Issues filling power steering.

SlipperySnake

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I've installed two new power steering pumps on my 2004 twin turbo cobra now and both have left me guessing if I'm just completely doing something wrong. So long story short I have custom power steering lines. Consisting of the required -an steel fittings and stainless steel braided PTFE hose. I have filled the system with ATF fluid, jacked up the car and turned the wheel left and right lock to lock to remove any air. Start the car and no power steering, which eventually was found to be cause by a leak that wasn't noticed. So fixed that and check all the other lines. Refilled the system again and it boom it worked. Backed out the driveway and went around the block and lost it just down the street. Turned around and came back, check the fluid and it's churning really good in the reservoir, but I did notice that there was a metallic color in the fluid and the pump had also stopped churning the fluid in the reservoir which cause the fluid to overflow due to me turning the wheel left and right driving back and attempting to remove any clumsy bubbles possibly in the rack. I couldn't get it to work and after a few minutes the pump is now whinnning/groaning when you put any pressure on the wheel left or right. If you rev the motor up you can hear it whinning pretty good so I assume it's bad of there is still air somehow trapped inside the pump. I have read people just pouring the fluid in there and that's the end of the story and then the other half (correct way) bleeding the system and priming the pump, etc., which I did and still have these shitty results. For some reason I cannot get power steering and brakes going on my car and it's extremely frustrating. Maybe someone can give me a magic tip I'm missing, because there are no leaks and no air coming out of the system, it churns now in the reservoir but no power steering.
 

John M

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Sounds like the pump went out you can put a vacuum pump on it and let the car idle to try and get any air out (might just be air locked why it’s not turning) I’ve let them sit with a vacuum on them for a bit and they come back
 

01yellercobra

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If you're seeing a metallic color I'm gonna say the pump is dead. Stop trying to get that pump to work as all you're doing it pumping metal shavings through the system. Its possible your replacement pump was bad out of the box. But you might want to triple check your hoses to make sure nothing is backwards. And you're going to need to flush the system to get the shavings out.

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roy_1031

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If your going lock to lock, you’re going too far. Jack the car up and turn it to just before you hit the lock then go to the opposite side and don’t hit the lock/stop. I think there’s like a bypass or something that activates when you go lock to lock and will just keep the air trapped. I had the same issue with mine after replacing the rack.


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SlipperySnake

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I know I'll have to flush it for sure, I stopped running it after that. This is the second pump I've put on there. Also good point on the bypass valve and going lock to lock, didn't think of that. I've gotten one pump from O'reilly and another from CJ pony parts which is a Cardone pump. Any recommendations to the best reman I can get or just keep pulling and installing until I get a good one? Also forgot to mention it has a brand new rack. I checked the lines several times thinking they were incorrect, but they are correct. Also at low RPM I won't have power steering, then give it about 1700-2000rpms and it works good. This was before it started whining and showing metallic color in the fluid.
 

roy_1031

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How much metal shavings we talking here? I’d flush it and try once more and see if you can get going properly before swapping an another pump first.


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SlipperySnake

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There arent any actual metal shavings, but if you've ever had the liqour drink Hypnotiq then it is literally like that but red. Just a mettalic look to it.
 

roy_1031

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There arent any actual metal shavings, but if you've ever had the liqour drink Hypnotiq then it is literally like that but red. Just a mettalic look to it.

Ha it’s been awhile! I’d give that pump one more shot and try it again without bouncing the stops. Mine was whining and howling too till I got all the air out.


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SlipperySnake

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Ha it’s been awhile! I’d give that pump one more shot and try it again without bouncing the stops. Mine was whining and howling too till I got all the air out.


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Glad to know I haven't been the only one having these issues. I got a vacuum pump at the house. I'll give that a try after I flush all the poo fluid out. Thank you Roy.
 

hotcobra03

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I hate rebuilt units..it's 50/50.

everyone I got that didn't work instantly or had noise was bad..

I have had times where it took 3 times to get a good unit..


sounds like you have the basics already to do this..

I vote bad pump
 

John M

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Flush it out, put vacuum on it and go side to side a lot lol before you start the car, and hopefully it works
 

SlipperySnake

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I vote bad pump too, shouldn't be this big of a pain. It's a high pressure circulating system so thats what makes me confused on how a pocket of air would be stuck in the pump. Thanks all for the continued help.
 

John M

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Ford master tech for 7 years (they suck) had some that you change and no Problem no noise had a bunch that take forever to bleed, I usually change it flush it and then cycle back and forth to try and get the air out before starting it, and learned from an old timer to put vacuum on it and cycle and then start it with the vacuum on it, ( when you go lock to lock your putting the max amount of psi through the pump, just don’t hold it on the lock) just my 2cents
 

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