in the past year I've put a new rack and pinion in along with 2 power steering pumps along with a new pressure line with the sensor. all was working great until a week ago it quit working again. I changed the pump out yesterday and still like it was maybe a lil better. When you turn the wheel sometimes it feels free and moves like normal other times i can feel pressure against it. Since it's all new less than a year old i'm not sure what it is at this point.

 

Are you sure it is the pump? How's the lower intermediate steering shaft? The shaft from the steering wheel to the rack?

If the u-joints dry out it can bind VERY tight and you'll think your pump has failed.

Free, bind, free, bind are the symptoms.

 

i also with in the last year replaced the inter steering shaft it all looks fine

 

here is a power steering pump hint learned a long time ago. to flush the pump under power use ONLY oil. solvent, gasoline, kerosene, or any thin fluid, it will make the pump metal to metal and jam it up. never never any thing but oil in the pump.

 

it does seem to have a bind free then bind feel to it

 

I'd really check out that shaft again.

When my shaft failed, just a month or so ago, I thought it was the rack too at first. I could barely turn the wheel at times. After spraying it down with some penetrating oil everything loosened right up and bought me a few days before I changed it.

 

I'm pretty sure its the rack and pinion at this point. When you 1st start and drive it seems almost normal but, after you drive for 20 mins it starts getting really stiff.

 

Bad rebuild?