I took my 1988 B150 for a drive today for the first time and noticed that when I turn the wheel, it makes loud squeeking noises and the steering wheel gets stuck a few times as I max out the wheel. Mind you, the van has been parked in the woods for 2 years and I'm slowly trying to rebuild and restore this thing. The power steering fluid level is full and clear, no leaks anywhere. What could this sticking and squeeling be? There's also about 2" of play in the steering and and she pulls to the left a bit. Please advise, thank you.

 

It's a bad belt. Replace it and then readjust it after the first hour of use.

 

A bad belt can make the wheel stick? How? When I look at the power steering belt it seems to be smooth and tight, no wobbliness or slipping. The sqeeking noise is not the kind of squeek you get when a belt is slipping. It is the same noise you get when you turn the wheel all the way to one direction at a dead stop and you get that "metallic" kind of squeek. BTW, the noise and sticking only happens either at a dead stop or at very slow speeds. When I give it gas the steering is smooth, no squeek, no sticking. Also, at very slow speeds, when I turn the wheel to max and attempt to just idle forward or backward, like when making a 3 point turn in the street, the van will actually stall. But it only stalls when the wheel is maxed to either direction. Strange! Also, how do I adjust the 2" play in the steering?

 

The engine rpm maybe too low, adjust the rpm to 700 rpm and reck.

 

When the belt slips you not only get the squealing noise, but the PS pump momentarily skips/stops/slows down and you momentarily lose power steering. This gives the feel of it sticking.

For the 2" of play, first check for worn steering parts, ball joints, or control arm bushings.

 

Looks can be deceiving as to the belt, especially if the thing has been sitting for 2 years. Try sprinkling the belt with comet or ajax cleaner to remove any slippery spots.

Also I'd recommend lifting the front of the van off the ground, and move the wheels by hand and check for any binding. This will also help reveal any slop up there.

The steering box can be adjusted, to a degree. Behind the front grill there is access to the bolts.