Greg in VA

How can I tell if the power steering pump is bad? I've got a 72 SB Auto all the power steering stuff has been replaced but the pump....that I can tell, the pump gives a lot of noise when you turn the steering wheel and it feels like its a non-power steering car.

Greg

roger55

You should troubleshoot this using the instructions in the shop manual. You will need a power steering pressure test guage to do this.

Other than that, you are just guessing.

Jim Shea

Are you sure that you have gotten all of the air out of the system? If the system is not "deaireated" before starting the engine, you will have a lot of foam (entrapped air) in the fluid. Your system will feel like manual steering until the air works its way out of the system.

How long has it been since you have noticed the problem? How many miles have you driven?

Jim

vettfixr

I went through a lot of agonies with my steering. Even after replacing the steering valve (2 rebuilt units and finally 1 new one) and the ram I still didn't have what I consider power steering. I replaced the pump with a rebuilt unit and still had the same results. I finally replaced the pump with a new AGR pump and the difference was night and day. All I can figure is that the constant loss and sometimes dry running of the pump caused it to wear excessively and the rebuilt pump probably wasn't up to spec either. The new AGR pump made all the difference in the world.

gq82

The obvious answer is check the pump for low ps fluid...the noise you hear...is it the pump or the belt slipping? One is a cheap fix, the other is well.....I predict a new pump is in your future. The factory pump is quite up to the task as I can turn my wheel with one finger.

Greg in VA

Let's see, Been driving the car for about a year, put about 1500 miles on it and its always acted like this, first thing I did was check fluid, next thing I did was belts, then I looked at the hoses and the ram, they were new, then I made sure that the hoses were on correctly, I think they are, every time I check the fluid level its full and clear, no foam or bubbles. Just setting with the motor running it sounds fine but when you turn the wheel it whines and the sterring wheel is hard to turn.

Greg

Jim Shea

Replace the pump.
Jim

Greg in VA

I kinda figured that was gonna be the case......just didn't know if anyone knew how to tell if it was bad.


Thanks

Greg

Maine Vette

For the $12 it costs for a new seal kit, it might be worth trying to rebuild the pump. I just did mine and it's pretty simple. How it will hold up, well that's a question that will be answered in time...

Jim Shea

Usually a seal kit will not make a pump operable. Seal kits just fix leaking seals. However, it is possible that you have a stuck or sticking flow control valve (located inside the pump just behind the discharge fitting).

Use a turkey baster to suck out as much power steering fluid from the pump reservoir. Then remove the power steering high pressure hose. Unscrew the discharge fitting with the big hex. Now reach inside the pump with a screwdriver tip and press on the flow control valve. It has a spring behind it so you should be able to depress it and feel it return toward your screwdriver tip. If it is sticky or stuck, that could be your problem.

Sometimes just removing and carefully cleaning up burrs or crud form the OD of the valve can return the pump to correct operation.

This blowup may help.
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...ntrolValve.doc

Jim

Maine Vette

So if it turns out that it's not the seals or the flow control valve, what would cause a pump to stop working? Excessive wear? I changed the seals in mine a while back and it didn't look like there was much that could really wear out inside (unless the pump was really abused).