belt and installed it. The pump was still squeaking so I told him I'd come take a look. After messing around with it for a while I noticed that the PS pump had a ton of play in it so I told him to got NAPA and pick up another pump as it must be toast from sitting. Couple weeks later we got around to installing the new pump (pump complete w/resevoir). I brought over a pulley that would fit all sandblasted in hopes that may help. Fired the truck up, no more squeak but now the pump is whining like it's low on fluid. I figured we rushed something, cracked a hose, didn't bleed it enough or something and it was getting air. So I let the truck sit overnight, went back the next day, replaced all the return hoses, re-bled the system, and fired it up. No whining. Take the truck for a test drive, brakes are good, steering good, but about 10 minutes in the pump starts whining again like it's out of fluid. So we pulled over, checked the fluid and it was all set but looked like it was foaming w/air. At that point I told him to bring that pump back to NAPA and pick get a full set of hoses because it must be leaking air somewhere. So another few days passes, we get the hoses on, get the new pump on, get the system flushed and bled with synthetic oil, and off we go again....ten minutes down the road whining like a Ford. So we drove the truck home, same deal, foamy fluid (air bubbles). I also noticed that the pump sounded like it was straining so I started poking around. Ouch!!! the pressure hose to the hydroboost was like a bazillion degrees. Now this has got me thinking that the problem may well be something with that hydroboost unit. I've never really tinkered with these too much but I assume it is possible that it is sticky, or has some seals leaking air? The brakes feel fine though, and the truck is steering ok and aside from the really loud whine and foamed up fluid it drives fine.
Is it possible that the booster could cause this problem? There is no visible leakage around it or anything of that nature. I'd hate to have this guy go pick a booster up for a $150 if he doesn't need one because he doesn't have that type of change to spare. I'm tempted to return another pump to NAPA first but I think they would get fairly pissy if we pick up too many more. I really don't know. Anyone seen this type of behavior before?
Trying to help a good friend out and I think we have some sort of hydroboost problem. He has a truck that has sat for 4-5yrs that he is trying to get up and running. So I have been giving him a hand here and there changing the transmission and so on. Early on we noticed the PS gear box was leaking so we purchased a napa replacement for the old girl. Everything was ok for the first few weeks and then the PS pump belt started squeaking like mad. He went down, bought a new belt and installed it. The pump was still squeaking so I told him I'd come take a look. After messing around with it for a while I noticed that the PS pump had a ton of play in it so I told him to got NAPA and pick up another pump as it must be toast from sitting. Couple weeks later we got around to installing the new pump (pump complete w/resevoir). I brought over a pulley that would fit all sandblasted in hopes that may help. Fired the truck up, no more squeak but now the pump is whining like it's low on fluid. I figured we rushed something, cracked a hose, didn't bleed it enough or something and it was getting air. So I let the truck sit overnight, went back the next day, replaced all the return hoses, re-bled the system, and fired it up. No whining. Take the truck for a test drive, brakes are good, steering good, but about 10 minutes in the pump starts whining again like it's out of fluid. So we pulled over, checked the fluid and it was all set but looked like it was foaming w/air. At that point I told him to bring that pump back to NAPA and pick get a full set of hoses because it must be leaking air somewhere. So another few days passes, we get the hoses on, get the new pump on, get the system flushed and bled with synthetic oil, and off we go again....ten minutes down the road whining like a Ford. So we drove the truck home, same deal, foamy fluid (air bubbles). I also noticed that the pump sounded like it was straining so I started poking around. Ouch!!! the pressure hose to the hydroboost was like a bazillion degrees. Now this has got me thinking that the problem may well be something with that hydroboost unit. I've never really tinkered with these too much but I assume it is possible that it is sticky, or has some seals leaking air? The brakes feel fine though, and the truck is steering ok and aside from the really loud whine and foamed up fluid it drives fine.
Is it possible that the booster could cause this problem? There is no visible leakage around it or anything of that nature. I'd hate to have this guy go pick a booster up for a $150 if he doesn't need one because he doesn't have that type of change to spare. I'm tempted to return another pump to NAPA first but I think they would get fairly pissy if we pick up too many more. I really don't know. Anyone seen this type of behavior before?
