No brake assist and no power steering

[FHerault]

Since a few days, my truck is doing a roaring sound (power steering pump?) at idle when I first start it in the (very cold) morning.
The brakes and the power steering were acting erratically at idle, but seemed to be fine when driving.

Last evening after work, I had no brake assist and no power steering. The roaring sound was gone too. I checked the fluid level in the pump and added a little. The brakes and steering did not come on until I reved the engine above 1500 rpm. And the sound also returns.
This morning I have marginal brakes and power steering even if I reved the engine. When I shutt off the engine and open the reservoir on the pump, the fluid is very foamy like if there is air in the circuit and was leaking by the cap (it seems that I added too much).

It is like something is sticking somewhere...

What would I have to check first ?
Thanks

 

[DavidC]

When in Vermont I had to use a turkey baster and change to synthetic fluid. It was just to cold for standard fluid

 

[GrantP]

I would agree with David, had the same happen to me. Switch to synthetic fluid and troubleshoot from there.

 

[rkressg]

Its happened to me when it is super cold. The fluid gets contaminated over time.
Best bet, use a turkey baster from the Dollar Store, suck out the old and replace it with Amsoil. You might need to do it a few times to flush out all the old fluid.

I kind of have a habit of sucking out the power steering reservoir once every 6 months, it takes about 3/4 of an Amsoil bottle to refill.
This will also make the whining noise go away in the cold from the pump.

 

[GAmes]

Regardless of the brand, make sure it is power steering fluid, no ATF. I use Redline.

 

[FHerault]

Thanks for the replies !
I've sucked out the old fluid as much as I can and refilled with some Total G3 Syn that I had on hand (my local auto parts store is about 1 hour from home). The problem is partially gone. I have brakes and power steering now, even if I can hear some little noise from the pump. I've got bubbles in the fluid (less than before) so perhaps there is some air to bleed.
I will switch to synthetic power sterring fluid as soon as possible.
Thanks again.

 

[DavidC]

You will probably have to do the suction a few times as the lines,box still had the old fluid. Seems I did it 3-4 times.

 

[GAmes]

Joe D did the math in an article years ago. After 6 or 7 repetitions the old fluid is diluted by about 90%.

 

[Joe Mc]

If the reservoir is at the full (hot if at oper temp/cold if not) and you still have bubbles maybe you ran it too low? According to the FSM (per my recollection when I installed new steering box last summer) to bleed air from lines (incl brake booster) bring up to operating temp, fill reservoir to hot-fill, with wheels on the ground, and engine running, turn steering wheel lock to lock (don't keep pressure on steering wheel when you hit locks) 20 times return to center, shut down engine, wait about 30 seconds, check/top fluid off and re-check for bubbles. If bubbles remain, repeat 20 lock to lock turns. Don't be surprised if a bit of fluid pukes out the cap might happen if there's a pocket of air, which you are trying to get rid of. Good luck.

 

[JeepBuilder]

