Hydraulic Assist Issue

[VAhasnoWAVES]

Been building my jeep for about 6 months now and am wrapping it up. was trying to bleed the ram assist last night and it seemed to work at first, now it doesnt. and thinking through it, im not sure what it could be.

what im running:
- D44 with high steer
- stock box, drilled/tapped and modified by RNR.
- 1.5x8" ram (from RNR)
- 3/8" lines (from RNR)
- (new) stock pump
- PSC overdrive pulley
- derale power steering cooler

so... i bled the system with the jeep off, wheels off the ground. as fluid worked its way into the system, i noticed the ram seemed to act backwards of the steering input. i was pretty confident i didnt have the lines backwards. when i was confident it was pretty full, i started it, and the ram then acted as it should. has one small leak, tighted a fitting and it went away.

one thing i noticed was that the pump had a little whine to it. the jeep hadnt been run in a while (and i did a rear main) so i let it run, get up to temp, and revved it a few times making sure shes working properly. when i went back to trying to bleed the power steering system some more... it was locked up. i also noticed the pump was no longer whining. i unclamped the ram and the power steering works as intended, but the ram no longer acts.

then it was dinner time and i shut the garage door. but im not even sure where to begin looking for a problem. any ideas?

 

[StinkyFab]

If your wheels were off the ground that last time and you didn't push against the stops the ram wouldn't move by design. The ram only gets pressure when there is a load on the steering box.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

after things seemed to stop working... tires on the ground, ram unhooked, the power steering would turn the tires. with the ram hooked up, you could not move the tires. whereas before the ram had been acting along with the steering like you would imagine.

 

[civic50]

The initial whine from the pump could have been air in the system getting frothed by the pump. as Stinkyfab mentioned, no load, no ram movement. Sounds like the ram is plumbed backwards and the reason it seemed to work the first time was the air in the ram and ram feed lines didn't allow it to build pressure and lock up the steering box. I would let it sit so the froth condenses back into larger bubbles then bleed it again, then switch the feeds to the ram and give it a go. Good Luck.

 

[trippled]

You can try pulling a vacuum on the reservoir to unlock a stubborn air pocket. Did you drill your fitting? If the lines were backwards you'd know it. Youd turn one way then it'd try to yank the wheel the other.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

You can try pulling a vacuum on the reservoir to unlock a stubborn air pocket. Did you drill your fitting? If the lines were backwards you'd know it. Youd turn one way then it'd try to yank the wheel the other.

drill which fitting?




so...

in the air, with the ram unhooked, jeep on... the steering cycles left and right easily.
in the air, with the ram hooked up, jeep on... the steering moves, albeit slower, but moves.
on the ground... nothing. wont budge with or without the ram.

still sound like air?




also, when turning left (driver side) which side of the box gets pressurized?

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

drill which fitting?

im guesing the port on the piston?

RNR thinks that that may be clogged. they recommended checking it and modifying it while i was in there.

 

[trippled]

Top port should have pressure when turning left. The fitting to drill would be the flow control valve on the pump. I think most are doing 3/16 drill size. It's also pretty possible you got a crap pump if it's a parts store reman.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

Top port should have pressure when turning left. The fitting to drill would be the flow control valve on the pump. I think most are doing 3/16 drill size. It's also pretty possible you got a crap pump if it's a parts store reman.

thats what i thought, which means i dont have the lines backwards.


very possible i got a dud. it is a reman. my old one wasnt "bad" per say, but i had put DOT3 through it one time in a pinch, and didnt want to cut corners and reuse it.

i think ive got a sticky valve. that would explain why i had steering and have now lost it.


to be more precise... i still have mechanical steering, but have lost power steering. if i understand correctly it is being bypassed like when you hit the steering stops.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

reporting back on this... valve was definitely stuck. no amount of beating on the pump would free it up. got a new pump and modified it. but when i was taking my pulley off of the old pump i broke the lip. now i got to wait until monday to talk to PSC to see if they need the broken pulley, as i also need to return the bad pump.

oh well. other things i can do.