Another Power Steering Pump - 4 Month Program

[OwnerCS]

Dorman reservoir- why not oem?

Can you trace the introduction of the Forman reservoir to the start of the dirty fluid?

The Dorman reservoir was introduced along with the new rack and hoses during the refresh. It took almost a year for problems to surface. The Dorman had no o-ring like OEM to make an air-tight seal. So it just needed the right conditions of hard locks to put a vacuum on the reservoir. The hard locks happened on the trails in the San Juans. While my normal offroad has a lot of dirt, no hard locks were experienced until I met the switchbacks in Colorado.

 

[abuck99]

So have you switched back to an OEM reservoir and cap?

 

[OwnerCS]

So have you switched back to an OEM reservoir and cap?

Yes. Switched back shortly after the return from Colorado and problems started.

 

[2001LC]

After cycling 2.5 GALLONS of power steering fluid through the system with lock-to-lock turning cycles during the flush, I think it is finally running clean enough to install a replacement pump.

Observations

1) While cycling 2.5 gallons of fluid through the system, I held my hand over the reservoir opening while the steering wheel was turned lock to lock. At each hard lock position, where the pump makes an increased hiss, there is a strong vacuum that builds in the reservoir. This may be an explanation for why so much dust/dirt was sucked into the system as I had been doing a number of hard steering locks on switchbacks. With the short-lived Dorman reservoir, I can see how dust was sucked into the system. While I did change and cycle fluid, there must have been some dirt still hiding in a cavity from last summer.

The Dorman reservoir cap provided little in the way of a reservoir seal. A normal driver would not have experienced the amount of dust combined with hard steering locks. I will move the knuckle adjusters out to reduce the amount of pressure that occurs from a hard lock.

2) After the flush, the fluid now looks like a little fountain inside the reservoir as the wheel is turned from lock to lock. Fluid will shoot up out of the reservoir hole when turned lock-to-lock. While the pump is weak, it does appear to be moving more fluid.

3) The system appears to be clean enough for me to go forward with changing the pump tomorrow.

Pictures Below

View attachment 3014251


View attachment 3014252

All ATF (automatic transmission fluid) that I've seen, is red. What is that fluid, you put into the system?

If doubt adjusting knuckle stop, has any effect on holding at lock cavitation, other than to reducing turning radius.

BTW: When bleeding: FSM recommends doing so with engine off wheels/tires off the ground. Turning steering wheel 3 times minimum, lock to lock slowly holding at lock 3 seconds first bleed. Than wheels on the ground engine running.

Steering Flush & Cleaning

Cleaning power steering reservoir and flushing it's fluid. Keeps Vane pump and rack & pinion in top condition. These step will help you get, a better idea on how to. Power wash reservoir & hoses using a degreaser, before starting service. Makes for cleaner job. Repeat, once all done with...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[OwnerCS]

All ATF (automatic transmission fluid) that I've seen, is red. What is that fluid, you put into the system?

If doubt adjusting knuckle stop, has any effect on holding at lock cavitation, other than to reducing turning radius.

BTW: When bleeding: FSM recommends doing so with engine off wheels/tires off the ground. Turning steering wheel 3 times minimum, lock to lock slowly holding at lock 3 seconds first bleed. Than wheels on the ground engine running.

Steering Flush & Cleaning

Cleaning power steering reservoir and flushing it's fluid. Keeps Vane pump and rack & pinion in top condition. These step will help you get, a better idea on how to. Power wash reservoir & hoses using a degreaser, before starting service. Makes for cleaner job. Repeat, once all done with...

forum.ih8mud.com

Wheels off the ground when changing the fluid. Combination of running to circulate and off to drain. The clear fluid is Prestone. Easy availability.

While watching the fluid clear up during cavitation, bursts of particulate would bubble up into the reservoir until it finally started running clean at full lock.

 

[2001LC]

Wheels off the ground when changing the fluid. Combination of running to circulate and off to drain. The clear fluid is Prestone. Easy availability.

While watching the fluid clear up during cavitation, bursts of particulate would bubble up into the reservoir until it finally started running clean at full lock.

I had no idea Prestone made ATF. But then I never use any Prestone products.

 

[OwnerCS]

I had no idea Prestone made ATF. But then I never use any Prestone products.

I've only used their PS fluid to clean up a mess. Valvoline also makes a clear that is harder to get in this area. I think ATF has red dye due to some regulation about leak detection and to keep certain mechanics from confusing it with motor oil.

Our original GM Dexron II. I installed a few cases of this in the 1970s when it came out.

This was before it was banned in the 1970s. It still had the slippery stuff as an additive.

Have used Type A Suffix A in some Dynaflows and the early Powerglydes



My first automatic - 1951 model. First gear starts required deliberately shifting to L - like a Buick Dynaflow.

