Power steering pump problem.

[Irishman999]

So I put a new pump in last summer and had no issues with the power steering except the steering box leaking. I kept refilling the pump when it started to make the growling noise. My wife drove it a couple times to school and ran out and now it growls any time I try to turn, even with fluid inside.

I ordered a seal kit and power steering pump pressure hose to stop the leak but I am concerned about the repair now. I can replace the pump for free since I saved the recipe but if the pump is destroyed is there a possibility shavings or some other **** went into the steering box?

Im just not very sure here, maybe I need to bleed the system? I know my Dads 76 was always out of power steering fluid and it got driven totally empty alot and this never happened.

 

[skysurfer]

Pump is toast, replace it. I doubt any shavings got into the system, just fried bearings making noise.

I cooked a steering pump when a hose to the hydroboost failed. Made horrible noises. Changed out the pump without any thought about shavings in the fluid. No problems with the second pump.

 

[Irishman999]

Pump is toast, replace it. I doubt any shavings got into the system, just fried bearings making noise.

I cooked a steering pump when a hose to the hydroboost failed. Made horrible noises. Changed out the pump without any thought about shavings in the fluid. No problems with the second pump.

Thats good news, if I pull the pump that means I have a reason to clean and paint all the ******** to put back on.

 

[HotRodPC]

I need to figure out what is wrong with my PS on my 85K1500 too. Its got fluid, doesn't leak, makes no noises, but sometimes when I turn, its like no power steering belt is on the pump and its very very hard to turn. Wierd part is, no noise. Just simply won't power assist at all. I'm not sure if its bad pump, or if its bad gear box, but something isn't working right. No excessive slop in the steering either. Sometimes its just fine, but seems once the motors warms up, then is hard to steer. Then sometimes its fine and dandy and then all of a sudden back to hard steering again for a bit.

 

[skysurfer]

Seems to me if the box were bad it would act up all the time and not be an intermittant problem. I'm surprised you don't have an extra pump laying around you can try.

 

[HotRodPC]

Seems to me if the box were bad it would act up all the time and not be an intermittant problem. I'm surprised you don't have an extra pump laying around you can try.

I do, and hoping it is the pump that's the problem cuz I don't want to be changing that gear box. I don't have a spare one of those. I have a couple spare 2wd boxes, but not 4x4. Its just not on the radar yet and not a big issue. I want to get the bed off, fuel leaks fixed, trans installed and the Edelbrock linkage fixed and modified for the new 700r4 TV cable so I don't fry the new trans. Get that stuff done, then I'll worry about the minor stuff.

 

[Irishman999]

Thats a strange problem, Its opposite in my truck I have power steering but its noisy as hell!

 

[HotRodPC]

Thats a strange problem, Its opposite in my truck I have power steering but its noisy as hell!

yes, it is strange. Not meaning to hijack your thread here and change from your issue to mine, just riding along since its also PS related and both are 85K1500's.
I see your issue and its justified, it is at least making a noise or something as if something is wrong although its working. I have never come across a vehicle doing what mine is doing. Other than the steering being very hard, you would never know there is an issue, and that is why I was thinking it was a gearbox issue. Just seems a pump would be growling or burping. It would be doing something you'd think. Nope, all nice and quiet and intermmitant. Remember I've said the column is loose too? I think this problem has been here for awhile and the strain on the steering is why the column got loose in the first place telling me its been this way for some time. The other bad part, you never know when its going to happen. You can be halfway thru a right turn all is well, then bam, start cranking armstrong quick like, or you'll end up not making the turn and hit the traffic on the other side of the double yellow if your're not prepared for it without notice.

 

[davbell22602]

When I had my 72 F100 I was going through PS belts. The belt was either rolling over or was break the belt.