Hi all,

Well I mentioned in my thread about injectors that it was finally time to re seal my vac pump because it had started really leaking. Seems I was wrong about the source of these new, and very sudden large puddles. Its PS fluid, and I can't figure out why, or where its coming from. Heres whats happened lately. Flushed PS fluid a couple months ago. Next, flushed fluid again to replace hydrobooster. At this point I was leaving drips, not puddles, from all the residual PS fluid all over the place from the two flushes. Next, I washed the underside of the truck to make sure I wasn't having major oil leaks. I went about a week seeing only a drip or two and sometimes nothing on the ground. All of a sudden I have large, very wet spots on the ground after sitting just a few hours. I thought it was the vac pump finally letting loose, but today I noticed that the fluid looked really light in color for engine oil. I got under to look and everything is a mess of course, but I can tell it is definitely my nice clean ps fluid, mixed with a little oil. The strangest thing is, everything is SOAKED, and even having not run the truck since yesterday afternoon, its still dripping every few minutes! There is literally fluid laying on the asphalt that hasn't soaked in yet, thats how fast its still leaking. Other weird thing is, the reservoir isn't really low  Where could this fluid be coming from? It definitely does not seem to be coming from any of the lines on the back of the PS pump. However, there are drips hanging off the bottom seam of the PS pump, it looks wet in between the PS pump and vac pump, but that could be oil. There is also PS fluid all over the top of the gear box which wasn't leaking much, if at all before. I do have a new return line from the gear box to the PS pump though, but even if that new line were loose(no i didnt check yet)  that couldn't be the cause, because how would fluid get up and back to the bottom of the PS pump? Could the PS pump be leaking from where the shaft that drives it comes out? Is it re sealable or does it need to be replaced? I'm planning to go to the carwash later and spray it off and then watch for leaks, but any thoughts in the meantime? I have my vac pump reseal kit on the way and Id like to tackle that next weekend. Just trying to figure out if i should be ordering a new PS pump for the same time....

Thanks in advance for any and all help!

I've never had issues uploading pics from my iphone. I just allow the site to access my photo library and upload it straight from there. No issues.

 

I'm also looking forward to this rebuild since I have everything replaced on my steering that should tighten things up, except for the steering box so take lots of pics!!

Thanks for the reminder!  I meant to add this in there as well.

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1997/19-10-97.htm

 

EDIT: Done!

 

EDIT #2: Wrong Article!

 

EDIT #3: Correct Article! http://dodgeram.org/tech/mods/steering/steering_gear/Adjust.htm

Edited June 29, 20168 yr by Cowboy

Hey guys,

I just had another minor episode of some more difficult steering as I pulled in at work....same thing I do every day only this time steering was a little harder. Could it just be a fluke air bubble still? Or do you think my new pump is no good? I didn't have time to fiddle with it at all or check the fluid, but it was almost full the other day when I checked. I will check more later just didn't have time right now.

I really doubt the air bubble angle if you been driving the truck. I would have to come back to a restriction in the supply to the steering box.

I have been driving it, maybe only between 50 and 100 miles since the replacement though. But ok i guess I'll be replacing lines and blowing out the hydrobooster after all then....

  On 6/30/2016 at 1:08 PM, leathermaneod said:

I have been driving it, maybe only between 50 and 100 miles since the replacement

 

Air is long gone by then...

 

I would pull the lines and just blow them out I don't see a reason to replacing them.

Ok sounds good that's what I'll do then. I just hope it's not this new pump, it's definitely felt a little different the whole time. Kind of a weird vibration through the pedal when you press it....I was hoping that was a good thing....

Alright so a little update, wanna see if this changes your diagnosis at all.

just drove the truck home and everything seemed pretty much normal, maybe a little harder to turn at low speed/low rpm like going around hard corners but nothing major, and it felt the same as before trying to steering sitting still before i left work(easy at first then very hard). Now when I got home and went to turn into my spot, it was like I had no ps again! Again this was at low speed and idle rpms(clutch in). I checked the fluid and it's still very clean and nearly at full hot. I also definitely still have this vibration or tremor feeling in the pedal even with only moderate pressure, otherwise they work and feel fine. Still thinking obstruction? Or possibly bad pump?

