I have a 99 Dakota 4x4 with the 318
At hot idle, like after stopping from a long drive, I have a 75-100% loss of power steering, in both neutral and in gear. It hasn't happened when cold, I assume because the idle is higher?
There is some slight groaning when the steering is under heavy load but the truck has always had it, even with the original PS system. Nothing leaks, I have been over everything. The entire PS system has been replaced and is about 2 years old; new lines, pump, and steering gear.
I just replaced the pump with a new "cardone select" unit, I sometimes use the truck off the grid and will pay extra for some slightly better reliability...The steering still cuts out and is now slightly harder to turn while driving in general. The belt shows no signs of slipping.

I lengthened the return line and added a screen type filter; could this mess with the pressures in the pump?
Could the steering gear just be junk already?

Thanks and sorry for the drawn out question, $100 in and I'm gun shy about dropping more on a steering gear....

 

So long as the reservoir is still full, the filter won't hurt anything. If it starts getting clogged up though, that may be a problem.

Cardone really isn't known for their high quality parts.......

 

Thanks, I'll clean that out with solvent and air tonight. Any recommendation for a good steering gearbox rebuilder? I got a leaky dud from Napa when I first did mine...

 

Still under warranty? Swap it out. Otherwise, it's just a crap shoot whether you get a good one or not...

 

So, power steering isn't exactly a science. Like any oil, the fluid thins as it gets hot. As the fluid thins, it can slide between the vanes and the housing, or past the seals in the gearbox.

The real question is, where's the leak at. Without being able to measure primary and secondary pressure, you don't really know. What we do know is that after changing the pump, pressure output likely increased, so it may be bypassing a seal in the gearbox.

Call AGR Performance/Steerco. 817-626-9006. They build (not remanufacture) steering boxes and pumps, and dyno the pumps before sending them out the door. Buy their fluid and you get a 2 year no questions asked warranty. I have their setup on my race truck, as well as a few other dakota folks that I have referred there. Josh is the owner, but John is equally knowledgable. I don't know what PN the steering box would be, but the pump is a Saginaw P pump with teardrop reservoir. Should be the same for most chrysler products from 92 through 02 except the jeep 2.5, 4.0, and diamler 4.7/5.7 (they use a different pump)

They can explain what happens when you run into this situation.