Power steering loss at low RPM

[PWDan]

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've posted anything but it's summer and I get pretty busy. Here's my issue, about 4 moths ago I noticed my power steering felt like it was binding at low RPMs while trying to park or slowing down to make a turn. I noticed a slight groan from my power steering pump so of course I checked the fluid and it was full but it was definitely burnt and stunk like hell. A few days later the pump got real loud while cruising at 80mph on rt80 and when I turned off on my exit there was absolutely no power steering. I managed to muscle the steering back home and ordered a new power steering pump. I got as much of the old fluid out of the steering box as I could with a small hose and a pump. Once I got it installed and got the air out of the system it seemed to be good to go for about a week and then it started acting up again. The pump isn't making any noise and the fluid isn't burnt like last time but forget trying to park or turn around without a huge area to do it in. As soon as the RPMs drop, I completely lose my power steering and have to fight to get the wheel turned. I jacked up the front end and can't seem to find anything that's binding but I'm desperate to get this sorted out ASAP. Is it likely the new pump is bad and only works u dear higher RPMs? Again this one makes not noise at all and they are certainly not cheap so I don't want to replace it again and find out it was something else causing the problem. Sorry for the long post but I'd appreciate any advice and help I can get. Thanks guys and I'll let you know what the issue is as soon as I can find it.

[verdesardog]

I have read that sometimes the lining from inside the hoses break lose and can cause that....no real experience myself though. The steering on my CTD is similar. I recently installed a redhead box and it still is sluggish at low rpm's. I might get a new pump after income tax refund season....LOL

[PWDan]

Well, I never heard of the hose lining issue but it kinda makes sense. I don't want to go buy a new steering box just to find out that it wasn't the problem. The truck just turned 70,000 miles so it's not like it should be worn out yet. I dont even take it off road like it should be so it certainly hasn't been hammered on. I did put a 2" leveling kit on it last year but I don't know why that would cause an issue.

[fbenross]

I've had to change the pump on my 06 twice the original lasted 30,000 mi the remanufactured one only lasted 6000 mi will see how this rebuilt on holds up. Sounds like you will need one too.

[nts007]

It's the pump. The short amount of whining the pump does can be damaging. A lot of it. Well more so.

[Retired BLM Rig]

Did the pump you installed come with a reservoir or did you reuse the one off your original pump?
The reservoir has a fine mesh nylon strainer screen built into it that needs to be cleaned before it gets installed on a new/reman pump (try aerosol brake or carb cleaner). If it's restricted, the pump can't suck enough fluid through to do it's job. The crud plugging the screen has to come from somewhere, usually from rubber breaking down somewhere else in the system. Try removing the cap on the reservoir so you can see if the fluid is moving while the engine is idling. If the fluid has good churning movement to it, the pump is probably fine and your problem may be elsewhere. (gearbox or hoses)
Good luck, keep us posted.

[PWDan]

Well, it's a reman Pump but it came with a new reservoir and mounting bracket. I didn't buy a new one because their dealer only items here and the dealer told me it would be over $1000 with the reservoir. Now that you've mentioned it, I'm concerned that any fluid that I'd didn't get out of the steering box may have had crud in it and plugged that screen. It's something to look into at least. Thanks for the info guys.

[PWDan]

Can anyone tell me if our trucks run the same steering box as the standard 4X4 2500? Not sure I'm gonna need it but I did notice the seal on the output shaft is leaking now. Not leaking bad and Its not dripping out but there's definitely fluid on the seal. From what I've been told, if the seal is dripping that means the bearing is bad and it's not worth fixing. If I end up getting a new steering box, should I go with a stock unit or is it worth going to something like the Readhead unit? I just don't want to keep putting new pumps on this thing if there's another problem causing them to go. I ordered new hoses and plan on changing the fluid again and cleaning the reservoir out once they get here.

