Power steering pump failed (1 Viewer)

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nukegoat

Should have bought a Jeep
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Anyone familiar enough with hydraulics to confirm this is cavitation damage? The pump also failed and it looks like there was some adhesion of the rotor to the vanes. Not sure if correlated.
 
View attachment 3171526


View attachment 3171529Anyone familiar enough with hydraulics to confirm this is cavitation damage? The pump also failed and it looks like there was some adhesion of the rotor to the vanes. Not sure if correlated.
Looks to me like debris and then running low on fluid generating heat and getting some of the cover material buildup on the trailing edge of the vanes.

It only take a small amount of debris to score a pump surface like that.

When was the last time the system had been flushed?
 
Looks to me like debris and then running low on fluid generating heat and getting some of the cover material buildup on the trailing edge of the vanes.

It only take a small amount of debris to score a pump surface like that.

When was the last time the system had been flushed?
Definitely not low on fluid. This thing doesn't see a lot of miles so maybe 3000 miles ago? The reservoir doesn't have a filter though, so I do wonder if dirt ended up getting in there and screwing it up. Still, fluid looked pretty clean.

I ask about cavitation because while it wasn't whining, I do wonder if the pump is starving for fluid at high rpm and poppin off and creating adhesion. If that's the problem then adding an inline filter on the return won't be any better
 
Definitely not low on fluid. This thing doesn't see a lot of miles so maybe 3000 miles ago? The reservoir doesn't have a filter though, so I do wonder if dirt ended up getting in there and screwing it up. Still, fluid looked pretty clean.

I ask about cavitation because while it wasn't whining, I do wonder if the pump is starving for fluid at high rpm and poppin off and creating adhesion. If that's the problem then adding an inline filter on the return won't be any better
If it doesn't see a lot of miles, then could it be moisture in it, then boiling off from heat and that's what causing the contamination?
 
Is the pump the original, untouched, or a replacement, rebuilt??

FWIW the factory power steering reservoir does have plastic mesh screen but it's only good to prevent debris from falling into the.system when the cap is removed.
 
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Why do you think it's Cavitation, not debris caught in the vanes?

Would only take a small bit of damage from debris to create an irregularity in the surface that then picks up metal from vanes, or housing, or visa versa.
 
Why do you think it's Cavitation, not debris caught in the vanes?

Would only take a small bit of damage from debris to create an irregularity in the surface that then picks up metal from vanes, or housing, or visa versa.
Possible, for sure. Just ensuring I don't fix the wrong problem. this aftermarket reservoir probably starves the pump
 
Pretty sure the OP is running hydro assist, and possibly a high-volume aftermarket reservoir, all of which is probably germane to the conversation.

As asked before, how old is the pump? OEM, aftermarket, rebuild?
 
Pretty sure the OP is running hydro assist, and possibly a high-volume aftermarket reservoir, all of which is probably germane to the conversation.

As asked before, how old is the pump? OEM, aftermarket, rebuild?
Original. Never been touched. Per @richardlillard1 conclusion I ordered a new pump but don't want it to fry again too
 
Doesn't look like cavitation to me.
Cavitation is the formation of bubbles in a vacuum. Its a micro explosion that blows off particles of material in rounded little craters.
That looks like debris damage.
 
Doesn't look like cavitation to me.
Cavitation is the formation of bubbles in a vacuum. Its a micro explosion that blows off particles of material in rounded little craters.
That looks like debris damage.
Thanks
 
Hi, I’d definitely flush the whole system out before new pump.Are the metal hoses under the radiator corroded and feeding metal parts into the system?
 
Which reservoir is installed? Why does it not have a filter? Why would you suspect that it starves the pump? My 80 has hydro assist and hydro boosted brakes and the PSC res has worked very well. As you probably know, the PSC res contains a pretty big filter.
 

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