My first post here, but I have had the same problem on my 01 3500 drw I bought in Seattle two weeks ago. It was fine till I brought it home to the Idaho panhandle and got below zero cold. I had the growls and no steering assist. Then the next day no brake assist. Having done a ton of reading on my new used truck, I took the high pressure hose off and removed the pressure valve and super cleaned the very fine inlet screen. I used a turkey baster to remove the fluid. Tie wrap a 5/8 heater hose to anything next to the pS pump neck and run the hose into a drain pan or jug. No big mess and it was easy to put the tip of the baster in for a drain squeeze. Once the screen clean was done, I topped off the fluid, did a dozen or so turns on jack stands and I am very surprised that most of the problem went away. It still is a little sluggish at lower RPM's and I attribute that to the cold and very viscous fluid from the low temps we are now having. I believe the complete solution is with synthetic fluid. But because the pump affects the brakes I ordered a borgeson high pressure and flow pump, the double lip vacuum pump seal, two quarts of redline PS fluid and a magnefine PS filter that I hope to install in the next day or two. The vacuum pump drives the PS pump and both should be removed as a unit. R+Ring the PS pump will most likely result in damaging the seal inside the bore of the vacuum pump and engine oil will then leak from between both units. That translates to having to do the job over again. Geno's has the vacuum pump gasket and seal kit. It does not make sense to put in the OEM single lip seal when the double lip seal is available. And according to my factory paper manuals I just received, you will want to remove the oil pressure sending unit in the engine block just behind the PS pump assembly (plug the open port while out) and the vacuum pump and PS unit will come out without the sending unit being in the way. For flushing the old dirty fluid out disconnect both returns (Hydrovac and steering box returns) on the pump, cap the pump return ports and with the engine idling start turning slowly while the flow exits the system into a drain pan. Do not let the fluid level go to low, add your new synthetic fluid to keep the level above the pump casting inside the reservoir. My plan on flushing is two hose barbs to extend the return lines through clear tubing into the pan. This will help avoid PS fluid all over the place, I will also be able to see when the fluid stream cleans up. The manual says 20 turns on jack stands avoiding the bump stops and 40 turns if you have an aftermarket PS oil cooler like what I have. The best tool you could ever purchase is the 4 thick factory manuals. I got mine from Geno's and they are priceless. This is not what I had in mind for my first post, but I saw you were having the exact same problem I am. Hopefully your problem is gone by now. But if you ever have to replace the PS pump, here you go... I hope this helps.

 

[FHerault]

The synthetic fluid has cured my problem so I did not investigate further. I'll have to repeat the suction to be sure the old fluid is gone but now it works. I'll have to check my steering box soon but it's another story...
Thanks for your inputs !

 

[JeepBuilder]

I think I am going to try and get away with just a fluid change also. 2 QT's of redline and I must be getting lazy. Because I did not feel like all that work when it recovered so well with just a screen clean. It's only 20 above too. So at least the replacement parts are here if needed. It is good to hear your success story.

 

[BigPapa]

I went with the BG synthetic. We use a lot of their products where I work and they supplied us with a dandy little machine to flush and fill the power steering with. It has two tubes you put as far into the reservoir as you can. It draws fluid out into a clear jug so you can see what you’re getting out. Jack the front wheels off the ground so you can turn the wheels freely, put the tubes in, fill the “In” reservoir with new fluid, start the truck up and go to it. It has buttons for sucking fluid out and pumping fluid in. Pump some out, noting how much comes out, pump the same amount in, turn the wheels back and forth, and repeat until what’s coming out is about as clean as the new stuff.

-Scott

 

[JeepBuilder]

That sounds like a pretty nice machine. I could have used that today it seems. I put clear tubes on both returns clamped to a 5 gallon bucket. I could see what was happening which was great. But I had what looked like no flow so I just touched the throttle and the reservoir drained like an airplane toilet on steroids. I ended up using both quarts of redline and wished I had ordered one more QT. I have an oil cooler up front for the PS fluid. So a little more capacity was needed. I have three more on the way from Summit. I can already tell the assist is now normal. So I would say that the pressure valve inlet screen clean and going to synthetic was a great save from having to replace the pump and seal between the vacuum pump and PS pump. I hope the original poster does not mind me jumping all over his thread. When I started looking for what was going on I would have been glad to find anything on it. So my intent is to hopefully pass on the great results from what I learned reading several threads on this and hopefully save someone a pump replacement. I am surprised it worked so well. Glad it did.

 

[FHerault]

I hope the original poster does not mind me jumping all over his thread.

Absolutely no problemo !

 

[JeepBuilder]

I am happy to report that I finally got the redline PS fluid in today. A week and a half to ship from Summit when normally it is three days. I was told weather was the cause. Only because I needed it did it take so darn long. So I topped it up and bleed the system, then took it for a drive. After loosing all steering and brake assist and after the screen clean with redline, I now have a quiet system with full assist and it was 22 below zero last night. And I did not have to replace the pump.
I put the borgeson pump and the vacuum pump seal kit on the shelf for the future. That is my kind of fix there. So it did work. And I read about it here on TDR