Power steering pump problems...

[bluex]

I have a 96-98 serpentine setup I just installed on my 78. I used the power steering pump that came with the brackets, disassembled it an had the pulley an resivior powder coated. Put it all back together an used the fitting an internal stuff from my stock pump so I could use a new factory pressure line for the truck (5/8 flare instead of metric o-ring). Never had any assist from it after the install, so today I swapped the pump with a reman. I got assist on the first start an bled with wheels in the air. Let it down an it still worked great. Shut it off an topped off the fluid an now no more assist. I had to use an impact to get the pulley on both times an I even got a new Dorman pulley today because the one I had powder coated gave me a fit installing it but this new one wasnt any easier to get on the reman pump.

Sorry for the novel but what am I doing wrong here? Is it using the impact? If so how the heck are you suppose to get the pulley on? The installer just starts unscrewing itself right after the pulley starts. The system worked fine before the swap an it worked good with this pump for 5 mins....

[B. W.]

The only thing I can think of is it may be the flow control valve (pressure relief) that fits under the hose fitting. Try using the new control valve that came with the pump with your old fitting.

[68gmsee]

Re. install and removal.

Sometimes youtube is your friend. If you did everything here than it's probably something in the pump itself as mentioned by B. W.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVr_rA65jNo

[bluex]

B. W. -- I used all the stuff from my factory pump on the first pump install. On this reman I installed yesterday I used only the outside fitting, I left the internal stuff alone minus pour a little fluid in there and pressing it down a few times to make sure it was lubricated.

68gmsee -- Ya I did all that with the exception of having to use the impact to get the pulley back on. It simply would not go with hand tools. If I tried to hold the bolt of the installer it just unscrewed from the pump shaft. I had to hold the pulley and eventually I just couldnt hold it anymore. At that point I used the impact to get it the rest of the way on.

[61K10]

Paul-- can you use an earlier pump with a key-way pulley? much easier to work with. Or I'm i all wrong and you have one of the newer small pumps.

[bluex]

I could but use that style I would have to have a keyway broached into the serpentine pulley and get different bolts to hold it to the bracket. the thought has crossed my mind if I still have issues out of it...

[jbarron]

Could the new serpentine system be running it backwards? I know they had reverse water pumps for serp setups, but not sure about PS pump.

[bluex]

I don't think so, the belt still wraps around it the same way as the v belt setup an I'm using a pump for the vehicle the bracket an pulleys came from (1998 C1500 5.7l)

[bluex]

Well the flow valve was stuck in the pump behind the line fitting. Since I had it 80% of the way apart I took it an exchanged it anyway.

This pump looked much better right out of the box. The pulley went on very easy too, just like it should with a pair of wrenches an no real strain.

I bled it with the wheels off the ground engine off, turned the wheels lock to lock multiple times.

Then cranked the engine over a few times without letting it start. Let it sit a minute an checked an topped off the fluid.

Started the engine an turned it lock to lock multiple more times. Set it down on the ground and more lock to lock turns, all was well. Turned it off, reinstalled my fan an fan shroud (electric setup) an then drove it.

Its very darty an feels like the assist comes an goes while driving. When you come to a stop the assist is gone unless you rev the engine. Then it works off an on again until the engine comes back to idle an the cycle starts over.

I'm at a loss now I have no idea what I'm doing wrong....

Edit: the dartyness isn't in the alignment as it was fine before the swap. Its the only way to explain but its more the varying effort it takes to turn. One minute its very easy the next it takes a little more effort an then it might go back to easy before it goes to no assist. You just don't know how much effort to put on the wheel...

[truckdude239]

reman pumps are hit and miss i've installed 3 or 4 of them before getting a good one i think id go down to the junkyard and get qnother flow vavle that goes ebhind the 1inch fitting, thats what i did on my 71 c-10 with ls swap was swap the flow vavle and 1 inch fitting so i could use the stock hose and never had an issuse

[68gmsee]

Since the steering only changed after the pump install, then that's the only thing that can be causing your problems. I've had defective steering gear box do similar weird things but if yours worked before, that should be ok.

As a test do what truckdude mentioned. Try a pump from a salvage yard that looks in good shape and looks original. Pumps generally last a long time so you should be able to find a decent one fairly cheap. Years ago you could pick one up for about $20. They maybe around $40 now.

[bluex]

I think I finally have it happy. I took this pump back off and cleaned everything up to make sure the flow valve wasnt sticking on anything. Put it back together and gave the system a good flush and bled it out again. So far its working as it should and hopefully it stays that way as I'm really tired of messing with it lol

[snj8198]

sry i didnt see this thread sooner. I too am running serp system based on the mid '90's truck system. The reman pumps as Truckdude stated are really hit and miss and not worth monkeying with for the limited savings.

Piston and spring can be very finicky. The slightest debris will block the flow passage around the piston resulting in no assist. Don't forget that while all these pumps look almost the same, they are different as they have a different relief spring pressure, pin length, and the orifice flow diameter. Then there are pump differences between vehicles with vacuum assist and hydro boost. I spent a week researching, fiddling, and blowing up pumps before I figured out a combo that worked for my set up. I finally settled with a p-pump from a 2005 diesel and made some modifications. I documented everything and now i can find my file. If I lose my pump i'll swap my piston assembly and orifice to a new pump.

[bluex]

Originally Posted by snj8198

sry i didnt see this thread sooner. I too am running serp system based on the mid '90's truck system. The reman pumps as Truckdude stated are really hit and miss and not worth monkeying with for the limited savings.

Piston and spring can be very finicky. The slightest debris will block the flow passage around the piston resulting in no assist. Don't forget that while all these pumps look almost the same, they are different as they have a different relief spring pressure, pin length, and the orifice flow diameter. Then there are pump differences between vehicles with vacuum assist and hydro boost. I spent a week researching, fiddling, and blowing up pumps before I figured out a combo that worked for my set up. I finally settled with a p-pump from a 2005 diesel and made some modifications. I documented everything and now i can find my file. If I lose my pump i'll swap my piston assembly and orifice to a new pump.

I would be interested in seeing what you did. Are you using hydroboost too? I dont currently have it on mine but I have the parts for it and its on my upgrade list. The list just really doesnt have an order though so I'm not real sure when I will do it. Might be a while if I have to mess with pumps and gallons of fluid again!

[snj8198]

Originally Posted by bluex

I would be interested in seeing what you did. Are you using hydroboost too? I dont currently have it on mine but I have the parts for it and its on my upgrade list. The list just really doesnt have an order though so I'm not real sure when I will do it. Might be a while if I have to mess with pumps and gallons of fluid again!

I hear ya! Nothing worse than spending the swap time and mess to fire up the motor and on the first turn of the wheel the pump POPS, bulges and sprays fluid everywhere. It tastes great dont it!! oh, and if it dribbles down your nose while your on your back, dont snort and blow while under the truck, you'll hit your head.

I am running hydro boost. I pulled the complete system off a 2005 diesel dually. Im running 4 wheel disks too.