Power Steering Air Control Valve/General PS Question (1 Viewer)

[fooldall1]

Would a bad or failing valve create hard, rapid left to right steering at low RPM (think parallel parking)? Recently replaced Timing/Idler/Tensioner pulleys and belts, rack is two years old (not leaking as far as I can tell), and steering is fine otherwise except for slow speed rapid left/right steering. Even not near lock, it's hard to "yank" the wheel left and right.

The PS system was NOT maintained very well when I got it at 215k, the fluid was black and the screen was caked with black sludge (no doubt from the original hoses, which are still on there). The fluid now is Red and I added some Lucas conditioner to boot- running that a week with no improvement along with the ATF.

Could a poorly maintained system with hose "goop" on the inside of the system cause the pump to fail? It makes no noise, though i do hear a slight HISS noise on the steering column at lock.

Any thoughts would be appreciated! My next step is to just replace the pump, unless anyone thinks the Air Valve might be causing the issue.

Thanks!!

 

[jLB]

We had similar issues with my son's LC last summer.

Sudden Power Steering Failure Diagnosis help

Expected a pump replacement to fix it, but it wasn't that simple.

 

[fooldall1]

We had similar issues with my son's LC last summer.

Sudden Power Steering Failure Diagnosis help

Expected a pump replacement to fix it, but it wasn't that simple.

So, you basically replaced everything steering related? Dang! I'd like to scope down the problem exactly. Was thinking about getting the truck over to a shop to test the pressure of the power steering pump to see if it's in spec.

 

[jLB]

So, you basically replaced everything steering related? Dang! I'd like to scope down the problem exactly. Was thinking about getting the truck over to a shop to test the pressure of the power steering pump to see if it's in spec.

Had pump & rack rebuilt, replaced reservoir (probably not needed), some hoses, and TRE (not directly related to the issue, but while we were in there).

Final diagnosis was a disintegrating hose dropped enough debris into the system to cause the valve to stick. Bad hose and pump were replaced. Flushing the system didn't seem to get enough of the debris out of the rack to prevent it from contaminating the system again, so it was rebuilt.

The black sludge/goop you mentioned sounds like you may have a similar issue.

 

[fooldall1]

the pressure valve to stick?

 

[jLB]

I believe it was the bypass/relief valve

 

[fooldall1]

For anyone that might have been following this thread.. I replaced the PS Pump and the Air Control Valve. While the steering is improved.. it's still tight in spots. I actually broke the air valve taking off the air box so I had to replace both parts in the power steering job

I inspected the rack again during the process, the bushings look fine and there are no leaks (the rack is only 3 years old). I assume the PO didn't know why the steering was crappy and they just threw a rack at the problem.

Anyway, my next step is looking into the components of the steering column. Seems like it might be binding there somewhere. I plan on probably replacing:

1. Upper steering shaft (bushing seems like it's got play, anyway)
2. Maybe the whole steering column - slip joint might be bad
3. Maybe intermediate shaft?
4. Upper steering shaft U joint (slight clunking)


The big problem is that in situations where one might be parallel parking, the quick left/right steering at low speeds feels like it's binding in spots. Also, there's a slight clunk which I assume is the u-joint I referenced above.


Thoughts?

 

[fooldall1]

Had pump & rack rebuilt, replaced reservoir (probably not needed), some hoses, and TRE (not directly related to the issue, but while we were in there).

Final diagnosis was a disintegrating hose dropped enough debris into the system to cause the valve to stick. Bad hose and pump were replaced. Flushing the system didn't seem to get enough of the debris out of the rack to prevent it from contaminating the system again, so it was rebuilt.

The black sludge/goop you mentioned sounds like you may have a similar issue.

Aww man. that could be... maybe the hose goop fxxxed the rack internals... THAT would suck. I wonder if i could use a fluid conditioner to loosen that gunk?

 

[fooldall1]

For anyone that may dig up this thread - in the end it was the Steering Rack, replaced that and been fine now for two years with regular fluid changes. Went with the DA Reman unit, I know that's unpopular here (not OEM) but the OEM rack failed at 120k- so I figured...why not? And, it's been fine now for multiple years. The design is pretty simple, a hydraulic piston. Just used Synth ATF and change regularly.