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Post Power Steering Repair Issues

Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
179
Location
Detroit, MI
I just put in a new P/S High pressure hose and power steering pump. Before we removed it I noticed the fluid was black & grayish. A lot of that fluid came out during the repair. After we got the new one in I'm hearing a kind of a turbine whine especially at higher speeds. Then I checked the fluid with the engine running and I see gurgling in the reservoir. Obviously, that means its a leak but I tightened down both ends of the high pressure hose pretty good. Anybody have any ideas? Also could this lead to catastrophic failure of the pump or R&P ?
 
Pump whining and bubbling/gurgling in the reservoir is a sign of air in the system. The only place air can enter the system is the suction line from the reservoir to the pump, so unfortunately, your repair isn't done, but there's a solution.

http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showt...ing-the-power-steering-reservoir-to-pump-hose

The pump suction lines on these cars are old and hard as a rock, and the part is no longer available from Ford. Aerated fluid will wear the pump vanes and cavity, best to fix it soon.
 
That elbow would work, but Sharkbite is a specific brand/system, and you could probably get a generic barbed elbow for cheaper than one from them. Just looking real quick, I found this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbrande...X-Equal-Elbow-RP3E4B4B/203320586?N=5yc1vZbuuq It's not much of a price difference though, especially since you only need one. As long as it's 3/4 and barbed on both sides, you should be fine. If you do decide to do it, getting a proper hose is the most important part. To be honest though, the noise will most likely go away just by bleeding the system.
 
I looked at PEX Brass elbows at Home Despot, and I took some 3/4" I.D Aeroquip socketless hose along to try. Keep in mind that 3/4" PEX tubing is spec'd at 0.677" inside diameter, and these PEX elbows are going to be a loose fit in hose that is truly 0.75" I.D.

You can burp air out of the PS system by jacking the front tires off the ground, start the engine and saw the steering wheel slowly back and forth, gently hitting the end of travel at each end, do this as much as a dozen times, it should purge any trapped air from the system. If it doesn't, then it's quite likely you have a leak in the reservoir suction hose.

I thought I had trapped air as well, tried purging per the shop manual, and I even made a fitting to put a vacuum pump on the reservoir cap. It didn't help, and when I shut off the engine, I could hear the vacuum pump drawing air into the system at both ends of the reservoir line, I could hear it bubbling the fluid inside the hose.
 
Car-quest will build you replacement hoses, while you wait. Saw it done for a '98 Mystique - my son's handy-work (he works there). I believe the SHO site is where I secured my instructions for bleeding and purging the P/S system. I have that link somewhere. I and others used this approach, as it removes all of the old P/S fluid in addition to removing air.
 
I sort of recall that SHO PS flush procedure.

1. Raise and jack-stand the front end to both tires just off the pavement.
2. Disconnect the return line between the PS cooler and the reservoir, then cap the return fitting on the reservoir, lead the open return line to a bucket.
3. Have someone at the reservoir with a funnel and several open bottles of PS fluid.
4. Assistant at the wheel, start the engine and slowly saw the steering wheel back and forth.
5. Person at reservoir keeps reservoir topped off with fresh fluid while old fluid is pumped into bucket. As cheap as PS fluid is, you could flush 2 or 3 quarts through the system. Save some to top off in the next step.
6. Stop engine, reconnect return line to reservoir, top off reservoir.
 
I picked up my hose. Check it out...

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I sort of recall that SHO PS flush procedure.

1. Raise and jack-stand the front end to both tires just off the pavement.
2. Disconnect the return line between the PS cooler and the reservoir, then cap the return fitting on the reservoir, lead the open return line to a bucket.
3. Have someone at the reservoir with a funnel and several open bottles of PS fluid.
4. Assistant at the wheel, start the engine and slowly saw the steering wheel back and forth.
5. Person at reservoir keeps reservoir topped off with fresh fluid while old fluid is pumped into bucket. As cheap as PS fluid is, you could flush 2 or 3 quarts through the system. Save some to top off in the next step.
6. Stop engine, reconnect return line to reservoir, top off reservoir.

Very nice, your memory is better than mine!! Here is what I was referring to - http://www.v8sho.com/SHO/psflush.htm
 
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