 

[OwnerCS]

The PS fluid is still clear after a 100 mile drive this morning. I am evacuating the reservoir to prepare for changing the pump. After I remove the pump, I slide the clear plastic evacuation tube down inside the pressure and return lines to remove as much fluid as possible from the lines before removing the pump.

Clean fluid was flowing through the line when I made this picture.

 

[abuck99]

The Prestone PS fluid will darken - its hydraulic fluid and it’s not very resistant to heat. Most of us are using M1 ATF or Valvoline Maxlife(cheaper). The maxlife syn ATF should withstand heat much better than that clear hydraulic fluid.

My02

 

[OwnerCS]

The Prestone PS fluid will darken - its hydraulic fluid and it’s not very resistant to heat. Most of us are using M1 ATF or Valvoline Maxlife(cheaper). The maxlife syn ATF should withstand heat much better than that clear hydraulic fluid.

My02

It's a temporary measure to clean out a dirty system.

 

[OwnerCS]

The Prestone PS fluid will darken - its hydraulic fluid and it’s not very resistant to heat. Most of us are using M1 ATF or Valvoline Maxlife(cheaper). The maxlife syn ATF should withstand heat much better than that clear hydraulic fluid.

My02

I have 4 vehicles all running Maxlife. It gets along fine in the transmissions and PS pumps. Sometimes I think I should get ATF in 5-gallon buckets.

 

[OwnerCS]

The Prestone PS fluid will darken - its hydraulic fluid and it’s not very resistant to heat. Most of us are using M1 ATF or Valvoline Maxlife(cheaper). The maxlife syn ATF should withstand heat much better than that clear hydraulic fluid.

My02

I'm going to return the Cardone pump for a refund and go with an OEM return and then order a new OEM high-pressure line part number

44410-60510​

 

[OwnerCS]

Last week, I extracted a sample of fluid for analysis by Blackstone Labs. After sitting for 1 week, particulate has now settled to the bottom. Initially the particulate was suspended in fluid. It looks like the same gunk that collects in the bottom of the reservoir. To the touch, it feels like dirt or a fine dust.

 

[OwnerCS]

Shipment arrived early from McG. I wasn't expecting this until Tuesday after Memorial Day.

 

[OwnerCS]

Off with the old Sun Song line. I'm glad to get rid of that line.

The new OEM line fitting is like a precision machined coupling compared to something I would find at a hardware store.

There is a idfference in the tubing.

Precision machined surface on the OEM.

 

[OwnerCS]

Ok.. Power steering works again. Feels more like normal. Discovered a water leak on the rear oil cooler hose. Better now than on the road somewhere.

 

[OwnerCS]

FIXED FINALLY! The u-joint on the intermediate steering shaft had started to fail.

This problem appeared as:

1) Jerky steering around corners
2) Hard to right after a left turn.
3) Felt like little to no power steering on occasion.
4) More play than normal in the steering -- it felt like the rack bushings may have started to fail on an OEM rack that is less than 2 years old.

I should have replaced this part along with the new steering rack two years ago.

 

[OwnerCS]

Almost 4 months since an OEM replacement and another power steering pump cooked. Pump is whining now. I exctacted fluid and let it sit overnight and found this sludge at the bottom of a cup. After I cleared the system during the last episode, I've been using MaxLife ATF. I use the same fluid in the transmission, in my Tacoma, and Nissans. I've never seen anything like this develop in less than 3,000 miles. There is something that I do that is heating up this fluid.

I'm looking for examples for how to add an Aux PS cooler.

 

[awesomeissquid]

Almost 4 months since an OEM replacement and another power steering pump cooked. Pump is whining now. I exctacted fluid and let it sit overnight and found this sludge at the bottom of a cup. After I cleared the system during the last episode, I've been using MaxLife ATF. I use the same fluid in the transmission, in my Tacoma, and Nissans. I've never seen anything like this develop in less than 3,000 miles. There is something that I do that is heating up this fluid.

I'm looking for examples for how to add an Aux PS cooler.

View attachment 3117861

View attachment 3117863

The 03+ has a slightly different piping layout that includes what I think is a secondary cooling coil. The pump is also slightly different looking from the 98-02 model. Maybe something to consider.

Of course it is probably just cheaper to add another transmission cooler radiator somewhere. Just would need to consider if the added pressure drop induced by the extra coil would affect the system performance. Might need to measure pressure on the stock system and see what the pressure drop is by adding a coil.

Any thoughts into the larger PS reservoir? I think earlier in the thread you or someone had linked to a welded one. Maybe the additional capacity would help?

 

[awesomeissquid]

I am bored waiting for something to finish charging so I pulled up the diagram. This and the pump are the only differences:

Since I believe the 03+ models can use the same steering rack it is likely that using their pump and extra cooler line should not be an issue. The pumps do mount with the same points.