View Full Version : Power steering pump question
boat737
11-20-2016, 01:02 AM
I filled the power steering pump, and cycled/rotated it with a drill motor, while the wife turned the steering wheel back and forth to purge the lines and rack. I noticed that when she got to full turn (lock), the pump came to an abrupt stop, like the line was all of a sudden capped or closed off and the fluid had nowhere to go. Darned near ripped the drill motor right out of my hand when it came to a sudden stop. It did it in both directions, at the turn limit of the steering wheel. I wasn't turning the pump very fast or the steering wheel either for that matter. I know on cars with power steering you can usually here some whining or noise at the full turn, but I didn't know the pump was working so hard at the limit.
Is this normal? Does the PS pump work that hard at the limits of the turning?
CraigS
11-20-2016, 07:49 AM
I think it is normal although I haven't actually tried it. But we all hear that extra loud sound when we turn our daily drivers to full lock so I think it is the same thing you are experiencing. BTW, while it can't hurt, you really can just wait until you start the engine to bleed the PS system. They are pretty good at self-bleeding. I just run at idle, or what ever the engine needs if it's a new build, and keep the PS fluid full. Sometimes I move the wheel back and forth but often I am too busy w/ other things to bother.
Jeff Kleiner
11-20-2016, 08:13 AM
The pumps take some power to spin at speed and require even more when deadheaded at full lock. It may simply be that your drill doesn't have enough grunt. I use my big gear reduction "hole hog" and it still pulls down at lock.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj43/jkleiner/647214066111_0_BG.jpg
Jeff
rich grsc
11-20-2016, 08:58 AM
Normal. The pump has to produce enough pressure to open the spring loaded pressure valve. At the speed the drill turns that is going to be hard to do.
boat737
11-20-2016, 10:37 AM
Ya just learn something new every day, don't cha? And good news, at least all my fittings seemed to have held up and not leaked with the pressure spike. Yeah!
Avalanche325
11-25-2016, 02:30 PM
My AGR rack and pump instructions specifically stated NOT turn the pump for priming. Jack the front end up and turn the wheel back and forth until the bubbles stop.
I just put a flex hose on my rack after having a leak on one of the lines on the rack. You can see it go stiff when you hit the stops.
wareaglescott
11-25-2016, 04:06 PM
The pumps take some power to spin at speed and require even more when deadheaded at full lock. It may simply be that your drill doesn't have enough grunt. I use my big gear reduction "hole hog" and it still pulls down at lock.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj43/jkleiner/647214066111_0_BG.jpg
Jeff
It is interesting you have to use such a powerful drill. I used my pneumatic 90 degree drill and it turned it very easily. Would different engines or pumps make one easier to turn than another? This is the only one I have ever done so have no reference to anything else.
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=59091&d=1475005784