Archived Help -- Power Steering

[pparker]

I have a '98 24v 2wd truck ..... The steering pump always growls in cold weather ... . Today it started foaming the power steering fluid and forcing it out of the resevoir. With the wheels slightly turned and the engine on ... . I can see bubbles forming in the power steering fluid.



Any help?



Thanks,

Paul Parker

 

[BillGotthelf]

What is the fluid level with engine off. Some times low fluid level will cause pump to cavitate and foam up fluid. Other possibility is the check valve is defective and not allowing fluid through. No way to replace this except to replace pump.

 

[pparker]

The fluid level is within the marks on the 'dip stick'. The steering wheel doesn't want to turn very easily even if I rev the engine. Is this an indication of the check valve problem you stated?

 

[BillGotthelf]

Yes-if the check valve starts to hang up it ruins the seals on the internal pump through to much back pressure. This ends up giving you much lower pump pressure. Two of the indicators are the fuild foaming with added air and harder steering. Sounds like a new pump is in your near future.

 

[pparker]

Another piece of information ... . The foaming also starts if I just step on the brake.



Paul

 

[richardleonard]

In addition to everything else

You may have a ruptured nitrogen resivour,, its the blue colored cannister in the power brake unit provides brake power with the engine turned off. . I have seen a few posts on this problem. When this ruptures it discharges the nitrogen into the power steering system causing the fluid to foam and overflow causing a low fluid condition. . my . 02 worth

 

[jrobinson2]

Sounds like what mine did when the brake accumulator (nitrogen canister) let go. To check it start the engine and pump the brakes, then stop the engine and pump them again, you should have boosted brakes for a couple of pumps before the pedal gets hard. Changing to the Valvoline synthetic power steering fluid helped with the cold start cavitation (growling) immensely. Changing the fluid is easy, just suck the old fluid out with a turkey baster or a mityvac with a suction bleeder, refill the reservoir, run the engine, turn the wheel and pump the brakes then repeat, three times will work fine, it will take less than 2 quarts. It will work ok without the accumulator but you will not have power brakes for an emergency stop if the engine quits. BTW mine took months to clear the bubbles out on its own, it never occurred to me to change the oil Good luck

Jared