Power steering system noise?

[iq_artwork]

Hello everyone,

So I'm getting some noises when Im turning my steering wheel and there is a small small leak at the top of the pump. I'm planning to clean my PS reservoir / screen and change my o-ring. I have a question please and I'm adding some pictures here as well. Is my "pressure line from the rack" like Tim mentioned in his first post, where i have cycle it with green in my picture?

Thank you very much!

[iq_artwork]

Hello everyone!!


I was able to drain my old fluid (and it was yellow dirty dark, I think my old mechanic added dot 3 or something else). Then I cleaned my PS reservoir and changed the small hose connected to it. Flushed it with a ATF DEX-III/MERCON and filled it with a clean one again. So after that my PS pump sound really weird..


Any help will be more than appreciated, thank you

[Burntboot]

Being yellow it was likely (hopefully) Power Steering Fluid
When you cleaned the reservoir, what did the screen look like and did you clean it too?

"sound really weird" is a little too broad, could you narrow it down a bit (grinding, sucking air, howling, squealing .....)
If you can't describe it adequately, perhaps post a video?

[iq_artwork]

Burntboot thank you for your quick reply,

When I removed my PS reservoir it's was really dirty, I used a Paint Thinner with a toothbrush to clean it. When I opened the cap, the screen was broken in half and I took it off so I can clean everything inside as well. I noticed for '84 Vans the screen is one part with the reservoir and not 2 different parts like I saw some pics here.

I couldn't find the way to upload a video here, but I'm adding a link with the noise. Attached some pics
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kpvoizxredy2t4g/IMG_0098.MOV?dl=0


Thank you!

[Burntboot]

FYI - Your reservoir looks the same as the later ones and neither are intended to come apart.

The "lid" is held on with metal tabs bent under, unbending the tabs is all thats required to separate the housing and access the screen.

[iq_artwork]

Burnboot, yes I removed the cap with a screwdriver and I cleaned the inside of my reservoir as well. I noticed with my PS reservoir, the screen was connected around the metal and it wasn’t 2 different parts like pics I have seen here, also it was broken in half. So I decided to take the screen off and cleaned the bottom of the reservoir..
Now I’m looking for a new reservoir with screen or keep my fluid clean by flushing the system more often.. unfortunately I didn’t take a pic with my screen broken.

[stolz]

Hey guys,

I've been having some power steering issues lately but a few months ago I read this thread and cleaned out my power steering reservoir and it fixed the issue.

I then started to have intermittent issues again, every once in a while it would go out for a few hours at a time or days. Driving on bumpy dirt roads would usually fix this, confusing right.

So I pulled the reservoir again today and it was dirty again so I cleaned it out.

I flushed out all the old fluid as I was running normal power steering fluid in it and filled it with Dexron III and now it's making this noise and no power steering is evident.

So my questions are:

What do you guys think the sound is, sounds like an air leak of some sort or a suction problem?

Should I be able to even have the reservoir cap off and the liquid so calm like this?

[timsrv]

Yes, there should be movement of the PS fluid & for whatever reason yours is not moving. Possible causes could be a clog or severe restriction somewhere else in the system. The reservoir screen is the most common, but if you already checked/cleaned that then it's gotta be something else. It's possible the pump has failed, but IMO I don't think that's very likely. Check the hose that goes from the reservoir to the pump to make sure it's not kinked. I would also make sure it's rated for hydraulic fluid/oil (not regular heater hose). If it's not rated for hydraulic fluid/oil, then it's possible it's breaking down. Since it's a suction hose it's also possible the interior may have collapsed and is blocking flow. I'd also check all the metal lines down at the rack to make sure nothing shows physical damage (like bottoming out on a rock or something and crushing one of those). If it's not the reservoir screen and it's not the hoses/lines, then that only leaves the pump and the rack. Hopefully it's not one of those. Tim

[stolz]

Hey Tim,

Thanks for the response. I drove around for a few days and it started working again, so I pulled the reservoir for a third time and it had some more gunk in it.

I cleaned it out and now it's working perfect and the fluids flowing much faster, seems like it needed to be flushed through to get all the old gunk and fluid out and now it's happy with Dexron III.

[stolz]

Alright so I’m having power steering issues again, but now that I looked up the part number of the hose going to the power steering reservoir the hose they gave me at the local auto shop is rated as a fuel line and not a hydraulic line, maybe that’s the issue now?

[Diy2k]

Reserve-pump hose doesn’t need to be anything fancy since it holds no pressure.

[timsrv]

Pressure ratings are not that important, but it does need to be rated for the type of fluid it carries. If it can handle fuel, I suspect it can also handle Dexron ATF fluid, but I would want to be sure. FYI, never use heater hose here. Tim

[JDM VANMAN]

The power steering return hose started leaking as well the hose was replaced, new O-ring, new fluid and cleanup.














This is the OEM original hose, it was as hard as a rock with no flexibility, it was so hard I broke it over my knee like a stick.