[Colibri]

I could right a war and peace sized novel about the steering problems I've had on my truck. Been through quite a few pumps and gears over the years. New pumps will shit the bed quickly if you don't bleed the system correctly. You need to vacuum bleed.

http://www.handsontools.com/Miller-Mopa ... 11968.html
Use this bleeding adapter I believe

And this vacuum pump
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... tent=33160

[PWDan]

I could right a war and peace sized novel about the steering problems I've had on my truck. Been through quite a few pumps and gears over the years. New pumps will shit the bed quickly if you don't bleed the system correctly. You need to vacuum bleed.

http://www.handsontools.com/Miller-Mopa ... 11968.html
Use this bleeding adapter I believe

And this vacuum pump
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... tent=33160

Okay, I have that same vacuum pump and I'll have to order the adapter I guess but where are you hooking the pump up? On the return line I'm guessing? Disconnect it from the reservoir and draw from that? Thank you for the info because I've never heard of having to do this with a power steering system and I guess it could be the reason for my problem since I put the new pump in. I just did the old turn lock to lock method repeatedly until it seemed clear but it's never been right since.

[Colibri]

The adapter goes in the fill neck of the reservoir. I wasted a new pump doing only the lock to lock old school method myself. Good luck sir!

[PWDan]

Hey guys, not trying to beat this to death but I ended up buying another new pump plus new lines and I'm changing them later today. My question is, is there any way to get to old fluid out of my steering box or has anyone come up with an effective method of pumping it out? I tried the whole vacuum pump trick on my current pump to purge the air but it did absolutely nothing and it's just getting worse so it's time to change it again. Just hate the idea of that stinky burnt fluid and who knows what kind of debris running through another new pump and potentially killing it again. Next step is gonna have to be a steering box but I hope this solves the problem. Thanks for any help guys.

[nts007]

This will sound silly but I left the high pressure line connected and left the return at the reservoir unhooked. Took a small v belt from a lawn mower. Hooked the belt to the pump pulley and the other end to a cordless drill. Spun the drill turning the pump in the right direction while constantly filling the pump tank as it drained. Cost me extra 2 litres of pump fluid but got all the old stuff out. Using the drill let's you control the speed easily

[PWDan]

This will sound silly but I left the high pressure line connected and left the return at the reservoir unhooked. Took a small v belt from a lawn mower. Hooked the belt to the pump pulley and the other end to a cordless drill. Spun the drill turning the pump in the right direction while constantly filling the pump tank as it drained. Cost me extra 2 litres of pump fluid but got all the old stuff out. Using the drill let's you control the speed easily

Damn, that's pretty ingenious actually! Wish I knew that before I tried pulling the low pressure line out of the Box because it turns out that the metal line is aluminum and even after spraying it repeatedly and trying to work it loose from the nut, it decided to sheer off clean at the nut. I could have left it if I just used your idea but I was hoping I could get a small hose in the box and pump it out. Bad idea on my part because I couldn't get anything in there to pump it out anyway. Plus it turns out that what I broke is a dealer only part. On top of that, my steering box went from barely being damp at the output shaft to being soaked and leaking a lot more than it was so that's next I guess. Thanks for the fluid flush idea though. Gonna do that tomorrow before I put it back together.

[Colibri]

Don't forget to flush your power steering cooler as well

[PWDan]

Okay guys, hopefully this is my last update on this subject but I finally got it back to working like new. I ended up changing all of the lines and the pump. Just a heads up to anybody who's planning on pulling the low pressure/return line out of the steering box. The high pressure line is steel and came out with no issues but I found out the hard way that the low pressure line is aluminum and it sheared off clean at the nut as soon as the nut started turning. Had to order it from the dealer for $56. and wait 3 days for it. I used my old pump, cleaned out the reservoir and then just hooked up the lines with the pump zip tied to hold it upright. Then just filled the reservoir with new fluid, stuck the correct size Allen head socket in the shaft, hooked it to my drill and let it rip while the return line was routed to a bucket. I waisted about 6 quarts of fluid but it flushed out a bunch of crud that was still in the system. Not sure what it came from but there was a bunch of small chunks of something orange and black in the fluid when I ran it through a paint screen and the fluid stunk like hell. Finally, put the new pump on, filled it and proceeded to run it lock to lock. I did notice that it continued to groan at just prior to and at full lock so I made sure I cycled it 15 times (I didn't do it near that many times last time) and then ran the vacuum pump on it and cycled it another 15 times and the groaning stopped. Now I have normal power steering at all RPMs and I love driving it again. Now I just have to keep an eye on the output shaft on the steering box in case it gets worse. Thanks for all your help guys!

[FirerescuePW]

Awesome tips right there! I may have to do this to mine. I have the same problem.

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