The truck is a 1999 ram 2500 5.9L 24vcummins. i've lost power steering at idle and it sometimes works under engine load. the brakes are going in and out due to the hydro-boost system being hooked to it. My question is: is there an easy way to see if the vacuum pump is still working properly without removing the pump. Also could a vacuum leak cause the pump to go bad, because i just found and fixed one today and the steering improved a little but not enough to drive it. The truck is lifted and i dont want to run over a miata. Need the truck operational again a.s.a.p. any help will be appreciated.

 

You can put a vacuum gauge on the pump and how much it produces.
I don't think its your problem anyway. I think the vac pump only runs supplies the 4wd, cruise andHVAC controlsYour hydro boost runs off your power steering pump and that is most likely your problem.

 

The power steering pump is part of the vac pump right? Is the p/s pump and the res the same or is the back half of the vac pump actually the p/s pump? just trying to figure out what to replace so that i can drive the truck again.

 

No you can separate the PS pump from the VAC pump and replace just the PS pump.

 

I fixed the p/s it just had a few vacuum leakes going into the vac pump, had rotted boots. The hvac vents run off vac as well right. that means that if when i turn the selector and the vents dont change positions i have a leak under the dash right?