Hose clamp embedded into the hose-




JDM

[Warhound_Titan]

Hey, gang! Its been a long time but I'm finally working on my '89 4wd again.

Sometime last year I disassembled my power steering reservoir to help with some intermittent whining and loss of steering.
This did help tremendously however I did notice at times when the van was idling the ps-pulley would seize up, so I decided to replace the pump itself.

Fast-forward a year and I finally got the pump switched out and the lines flushed with new Dex-III!
I've spent HOURS bleeding my steering system to get any air out (I installed a temporary clear tube so I could watch the AFT fluid as it cleared)
I've inspected the lines and nothing is obviously kinked or has failed and the new pump isn't leaking anywhere and there is no noise.
When the wheels are off the ground the wheel turns buttery-smooth but when I've got wheels touching there is a ton of resistance in the system.
I've got the reservoir filled to appropriate levels but I have noticed that the reservoir fills faster than it empties.

The ps pump was a remanufacture and I'm beginning to think that its a dud. At least that's what I'm hoping for at this point!

Before I go ripping it out again I've got some suspicions...

1) the inside of one of the lines has collapsed. I haven't replaced them so as far as I know they are OE and maybe are restricting flow or letting air into the system.
2) I really botched the pump install and maybe ruined the banjo fitting? Doesn't seem likely..
or 3) I need a rack-rebuild :(

Anything you could offer at this point would be so appreciated!

[Burntboot]

WT -Sorry to hear of your troubles.
I am confused by a few things you stated:

"I did notice at times when the van was idling the ps-pulley would seize up, so I decided to replace the pump itself."
-So, if the idler pulley was seizing, did you replace it too when you did the pump?

"I've spent HOURS bleeding my steering system to get any air out (I installed a temporary clear tube so I could watch the AFT fluid as it cleared)
I've inspected the lines and nothing is obviously kinked or has failed and the new pump isn't leaking anywhere and there is no noise.
When the wheels are off the ground the wheel turns buttery-smooth but when I've got wheels touching there is a ton of resistance in the system.
I've got the reservoir filled to appropriate levels but I have noticed that the reservoir fills faster than it empties."

So you have fluid flowing thru the system? (as seen by the bubbles in the clear tube)?
If the reservoir is filling faster than its emptying, does that mean it's pushing fluid out of the reservoir cap?

For starters you need to verify if the pump is building pressure.
Place key in ignition to disable steering lock and try to turn the steering wheel with the engine off and not how much effort it takes.
Now start the truck and turn the wheel again, if its significantly easier, then the pump is working.

You did mention that all works well when its jacked up.
That is totally normal as there is no load on anything but it is important to make sure that you don't have another problem hiding.

It is possible to have a a ball joint be seized in its compressed position but appear to be fine when unloaded.
I have only seen it once but it sure was a lot of fun to diagnose.
You need to have it jacked up but with the weight of the van on the suspension (stands under front control arms near as possible to the wheels)
(doing all 4 would get the truck level and closer to emulating "normal" loading condition) and recheck to see if it all moves free.

[Warhound_Titan]

Hey, Burntboot

Thanks for the response. To answer your questions...

The idler pulley was not what was seized. WHILE idling the pulley on the pump-shaft would seize up which is why I chose to replace the PS-Pump itself.

Correct, I do have fluid moving throughout the system, however it doesn't feel like any pressure is being produced. The reservoir is filling faster than its emptying and if I try to turn the wheel too fast the reservoir will overflow.

It doesn't seem like the pump is producing any pressure comparing when I turn the steering wheel when the van is off vs on.

Thank you for the suggustion that it could be a ball joint. I'll see what I can see. It sure would be nice if the 4wd vans still had control arms or ball joints available!

Hope that cleared some stuff up!
Cheers.

[Burntboot]

If you aren't noticing significant difference in steering resistance with engine on or off you definitely have a problem with the power steering.
No need to chase front end stuff, other than for peace of mind.

What kind of hose do you have between the reservoir and the pump? And what is its condition?

[Ian R.]

Anyone ever have power steering system making a rattling/loud ticking ( almost like a stuck lifter) type noise? Mine has had this noise ever since I owned the van. A little background, the PS fluid is full with Dex III, I have changed the idler pulley, and tried different tensions on the PS belt. I know it is the PS cause I have taken of the belt and ran the motor and the rattle goes away. Maybe the belt was tensioned to much for to long and wore out the PS pump bearings? Curious to hear if anyone has had this problem and resolved it by replacing the pump?

[Ian R.]

Well I took a closer look at the PS pump. I found that there is a dent in the PS pump pulley v-groove. This dent makes a bump where the belt slots into the pulley. I think the noise that I am hearing is chatter from the belt tracking over the dent in the pulley. A new pulley is 170$ uggh! There is a van at a salvage yard near me, but they won’t sell the pulley alone and want 120.00 for the pulley and pump.

[originalkwyjibo]

Can you file/sand out the dent? Just make sure there are no sharp edges.