Archived Loosing Power Steering and Brakes

[Nate]

This morning I fired up the truck and the power steering pump was howling pretty bad.

Best way I can discribe is like on a Bobcat when you have the engine at low RPMs and you turn start driving and it kinda "howls/whines".



I figured it was just cause it was cold, but the noise never really went away on my trip to work (12 miles).



On the way home this evening, I had limited power steering and brakes, and if I pushed the brakes and turned at the same time, I loose all power.



I checked the fluid and it was full of bubbles to the point where it was foam. I let it sit and just checked it and it's full.



Ideas? New Pump??

 

[Sixpack]

I just went out and started my truck and the same. No power steering and the brake pedal is hard as a rock. No power assist on the brakes either. No abnormal noises like yours though.

 

[RAJohnson]

Good reading for Vacuum pump and power steering.

http://www.dodgedieseldatabase.com/vacuum_pump.htm

 

[Sixpack]

Went out and blipped the throttle and everything came back. After searching and reading about this, the conclusion seems to be trapped air in the PS lines.

 

[RON'S RAM]

The same thing happened to me last winter. I sucked out as much power steering fluid as possible from the pump and replaced it with new fluid. Ran it for a couple of days (was a little better) then replaced the fluid again. Has been fine ever since. My thoughts are there may have been moisture in the original fluid and was freezing/gelling in the system when temps. were real low. I've read on here that there are better fluids than stock dealer fluid, but that was all I could find in my area at the time. Hope this helps.

 

[ABeattie]

We had a company truck do the same thing. We unhooked a line and drained all that we could, then put innew fluid and added power stearing conditioner and it seemed to clean the system and work well.

 

[Nate]

Well today I went over a friend's place for an hour or so and when I went outside, there was about 1/2 a quart of power steering fluid on the ground. I checked the pump and it was full up to the top.



Ok... so what's going on?!

 

[RAJohnson]

Air is getting in some where.

 

[Nate]

I went to the video store just a bit ago and I don't have power steering or brakes now. I got home and foamy power steering fluid was pouring out from the pump cap.



Does anyone have any ideas what I need to replace???? HELP!

 

[RAJohnson]

Have you added any fluid lately? Have you changed all of the old fluid to new fluid since it has started doing this?

 

[Nate]

No I haven't added any fluid to it since I changed it out this past August.

 

[RON'S RAM]

Nate;

this is just my opinion, but check out this website. http://www.royalpurple.com/prodsa/meza.html

That is where I would start even though you say you just changed the fluid recently. Get as much of the fluid out as possible and install the royal purple. Might have to do this twice (driving in between flushes) to get most of the old fluid out of the system. The cost of the fluid change is pretty cheap compared to replacing any mechanical parts. Good luck, & let us know how you make out.

 

[tractorface]

Sounds like the Nitrogen cannister burst. Pretty sure that is what is in the Blue cannister on the steering booster.

 

[Nate]

I'm going to head out in a few minutes and get the oil out and pull the flow piston out to see if anything is jammed up on that.



A reman'd pump from Napa is $120, from PSC $175 I believe. So it's not too bad... though I'd hate to replace it and it still does it.



If the Nitrogen canister broke, would it continue to foam up the fluid? Or does the nitrogen not "vent" itself out of the fluid??

 

[Glen Pratt]

Since you mentioned it was cold, try some synthetic power steering fluid. Red Line, Royal Purple, and Valvoline all make synthetic power steering fluid. I had the same thing happen with my truck several years ago during extremely cold weather. I used a turkey baster and sucked out the old fluid and replaced it the first time with Red Line p/s fluid. Then later when I replaced my steering box I used Royal Purple p/s fluid. After switching to synthetic power steering fluid I never had another problem. Both synthetic power steering fluids are a quality product.

 

[Nate]

Well I'm pretty sure the pump crapped out. I took the flow piston out and that was ok, so wasted my time there. Put some fresh fluid in it and still nothing.



I disconnected the high pressure line going from the pump to the hydroboost and nothing is coming out when the truck is running.

 

[Nate]

I bought a new pump at Napa today. Reman'd and comes with the resevoir for $105, so not too bad. I hope it's a decent unit, I've heard bad things about some reman'd stuff like starters and water pumps.



Question: I've heard of a seal between the power steering and vac pumps. Is that something that would come with the new pump? If not, does anyone have a part number for it? I'd like to have all the parts in hand before I tear it apart. Also, are there any tricks to removing the pump? It's just the 4 bolts that attach it to the vac pump, right?

 

[nps]

Don't think the vacuum pump seal will come with the pump - on mine there is no seal between the two - only a seal where the vacuum pump goes into the gear cover.



You can get a vacuum pump seal kit here . Don't know if you can get the pump off without the vac pump - I pulled the two pieces together. Couple of bolts on the front of the vac pump, pull the oil drain line off the bottom, and the whole assy is out.

 

[tractorface]

I have had my power steering pump on and off several times without taking off the vacuum pump. I had VP44 bracket issues that I had to remove the PS pump to resolve. The most difficult part is getting the gear to line up when re-installing. No leak issues here and never changed any seal or gasket. Don't be scared the job is pretty easy. I did not have to remove the pressure line for what I was doing but I suspect that could give you a bit of trouble.

Are you sure your pump is bad??? What could be wrong with it. Have you checked the blue cannister. I have read posts where a leaky cannister caused problems exactly like you described.

 

[Nate]

All I have to say is I want to find the engineer that came up with the pump location and mounting, and punch his teeth in. #@$%!



I got the pump off, holy cow that was a PITA! I need 6 foot arms that are 1" around... like for everything else on this truck.



The 2 bolts toward the fender weren't too bad, but the two toward the block... let's just say I hope my neighbors didn't here too much of what I was saying. To make matters worse, it's like 15* outside and there's power steering fluid over everything under the truck as well on the ground, so I'm pretty much covered it in now.



But, I did get it off. I'm a bit ****** though because I didn't think of putting a fender cover on and I scratched the fender up pretty bad with the cord of the shop light... my own stupidity there It should buff out, but still bugs me.