Help! P/S woes

myers3512

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Original poster
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
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57
Location
Frederick, MD
I am about ready to see if I can go to a manual steering box! My p/s has me at wits end. The original (on it when I bought the jeep) crapped out on me 2 years ago, puking out fluid and locking everything up on me. Had it replaced, but it always made noise. That was one of the reasons I did my refurb.

Ffwd to now, I have put on a new pump (not a refurb), new pressure and return lines and a refurb box. I don't see any leaks except when the reservoir overflows. Which it does all the time. It is foaming like an espresso from go. I tried to follow bleeding procedures from Jerry b from the start. Just did that again over the past few days racking it stop to stop, engine off and on stands, at least 100 times. As soon as I start it it's back to the foam and overflowing.

I am out of ideas. Here is a video I hope works.

http://vid1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag268/myers3512/PS Pump_zpsteryhg9k.mp4


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Okay, I was just going to suggest bleeding it per the manual, but you've obviously already done that.

It seems pretty obvious that there is air in the system. Is there a leak somewhere else by chance?
 
Can't find any leaks. Seems like it's pulling in a ton of air. That video was right after starting it after it sat for two days and bleeding it.

Feel like I am missing something simple or stupid.


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It has to be air in the system, because that's what all those bubbles are... air bubbles.

But if you've bled it multiple times following the manual procedure, the only other way I could see air getting into the system would be a leak somewhere (if that's even possible for air to get in that way).
 
It's definitely air. Just can't figure out how or where it is coming from. With that much I would think I would see fluid leaking out too.


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Concentrate on the reservoir, hose from reservoir to pump, and the pump inlet - anywhere else would be leaks. Re-check the suction side hose and clamps going from the reservoir to the pump. Pull the reservoir, clean the screen inside, and check for hairline cracks in the plastic bottom where the suction line connects. Also check the fitting at the power steering pump where the suction line is clamped. Could be drawing in air around the threads.

The factory now recommends using a vacuum to get the air out but usually the standard methods still work fine.

http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/214
 
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Thanks. Far as I know the reservoir is original. The mounting tab on the back of it had already snapped off. So maybe it is the culprit.

Can u get a new one anywhere? It's the remote style


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Thanks. Far as I know the reservoir is original. The mounting tab on the back of it had already snapped off. So maybe it is the culprit.

Can u get a new one anywhere? It's the remote style

Dealer - Expensive. I would check around for something used. Flush it out good and make sure the screen is clean when you peer down the fill hole. Brake cleaner with a wand aimed down works great. I would give you a part number but I don't see the particulars of your ride.
 
Dealer - Expensive. I would check around for something used. Flush it out good and make sure the screen is clean when you peer down the fill hole. Brake cleaner with a wand aimed down works great. I would give you a part number but I don't see the particulars of your ride.

97 SE 4cyl. Local u-pull has a wrangler and a few cherokees. Will check them this weekend if the cleaning doesn't do it.

Thanks


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Holy crap $300!! For a plastic jug. $150 used on eBay. Part 68153950AB.

Junk yard it is.


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To close the loop. Ended up as far as I can tell just being air trapped in the system. I did clean the reservoir and the screen (didn't know it was there so thanks). What worked best was to jack it up and go stop to stop at a fast idle 3k and peg it to the lock for 5-6 sec. did that a few times each side. 90% of the air is out now! Doesn't overflow. Still a bit left but I will keep working it out.

Thanks for the suggestions.


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To close the loop. Ended up as far as I can tell just being air trapped in the system. I did clean the reservoir and the screen (didn't know it was there so thanks). What worked best was to jack it up and go stop to stop at a fast idle 3k and peg it to the lock for 5-6 sec. did that a few times each side. 90% of the air is out now! Doesn't overflow. Still a bit left but I will keep working it out.

Thanks for the suggestions.


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Thank for the feed back!!
 
Yep, Ockham's Razor strikes again!

I had a feeling it was nothing more than air in the system. Glad you got it all sorted out.
 
Ok actual final post. It was a bad "brand new" pump. Air came back. After two local mechanics couldn't figure it out I broke down and went to the local stealership. Took em 15 minutes to figure out the pump was pushing fluid backwards!!! And only charged me $60. So props to them. Now I know what it should look like in the reservoir when it's running.

Called amazon and got a replacement. Put it on today and was crazy easy to get it up and running. No air, no foaming, no groaning. Freaking pump wasted so much of my life[emoji35]

FYI it was an omix ada pump. And amazon is awesome!


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Amazon is awesome, yes indeed. They make returns the easiest thing you'll ever have to do!

So it was a faulty pump in other words?

Let this be yet another lesson to buy OE parts when possible!