Power Steering Pump Problems

[dakota farmer]

I was replacing my power steering pump this weekend. My old pump would work some of the times and not all of the time. It would blow oil out the top of the reservoir. So I replaced it with one that I got at NAPA. I put the pump and nothing happened. I bled the lines, made sure plenty of oil. Still Nothing. I then took the pressure line back off of the pump. I started the motor and no oil came out other than the oil that was trickling out because I took the hose off. Just curious if any of you have had this happen......defective pump? Idiot working on it? The sad part is I couldn't use it deer hunting and had to use a GAS suburban.

[Ace]

Keep an eye out on eBay for those vacuum/PS pump units. relinear has them available from time to time. I've seen new ones a few times from various other sellers as well. It just depends on how much you want to spend time or money-wise. There's seal kits available too, if you want to try and refurb it yourself.

[Jfriedlin]

I was replacing my power steering pump this weekend. My old pump would work some of the times and not all of the time. It would blow oil out the top of the reservoir. So I replaced it with one that I got at NAPA. I put the pump and nothing happened. I bled the lines, made sure plenty of oil. Still Nothing. I then took the pressure line back off of the pump. I started the motor and no oil came out other than the oil that was trickling out because I took the hose off. Just curious if any of you have had this happen......defective pump? Idiot working on it? The sad part is I couldn't use it deer hunting and had to use a GAS suburban.

I dont think its your pump, I've had this problem quite a few times. I think you have an air bubble in your system the only way I've found to get it out is to put some fluid in the reservoir and leave the cap off with the truck running. Turn the wheel back and forth all the way, not easy I know with no assistance from the pump, hold it hard over in both directions and have somebody watch. It will burp all that air out as its bein held hard over. After its done, top off the fluid and you should be good to go til next time. Mine used to dump fluid out of the top of the reservoir when I would shut if off with the wheels turned a little bit. Hope this helps you out

[dakota farmer]

Thanks for the advice guys, it worked really well....took a few times but I can steer the pickup with one finger now. Thanks Again.

[Jfriedlin]

Thanks for the advice guys, it worked really well....took a few times but I can steer the pickup with one finger now. Thanks Again.

No problem, glad we could help. Mine drove me crazy for the longest time

[BobS]

Did you flush the steering box by removing the return line at the pump and did you add a magnetic filter to the return line?

These trucks have the worst power steering setups that I have ever owned since I started driving in 1966. When I got my 91 it had 110K miles on it. The previous owner had just replaced the PS pump and the PS box had a leak at the input shaft. I replaced the box and figured I would be good for at least a 100K miles. Wrong! Since then in 20K miles I have replaced the PS pump twice and now the steering box only works fine in one direction. To make it worse sometimes it steers left for weeks at a time then without any warning decides to start working in the opposite direction. It operates normally when the oil in it is at room temperature. Next time when I replace the PS box I plan on also replacing the PS pump hoping I can get rid of the contamination problem that the even the magnetic filter isn't catching.

[txs]

Well, that's what happens when your product gets contaminated by gm stuff, heh.

[dakota farmer]

Ok I will look into doing that. Thanks for the heads up. I know putting on this simple power steering pump was frustrating enough as it is. I hope it works for a while. Thanks for the heads up guys.