1997 1500 4x4 with 360
I'm having major issues with intermittent power steering failure. I replaced both the gear box and the pump. Sometimes I'll have full power steering, other times it will fail at anything less than 1000rpm. Any ideas?

 

Belt slipping.

 

Belt slipping due to a worn belt or a worn pulley? Or both possibly?

 

Belt or tensioner could cause slip. Is anything on the belt like oil?

 

I may have solved the issue, I think there was air trapped in the loop. I put the front end on jack stands, opened the reservoir, and just turned the wheel lock to lock for about 10 minutes. So far so good. Need to drive her a little more to be sure.

 

Changed out my powersteering pump on my 97 /360 two wheel drive a few weeks ago and having the same issue.

Noticed the other day after truck had been sitting a few days at start up low idle turning was pretty good....after about 20 minutes of driving if I stopped at a stop sign and was making a turn without giving it gas it was next to impossible to turn the wheel...get it up over 1000 rpm and right back to being easy to turn. Turning while backing up into the driveway was next to impossible when I got home.

Have had it jacked up twice already and done lock to lock likely 40 times.... could it still have a air lock in their ? Or is air some how getting into the system while driving?

 

Jack it up again.... (sorry.) Start the engine, turn the steering lock to lock a couple times. Shut down the engine, and have a look at your power steering fluid. If it is foamy AT ALL, you still have some air in there.

May not hurt to flush the system, but, be warned, the pump can move a LOT of fluid REALLY quick.

 

Ordered a new tensioner and will give that a try. Thinking the one on the engine is the original so it could be 19 years old with 203,000 km on it.

Had the front wheels up the other day did the lock to lock 40 plus more times still no difference .... no foaming or air in the pump oil

God I love my old dodge

 

New tensioner installed... big difference in it compared to the one taken off.... but still the problem exists.

Starting to think the pump ROCKAUTO sent me might be the problem

 

Do they have a support line you can have a chat with?