So, I'm elbow deep in this project truck I bought, got it on the road and test drove it after doing engine and trac lok and other repairs. Found the PS is basically non functioning at idle.

While driving, if you're on the gas, it works. Anything above 1k rpm. If the engine goes back to idle, then you're back to double arming it and manhandling it. Very concerning if you're driving down a back road.

The pump was unmounted from the engine and laying on the crossmember for a bit while I replaced the heads. I bolted it back on and filled it with fluid. I bled it with the wheels in the air, engine off, and then with the engine on. Put the wheels back on the ground and tried it. Nothing. I did get copious bubbles out of the system and probably spent an hour just purging those.

It does groan when you turn the wheel. Fluid is full and not frothy.

I'm never a fan of throwing parts at it. So, I'm trying to diagnose it.

When the front is in the air, engine off, the front wheels turn smoothly lock to lock. No hints of binding or noise. So smooth I can feel the air pockets in the lines.

Down on the ground, hard as a rock.

Pump? Something else? I dunno.

 

The belt tight?

 

Moans and groans are air still in the lines. Though, not being frothy suggests that isn't really the case. I wonder if the pump is just going belly up? How many miles on the truck?

 

Belt should be tight. The tensioner takes a fair amount of force to move.

The truck has a lot of miles, speedo replaced so it's hard to say, but the PS pump has some junkyard paint marker on it where it was replaced.

 

Wonder if the original failed, or, if the PO was trying to solve this same issue. Can you ask?

 

Nah, I have no idea how to get ahold of the guy now.

I'll probably try to find another in a salvage yard, that way I will have 2 pulleys and cores. And then it's just a quick swap.

 

I bought a new pump, no core charge.... Think is was like 80 bucks.

 

One of the problems I keep having with reman parts is they have hit or miss quality. I'd almost rather rebuild one myself. But reading through the threads here it seems there are parts that cannot be reman'ed on the work bench- internal pump bits.

I'm also going to check the hoses and make sure they don't have any problems. This is a towing package truck, so it has a cooler and more lines than a standard model.

 

Gary did an excellent "how to.." on this right in the faq section if you want to tackle it.

Power steering pump rebuild

 

I wanted to do the full rebuild myself, but the pump had hard parts that were bad in it. The spring and another part were busted.
So, I got another pump for it. Also got a high pressure hose, but I cleaned the old one out and reinstalled it when I didn't see leaks or cuts.

Steering works now. I'm going to try and get a spare to rebuild and keep on the shelf, now that I know that how-to is posted.