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Power Steering Problems

NateInChandler

NateInChandler

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Chandler, AZ
Its a 99 Chevy, Went offroading sunday and got it in a situation where it was stuck pretty bad and had to hold the wheels from turning while winching out, it blew the front seal out of the old pump and now the box is leaking out of the output shaft.

Installed Remanufactured Cordone pump from our auto supply place and bled the system (running synthetic atf in it, they said it would be fine??) After about 1/4 mile i went to turn around and the pump is making noise, fluid everywhere and the fluid is full of air and kinda foamy. whats going on with this POS. Pump is new and box is less than 6 monthes old.

Its got a dana 60 front with crossover and no hydo assist (yet!).. Thanks.. nate
 
If the fluid is full of air and foamy...then there is still air in the system. How many times did you bleed it? Usually once isn't enough to get all the air out. How much fluid is on everything in the engine bay? If it's all over the place...I'd look for a line not tightened, blown hose or a leaking seal.
 
toomany said:
If the fluid is full of air and foamy...then there is still air in the system. How many times did you bleed it? Usually once isn't enough to get all the air out. How much fluid is on everything in the engine bay? If it's all over the place...I'd look for a line not tightened, blown hose or a leaking seal.
Click to expand...


Lines are all tight, Fluid Overflows all over everything if I Rev the engine and try turning the wheel while on concrete, it just starts making noise and overflows, Then the fluid is airated and bubbly.. I let it sit tonight for about a hour and a half and it helped (could go longer and turn more without the problems) but as soon as I tried making a tight turn while on the throttle the noise came back along with airated fluid.

Im fighting this, No way the box leaking can cause it right? No fittings are leaking or loose, fluid is full and looks good, magnet is fairly clean. Just done know what to do.... Maybe switch it all back over to REAL power steering fluid?? Anyone??
 
Update- I have bled it twice again, both ways were recommended by AGR, even pulled the tie rod off the pitman arm to make sure I was getting 100% travel, STILL when Im trying to turn with any amount of throttle it starts making noise. if I drive it Normal it doesnt make any noise or do anything unordinary, only if im trying to do Circles or turn the wheels when the truck is barely moving does it make noise and get hard to steer. I have NO CLUE whats causing this and im getting frustrated, is it the fluid or did a get another POS pump??

BTW, I did drill out the Fitting in the back of the pump a few thousands to get more volume but not more than 5/32 as per the west texas instructions.
 
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Call the place where you got the pump from and they should be able to tell you if the pump is bad or another problem. That is what I would do.
Tarey
 
Pump is a remanufactured from Local parts warehouse (they dont know anything down there).

Im still wondering if that fitting being drilled out is causing my problems, maybe TOO much volume?? Who Knows..
 
The foaming could be from using the wrong fluid. GM power steering fluid has a large amount of anti foam in it, ATF has just a touch of antifoam. The higher the working pressure the more antifoam is required. A PS system runs between 300 - 1500 psi, an automatic transmission run between 50 - 250 psi. Break down and buy a quart of PS fluid from a GM dealer. Don't buy aftermarket PS fluid, most of them are crap.
Suspend the wheels off the ground Suck out the ATF from the resevoir refill with the correct PS fluid start the engine and slowly turn the wheels from lock to lock. Stop engine, suck out fluid from resevoir refill with PS fluid - yada yada yada. you get what I mean. Every thing should work right.
 
Mike D said:
The foaming could be from using the wrong fluid. GM power steering fluid has a large amount of anti foam in it, ATF has just a touch of antifoam. The higher the working pressure the more antifoam is required. A PS system runs between 300 - 1500 psi, an automatic transmission run between 50 - 250 psi. Break down and buy a quart of PS fluid from a GM dealer. Don't buy aftermarket PS fluid, most of them are crap.
Suspend the wheels off the ground Suck out the ATF from the resevoir refill with the correct PS fluid start the engine and slowly turn the wheels from lock to lock. Stop engine, suck out fluid from resevoir refill with PS fluid - yada yada yada. you get what I mean. Every thing should work right.
Click to expand...

This is what I figured, Gonna use real power steering fluid when I put it back together..

Today i Took the pump back out and exchanged it for a hydro assisted brakes pump which has higher pressure to work with. Still had SAME problem So I pulled the box off and tore i apart, it was full of grit and metal particles from the old pump, so I got it all cleaned up and getting a rebuild kit first thing in the morning. Hopefully with the pump being rebuilt and the box being rebuilt it will cure the problem.
 
Well, COMPLETLY rebuilt the steering box, flushed the lines, and the pump clear of the atf and filled with GM power steering fluid. SAME DAMN THING!!!! ERRRRRRRR WTF........ Heres what is done


It has a rebuilt pump (ATSCO) from hydroboost setup in it for higher pressure, drilled fitting in the back out to just under 5/32 as recommended. Rebuilt box with all new bearings, sealing rings and seals. and Flushed all atf out of the system. Ive HAD IT!! The only thing left is the lines, what is going on here??
 
i know on my blazer i had to bleed the system about a dozen times before it would get rid of all foamy fluid. but it sounds like maybe you are getting air into the system somewhere if you bleed it a ton and it still happens. i know on my toyota i was getting air in through my high pressure line but it wasn't leakin and when i replaced the line the problem went away so maybe same deal
 
did you ever get that thing worked out?

i'm having a very comparible nightmare, and i'm wondering if you found steering salvation, and how.?.
 
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