Is my power steering pump bad? or is it something else?

[psychoskip]

Ok, so my steering was making loud noises, and it was extremely hard to turn. I saw a small leak where the hose met the reservoir. I fixed that, bled the system.

Now, all the noises have gone away, and but it is still EXTREMELY hard to turn, and the reservoir is gurgling almost, seems like its shaking around.

Should i replace the pump? Thanks guys

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[09rexwagon]

Get new clamps....$4...done.

[hwy61]

Sounds like you still have air in the system. It doesn't take much and what do you mean by gurgling. There should be no gurgling. Air will: make your steering wheel hard to turn, cause it to jerk as you are turning, place bubbles in the reservoir, place enough stress on the pump to wear out your accessory belt. Lucas ps leak stop will make a properly functioning system very sluggish and the wheel hard to turn when the fluid is cold. I think you saw my thread on my experience and the O ring being the problem. Good luck, but air in the system causes all kinds of malfunctions. Hwy61

[psychoskip]

Originally Posted by hwy61

Sounds like you still have air in the system. It doesn't take much and what do you mean by gurgling. There should be no gurgling. Air will: make your steering wheel hard to turn, cause it to jerk as you are turning, place bubbles in the reservoir, place enough stress on the pump to wear out your accessory belt. Lucas ps leak stop will make a properly functioning system very sluggish and the wheel hard to turn when the fluid is cold. I think you saw my thread on my experience and the O ring being the problem. Good luck, but air in the system causes all kinds of malfunctions. Hwy61

Hey HWY61,

I actually read your write up, and i appreciate you taking the time to do that.

This is a detailed review of my problems.

A guy backed up into me, and i immediately notice that my power steering was affected. It was HARD to turn, it made a LOUD noise when turning, and there was a lot of micro bubbles in the reservoir. I checked the hoses and it seemed to be leaking where the PS pump hose meets the reservoir.

So i replaced the hoses, and the reservoir completely. I also "bled" the system by disconnecting the return hose and draining it. But I noticed that it drained VERY slowly.

Now, there's no mivrobubbles, but its still really hard to turn/jerky.

[hwy61]

Originally Posted by psychoskip

Hey HWY61,

I actually read your write up, and i appreciate you taking the time to do that.

This is a detailed review of my problems.

A guy backed up into me, and i immediately notice that my power steering was affected. It was HARD to turn, it made a LOUD noise when turning, and there was a lot of micro bubbles in the reservoir. I checked the hoses and it seemed to be leaking where the PS pump hose meets the reservoir.

So i replaced the hoses, and the reservoir completely. I also "bled" the system by disconnecting the return hose and draining it. But I noticed that it drained VERY slowly.

Now, there's no mivrobubbles, but its still really hard to turn/jerky.

Hmmmm?????? How hard did the guy hit you? Could have damaged something. Still could be air. I'm not familiar with that bleed system. Here is the way I did it after removing the reservoir, repairing the hoses with new clamps, installing a new belt.....air caused the old one with 3,000 mile on it to break. I started the engine to warm the fluid ( it was 17F around here at the time). This was just to make any air in the system flow a little easier. Then I shut the engine off, jacked up the front of the car so both front tires were off the floor. Left the reservoir cap off so I could look at the fluid. Make sure the reservoir has fluid up to the full line.

Then you manually turn the front tires from lock to lock to lock to lock about thirty times. By moving the tires with your hands on them. Stop every 10 or so and look for bubbles. Keep doing this until there are none.....not even little ones. When you don't see any more turn the steering wheel lock to lock thirty times. Get out and look for bubbles. Don't see any? Good. Now start the engine and turn the steering wheel slowly back and forth but not all the way to lock. Do this until the fluid has warmed up. There should be no shake, no noise and especially no bubbles reintroduced into the system. If there are any at all....you still have a vacuum leak letting in air.

Was there any damage to the car....the front shoved in....the tires jammed into anything? If so, I'd let Subaru look at it and the other guy's insurance needs to pay for the repair if there is damage. If you haven't replaced that inlet O ring get one. It might have been dislodged by the impact. My theory is that these cars are all pretty similar (eliminating mods from this discussion).....and when you read about a problem on one.....yours can have the same problem..... I don't think draining the system will remove the air alone. Remember the air can be in the lines..in the rack or in the pump or in all of those places. Gotta get it all out. Hwy61

[psychoskip]

Originally Posted by hwy61

Hmmmm?????? How hard did the guy hit you? Could have damaged something. Still could be air. I'm not familiar with that bleed system. Here is the way I did it after removing the reservoir, repairing the hoses with new clamps, installing a new belt.....air caused the old one with 3,000 mile on it to break. I started the engine to warm the fluid ( it was 17F around here at the time). This was just to make any air in the system flow a little easier. Then I shut the engine off, jacked up the front of the car so both front tires were off the floor. Left the reservoir cap off so I could look at the fluid. Make sure the reservoir has fluid up to the full line.

