No power steering...

[dirtautoguy]

Today on my 96 k1500 I went for a drive with the dog and when we were done I was turning around with the wheels all the way left. For a second something felt funny kinda like a bump in the steering wheel. When I went to turn again I had no power steering.

I strong armed it home and did a little investigating. No leaks were found and no blown hoses and the reservoir was still full. With the cap off I got my dad to help and we couldn’t see any fluid moving when the steering wheel was turned. I also noticed the pump was making a slight amount of noise which it didn’t use to do.

Last spring I put in new ps lines, got the steering gear box replaced under warranty and put a new pa pump at the same time. I went to the parts store told them what happened and they agreed it sounded like the ps pump crapped the bed and gave me a new one.

I just happened to have taken today off to set up deer camp for opening day tomorrow but instead spent it putting the new pump on yayyyh..... anyway long story shorter I got the new pump on made sure the lines still flowed good and the result I got was I have a very slight amount of ps to the right and none to the left. The parts store still warrantied it out for me and told me to just try driving it to see if it starts working and the car guru (he worked 30 years as a mechanic) would be in tomorrow.

I really doubt driving it will help but I’ll go for a ride tonight and see.... I put it on jack stands and tried and tried to find any air and never could it did suck the fluid down some initially but that’s all. When you look in the reservoir it looks like the fluid is moving now.

so I’m wondering have you guys had anything similar to this? I have a vague understanding of the power steering gear box but could that make it do this?


On the bright side my new new pump is quieter than the old new pump

 

[96-2D-Hoe]

Jack up both front wheels and with engine off turn the steering wheel slowly from one side to the other all the way a few times.That should get any air out.

Otherwise this is from Lares for flushing and bleeding

1. Disable ignition system using recommended procedure in your service manual.
   
   
2. Raise front wheels until just clear of ground.
   
   
3. Place drain pan under power steering pump return port. Disconnect return line from power steering pump and
   
   place it in drain pan. Flush the power steering pump reservoir by pouring new fluid into the reservoir until the fluid runs clear. Be sure to use the fluid recommended for your vehicle. NOTE: DIRTY FLUID WILL VOID THE WARRANTY.
   
   
4. Leave return line in drain pan. Cap the pump reservoir return port to prevent leakage.
   
   
5. Fill power steering pump with new fluid recommended for your vehicle.
   
   
6. While having someone watch the uid level and adding fluid to the pump (Keep fluid above top of pump
   
   casting) crank the engine over using the ignition switch. (To prevent excessive starter wear; crank engine over for less than 20 second intervals.) Continue to add new fluid until return line runs clear. Reconnect pump return line.
   
   
7. This completes the flushing procedure. Now begin bleeding the system.
   
   
8. Fill power steering pump with new fluid recommended for your vehicle.
   
   
9. While having someone watch the fluid level and adding fluid to the pump (Keep fluid above top of pump
   
   casting) crank the engine over using the ignition switch. (To prevent excessive starter wear; crank engine
   
   over for less than 20 second intervals.)

10. While you are cranking the engine over, turn the steering wheel lock to lock slowly at least 4 times to bleed the system. If you see any bubbles and/or foam enter the pump; stop and let the system rest until all of the bubbles and/or foam has dissipated. Repeat steps 8-10 until bubbles and/or foam no longer enter the pump.

11. Reconnect ignition system. Lower wheels to the ground. Start engine and test drive car. If assist is smooth,

bleeding is complete. If assist is erratic, whines or fluid is foaming; repeat steps 8-10.

 

[SUBURBAN5]

I did something similar to this procedure. I recommend a power steering filter when everything all said and done.

 

[dirtautoguy]

I did do the wheels in the air and back and forth steering both truck on and off. I haven’t gotten any froth or bubbles. I still haven’t test drove it either though. There shouldn’t be a ton of air in it with just a pump change but who knows... I’m willing to try that

 

[96-2D-Hoe]

If you've bled it properly then you must have bust a seal in the box. You've ruled the pump out if the issue still exists. When you go full lock and hang on it it creates high pressure. Sorry, didn't read your post properly the first time.

 

[delta_p]

Inside the power steering pump there is a control valve with a relief valve system. When you turn against the wheelstop the fluid out of the pump stops because the gearbox piston isn't moving. The fluid pressure goes through roof and the relief valve opens allowing a pressure difference across the control valve to open it fully so pump output fluid can be directed back to the pump inlet.

If the valve stuck open you wouldn't have power steering, and the bump in the wheel might have been the relief valve operation. Sometimes you can check for this by reving up the engine and see if the steering returns since the pump spinning faster will be able to deliver some fluid to the gearbox.

https://benchworksteering.com/tech-talk/pressure-relief-valve/

 

[Supercharged111]

Turns one way not the other? Sounds like box to me, but that is just a guess.

 

[dirtautoguy]

I played with it some more today and tried to bleed it and still never got froth or bubbles.

I took the return line off the pump plugged the pump side and had my wife start the truck. Fluid sprayed out of it like cow peeing on a flat rock so I know it’s got flow.

I went and talked to their good parts guy and he said the same thing about the pressure relief. It still goes easier to the right than the left.

anyway they have a another gear box that’s supposed to be here tomorrow under warranty.

 

[dirtautoguy]

That’s a good read and makes sense. I did try Revving it up but it makes no difference.

funny thing is though there was a couple times where I would be turning at slow speed and my steering would get stiff like it lost pressure untill I gave it a little gas it would go back to normal. So maybe this has been a progressive thing?

 

[dirtautoguy]

New box is in and all seems to be working.

Everything went in great. I bled the air out and flushed the lines even though I just did the box and pump I figured it couldn’t hurt.

Iv only driven it in my driveway but I am confident all’s good. If not I’ll post again