I had some sort of steering pump issue and I'd like some eyes on what happened. I've no experience with steering pump.
Last night I had to do some extreme parking. Reverse parallel parking into a tight spot while facing down a pretty steep hill. With expensive cars front and rear.
All was well until I went to turn the front wheels into the curb (it was really too steep to move the car a bit while turning the wheel) and I heard something like a 'pisht', and then I smelled hot oil. And there was a groaning from the front that seemed steering related.
I went to the event and when I returned I popped the hood and investigated in the dark.
There was oil all over the air filter housing and some light splatter on the passenger side battery. The steering pump looked clean and dry but the return line was very wet and the belt had some oil on it.
It was late, I had no dextron so I just drove home. There was lots of groaning noise whenever I turned the wheels more than 5 degrees or so, sounded like a slipping belt.
I read up on steering pumps, on the sag replacement, etc and was ready to fork over some money. But in light of day it looks like the oil was coming out at the top of the steering pump return line, the hose clamp there was pretty loose. I am guessing that because that seems to be the epicenter of the oil splatter. There was a puddle of atf in the creases in the top of the air filter housing. Again the entire pump was bone dry on the outside.
The steering pump reservoir was pretty low, maybe I added 4-5 ounces to bring it up to where it should be.
I started the truck and turned the wheel, there was no noise.
I went to the local auto store and bought 2' of 3/8" steering hose. No noise when steering, no leakage.
Home I removed the old hose and noticed that the upper return line clamp's tension bolt was threadless in the middle of its range. The atf was pretty dirty but not the worst I've seen.
I replaced the bolt in the hose clamp and installed the new hose, refilled the steering pump reservoir, tapped the hose until the bubbles were out. Truck seems normal again.
So... my skeptical questions:
why would there be much pressure when returning atf to the steering pump reservoir? Seems like I lost quite a bit of fluid. I'm guessing the actual noise I was hearing was the belt slipping? Or is that the noise of the pump running while dry?
Anyone had something like this happen before?
Thanks!
Last night I had to do some extreme parking. Reverse parallel parking into a tight spot while facing down a pretty steep hill. With expensive cars front and rear.
All was well until I went to turn the front wheels into the curb (it was really too steep to move the car a bit while turning the wheel) and I heard something like a 'pisht', and then I smelled hot oil. And there was a groaning from the front that seemed steering related.
I went to the event and when I returned I popped the hood and investigated in the dark.
There was oil all over the air filter housing and some light splatter on the passenger side battery. The steering pump looked clean and dry but the return line was very wet and the belt had some oil on it.
It was late, I had no dextron so I just drove home. There was lots of groaning noise whenever I turned the wheels more than 5 degrees or so, sounded like a slipping belt.
I read up on steering pumps, on the sag replacement, etc and was ready to fork over some money. But in light of day it looks like the oil was coming out at the top of the steering pump return line, the hose clamp there was pretty loose. I am guessing that because that seems to be the epicenter of the oil splatter. There was a puddle of atf in the creases in the top of the air filter housing. Again the entire pump was bone dry on the outside.
The steering pump reservoir was pretty low, maybe I added 4-5 ounces to bring it up to where it should be.
I started the truck and turned the wheel, there was no noise.
I went to the local auto store and bought 2' of 3/8" steering hose. No noise when steering, no leakage.
Home I removed the old hose and noticed that the upper return line clamp's tension bolt was threadless in the middle of its range. The atf was pretty dirty but not the worst I've seen.
I replaced the bolt in the hose clamp and installed the new hose, refilled the steering pump reservoir, tapped the hose until the bubbles were out. Truck seems normal again.
So... my skeptical questions:
why would there be much pressure when returning atf to the steering pump reservoir? Seems like I lost quite a bit of fluid. I'm guessing the actual noise I was hearing was the belt slipping? Or is that the noise of the pump running while dry?
Anyone had something like this happen before?
Thanks!