Then you manually turn the front tires from lock to lock to lock to lock about thirty times. By moving the tires with your hands on them. Stop every 10 or so and look for bubbles. Keep doing this until there are none.....not even little ones. When you don't see any more turn the steering wheel lock to lock thirty times. Get out and look for bubbles. Don't see any? Good. Now start the engine and turn the steering wheel slowly back and forth but not all the way to lock. Do this until the fluid has warmed up. There should be no shake, no noise and especially no bubbles reintroduced into the system. If there are any at all....you still have a vacuum leak letting in air.

Was there any damage to the car....the front shoved in....the tires jammed into anything? If so, I'd let Subaru look at it and the other guy's insurance needs to pay for the repair if there is damage. If you haven't replaced that inlet O ring get one. It might have been dislodged by the impact. My theory is that these cars are all pretty similar (eliminating mods from this discussion).....and when you read about a problem on one.....yours can have the same problem..... I don't think draining the system will remove the air alone. Remember the air can be in the lines..in the rack or in the pump or in all of those places. Gotta get it all out. Hwy61

It was just a small fender bender. He backed up into me and broke my grill and bent the hood a little bit.

Ill see what i can do my own, and see if i can get all the air out. If i can't, its time to take it to a mechanic.

[09rexwagon]

I was short with my response, but was not pulling your leg. There is a thread around here 3-4 months ago, where this guy was having a similar problem....it just wouldn't fully bleed. MasterKwan told him to get new hose clamps. The guy just kept beating around the bush and trying this and that. In the end, it was $4 worth of hose clamps that fully fixed the problem. Can't hurt to try.

[psychoskip]

Originally Posted by 09rexwagon

I was short with my response, but was not pulling your leg. There is a thread around here 3-4 months ago, where this guy was having a similar problem....it just wouldn't fully bleed. MasterKwan told him to get new hose clamps. The guy just kept beating around the bush and trying this and that. In the end, it was $4 worth of hose clamps that fully fixed the problem. Can't hurt to try.

At this point, i won't rule anything out.

Im gunna tinker with it later this morning and Ill plan on going and picking up some new clamps.

[hwy61]

Originally Posted by 09rexwagon

I was short with my response, but was not pulling your leg. There is a thread around here 3-4 months ago, where this guy was having a similar problem....it just wouldn't fully bleed. MasterKwan told him to get new hose clamps. The guy just kept beating around the bush and trying this and that. In the end, it was $4 worth of hose clamps that fully fixed the problem. Can't hurt to try.

I think that is fully presented in this thread and with pictures including what finally fixed mine after the leaking hoses were repaired. Psychoskip is familiar with this link I think. Hwy61


http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1897783

[09rexwagon]

Originally Posted by hwy61

I think that is fully presented in this thread and with pictures including what finally fixed mine after the leaking hoses were repaired. Psychoskip is familiar with this link I think. Hwy61


http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1897783

Yeah I read that one too. Your final fix with the o-ring at the connector right?

Anyway, I can't find the thread I was talking about but if I stumble upon it, I'll post it.

[hwy61]

Originally Posted by 09rexwagon

Yeah I read that one too. Your final fix with the o-ring at the connector right?

Anyway, I can't find the thread I was talking about but if I stumble upon it, I'll post it.

This one perhaps? Yeah there have been a number of threads regarding this lately. I think cold weather shrinks the rubber and cold fluid is harder to cycle which puts more pressure on everything. The rubber shrinking doesn't necessarily mean it clamps harder on fittings. My hoses were leaking where they clamped onto the plastic reservoir. The other ends were not, but a leak here must be fixed. Air was getting in at my O ring though and possibly the loose fittings. Hard to tell the O ring was letting in so much and it started very quickly with the arrival of cold weather. One day everything was normal.....the next, not. Hwy61

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...1799692&page=2

[psychoskip]

Swapped the pump out, didn't make a bit of difference. Going to try new clamps tomorrow, any recommendations on which kind?