Edited June 30, 20168 yr by leathermaneod

Alright so I've got another observation to report. Symptoms are much more apparent when the truck is warmed up(steering difficult and vibration in the brake pedal). It sat for about 1.5 hours and now I just left again to run errands. When I first left I didn't really notice anything, but as I pulled into autozone I've definitely got problems. Still no issues braking, just turning and the odd tremor in the brake pedal.

I'm pretty sure I also used to be able to turn the wheels at a dead stop, because I like to leave them straight when I pull into a space and now I can't do that without crazy effort....

I was at autozone to pick up my other stuff so I had them order up another ps pump just incase. It doesn't make sense to me that if it was a blockage it would only act up when warm, and how did it all of a sudden become blocked today? If I hadn't flushed it good then it would make sense, but this just doesn't. I don't get it. 

Heres another update: just got back from my errands and ps at idle seems to be totally gone now. Fine while driving with rpms up though. Brakes are going downhill now too. Just looked in the FSM and it sounds like low pump pressure or worn out gear box  are the only things that makes sense. But why did this one wear out so fast?? Unless the gear box crapped out all of a sudden? But that wouldn't explain why my brakes would be getting worse now too.... Maybe I should have got a good pump instead of a reman....if I have to pull that thing again I'm gona be really unhappy 

Edited June 30, 20168 yr by leathermaneod

Well I've got good news and bad news. Good news is I found the issue, bad news is I think it's going to require pulling the pump. I took the high pressure line off the reservoir so I could check the screen in there. Well the inner part of the valve that has the spring around it is jammed in there! At first I thought it was missing because I couldn't feel anything when I stuck my finger in as far as it could go, but then I looked in with a mirror and sure enough it's there but it's not coming out! Any suggestions before I pull this darn thing off again? Anything to be careful of? I will not be taking the vac pump out with it unless you guys think that's really necessary....

Take pics so I can know how to do all this!!

I'll try man. The ps pump is pretty easy really, just a pain working in tight places and super annoying when you have to do it twice. I think it would be easier to take it out with the vac pump, but I don't wanna disturb my new seals anymore than I absolutely have to. Now I'm just waiting for Mikes input before j really tear into the pump and the gear box. I'm wondering if there is any way this valve being stuck could have caused the gear box to leak. Anyway I'll more than likely start things tomorrow afternoon. I have to work 9-9 tonight so I'll get kind of a late start tomorrow.

This sounds like it's the pressure relief valve and spring is what you're talking about and it's not working stuck open. It's used to dump the fluid back in to the PS reservoir and you my be having low working pressure because of it

Thanks for your input! Good to hear the symptoms fit the physical problem. Any idea why that thing would get suck? Or if there is a way to fix this other than pulling it and swapping out with another?

Did you take this fitting/nut off the back of the body?

and this stuff come out

 

 

 

 

Yes I took the fitting off, but that stuff didn't come out. I tried to pull the valve out with a magnet but it is jammed way in there. So far in I can't get my finger in far enough to touch it, I'd say a good inch and a half to two inches. I had my old one apart when I flushed the fluid so I know how it comes apart. At first I thought this one was missing the valve, but when I looked with a mirror I can see it in there. It's just not moving.

Sounds like the spring collapsed or it jammed... Might take a rubber hammer and rap on it a few time from the opposite side to see if it falls out with a bit of shock.

But even in the event that it came out like that, I'd probably still have to replace the pump...I mean, whats to stop it from just doing this agian?

  On 6/30/2016 at 1:01 PM, leathermaneod said:

Or do you think my new pump is no good?

Pressure relief valve sticking in the cylinder and the seal/o-ring between the pump and reservoir body at the fitting you took off that might leak now,  warranty the pump.

Sounds good, got that taken care of tonight. All ready to pull the steering box and start the rebuild tomorrow.