Power Steering FAIL at highway speeds

Today was my first highway trip (90 miles round trip). The motor/tranny ran great minus a still unidentified light plume of white smoke that I noticed in the rear view mirror, that lasted for a few miles after a quick bump up to 80......The power steering however did something really weird. After a long run each way, when I got off of the exit, my power steering failed/faded/went out.....The wheel was really hard to turn but manageable? It only lasted for a second or two and quickly came back....pucker factor 10+. It happened 3 times the exact same way today. Each time the situation was the same. Highway speeds for an extended period of time, fades then comes back fine for around town. I replaced the steering pump two weeks ago with a remanufactured unit from NAPA, (the only one the said they listed). Installed a small magnetic filter, yes the flow is toward the reservoir, confirmed that when I got home today. 1 bottle of Lucas stop leak for a "drip a day" gear box, 1 bottle of Lucas power steering fluid with conditioners, and used Valvoline synthetic to get it to the full-hot mark on the dip stick.

96, HO with a 630 head, AW4, D30/C8.25 gears???? 31s with a 3in RC lift,

when it fails try burping the throttle. it may be due to the sudden drop in pressure after it spinning at hwy speeds down to idle.

Are your hoses in good shape?

I've had a very slight stick after running interstate and not turning the wheel for awhile. Then when turning for the exit it feels like no PS assist.
Only happened twice and neither time was for more than a moment but very disconcerting.

Don't know why. Speculating maybe the pressure valve is a little sticky??

What are your rpms during this?

K.Hess said:

when it fails try burping the throttle. it may be due to the sudden drop in pressure after it spinning at hwy speeds down to idle.

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Will do, any idea how to prevent it???

souske said:

Are your hoses in good shape?

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They appear to be on the outside. I replaced the low pressure hose with the pump and reservoir and inline filter. Im not sure what the part# on the filter is. It's a small, magnetic napa unit though. Think it might be clogged already? When my previous pump failed the reservoir had all kinds of debris floating around in it. So when I installed the new unit, I flushed the system with at least a gallon of Valvoline synthetic ps fluid BEFORE in installed the filter.

2X_01_Jeeps said:

I've had a very slight stick after running interstate and not turning the wheel for awhile. Then when turning for the exit it feels like no PS assist.
Only happened twice and neither time was for more than a moment but very disconcerting.

Don't know why. Speculating maybe the pressure valve is a little sticky??

Click to expand...

Remedies???


This is not my DD but the family will still be in it from time to time. The fluid is right where it needs to be. Its a new/reman from NAPA. I got a new pulley but its the same size as the old one, I've still got it. The old pump wasn't salvageable so I turned it in for the core charge. Ideas on how to correct it? I was told that I wouldn't need a ps cooler only running 31s but it gets hot down here, anybody think it might help?

Any ideas on that little cloud of white smoke that followed me for a few miles when I punched it?

I verified by gps that my speedo 5mph slow over 50. IIRC, the tach was showing 2000-2500 between 70 and 80.

Also forgot to mention, 4wd/NP231 earlier.

So its still doing it with hte new pump?
did it do it before the new pump? that wasnt clear in your post, did it come before or after the new pump?

consider replacing hoses and also consider returning the pump for a new one. I had a napa reman pump die on me just like that recently. Finally died for good.

souske said:

What are your rpms during this?

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Agree.

I have had essentially the same thing happen--the engine was stalling out.

blondejoncherokee said:

So its still doing it with hte new pump?
did it do it before the new pump? that wasnt clear in your post, did it come before or after the new pump?


Yes, it is doing it with a NAPA new/reman pump which I put in 2 weeks ago. The previous pump came apart from the inside which left all kinds of debris in the old resivoire, that is why I bled/flushed it the way I did and installed the little NAPA magnetic inline filter on the low pressure side. I never had it on the highway with the old pump so I have no idea how it behaved prior.

consider replacing hoses and also consider returning the pump for a new one. I had a napa reman pump die on me just like that recently. Finally died for good.

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I have no problem replacing the hoses just help me understand how that would help.

joe_peters said:

Agree.



I have had essentially the same thing happen--the engine was stalling out.

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Will NAPA give me my $ back so I can go elsewhere and buy an NEW pump or is this a common occurrence with any pump?

Could the little inline filter be playing a part in this also?

Would a smaller pulley help or exacerbate the problem? Same with a PS cooler?

Why doesn't NAPA have a new option?

I have no idea how the hoses would help, but if you some chunk of steering box gear inards wedged in a return line/filter. I doubt that. I just did my lines when I did my pump anyway.

My ps pressure line got a pinhole that would only leak sometimes.
When my ps pump gave up the ghost doing the road course at california speedway, white smoke was billowing from under my other car.

Might be that puff of white smoke you saw

souske said:

What are your rpms during this?

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I can't recall exactly. I know I set the cc at 75, GPS said 80-81, was running about 2100-2500 IIRC. Then tapped the brakes to kill the cc, turned the wheel an inch or two, didnt notice anthing until I started turning and braking into the curve of the off ramp, but I was OFF the trottle completly.

X2 on the pinhole, small leak at pressure (like jacking it up to 80). White smoke tells me that P/S fluid "spit" on to the manifold, burned off, and when you checked it at idle, there was no leak.

As far as the loss of pressure I think I'd lean towards replacing the pressure line to keep pressure rolling thru the pump.

souske said:

My ps pressure line got a pinhole that would only leak sometimes.
When my ps pump gave up the ghost doing the road course at california speedway, white smoke was billowing from under my other car.

Might be that puff of white smoke you saw

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ParadiseXJ said:

X2 on the pinhole, small leak at pressure (like jacking it up to 80). White smoke tells me that P/S fluid "spit" on to the manifold, burned off, and when you checked it at idle, there was no leak.

As far as the loss of pressure I think I'd lean towards replacing the pressure line to keep pressure rolling thru the pump.

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Thanks a lot guys. Its gonna be next weekend until I can get to it though. Im on shift the next 4days. Ill let everybody know how it turns out.

Wedge a tire up against a curb to put load on the pump, sometimes dry steering it on flat pavement wont show those previously mentioned pin hole leaks.

Or check the fluid. If its leaking, it'll be losing fluid obviously. On a small hydraulic system like that it doesnt take long to get low.