Power Steering

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DTrain

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I’ve got a small power steering issue that’s been going on with my truck. I’ll get into the issue, but first I have what I think should be an easy question...

The power steering fluid levels don’t match up. When it’s full cold, it’s low warm. Common sense leads you to think they should be the same, but what level is more important?

The reason I’m even worried about this at the moment, is I’ve had a little power steering issue develop. The power steering pump is a few months old at this point. But maybe three weeks to a month back when I would turn the right, I would feel what I would best discribe as a little vibration mixed with a small catch in my steering.

When it was first going on, I decided after a while to jack the truck up, I pulled the cap and turned it back and forth while running thinking maybe it got some air trapped somehow. It really helped for a couple weeks. It developed again, so once more, I tried it again, it seemed to be a fix for a very short period this time. It’s super hot right now and it’s coming on again pretty good, so I’m kind of connecting the dots to this maybe being related to a heat thing. Which makes me think maybe it’s a hot fluid level issue. But that may coincidence.

Anyways, it’s really just annoying, doesn’t seem to be an issue, but something I’d love to clear up.
 

east302

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Is it leaking anywhere?

Edit: is it a hydroboost?


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DTrain

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It is a hydraboost truck. I guess that’d be helpful... It’s a ‘99 k3500, OBS, 350 truck.
 

someotherguy

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You should be checking with the engine running, are you doing this?

Fluid level should be higher when it's hot because it expands. However if you're checking it with the engine off, while hot it may show lower because fluid is somewhat trapped in all the lines and components; once it sits long enough to cool off, some of it will have drained back to the reservoir and show you a higher reading.

Richard
 

DTrain

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So I checked it this morning, stone cold, truck hasn’t been run since I got home from work yesterday evening. The level is just above the cold fluid level.

Now when I’ve checked the hot fluid level recently, I have checked once the truck is very warmed up and still running and the level will be like half way between the hot and cold mark.

This is what’s confusing to me. Shouldn’t it show hot when it’s hot and cold when it’s cold? Or if I had to choose one or the other, which one is more important?
 

blacksport

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So I checked it this morning, stone cold, truck hasn’t been run since I got home from work yesterday evening. The level is just above the cold fluid level.

Now when I’ve checked the hot fluid level recently, I have checked once the truck is very warmed up and still running and the level will be like half way between the hot and cold mark.

This is what’s confusing to me. Shouldn’t it show hot when it’s hot and cold when it’s cold? Or if I had to choose one or the other, which one is more important?
no it's not a exact science.some fluid may expand more than another,you can add some when it's hot to get to the hot line but that little amount of fluid is not going to make a difference.
your P/S fluid if normal
the full when cold is more important
 

DTrain

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So we’ve had a lot of rain lately, which has led to cooler, damp days. With this weather I haven’t noticed much issue with my power steering. We were having 90+ days before this week. So I am definitely realizing that my issue is a heat thing. What would cause power steering when it gets real hot to have the feeling I’m getting? Which again, is kind of a vibration in my steering when it’s turned to the right, or corrected left suddenly after turning right. It almost feels like here is a slight catch as well when it happens.
 

DTrain

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In an unrelated matter, I swapped the steering box on my truck. Now it’s buttery smooth and clearly where my catch/vibration in my steering was coming from. Guess I just assumed it was in the pump.
 
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