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Power steering issues....pump or box?

Mr. Ninja

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Issaquah
Just got back from a wheeling trip and am ironing out some issues. One of which is my power steering seems to be pissed off at me. Didn't really notice anything wrong till i got back into civilization and was on pavement, not moving and went to try and turn the wheel. Felt super stiff like the PS wasn't even working at all. As soon as I started moving again it felt back to normal. Popped the hood when i got home and PS fluid is all over the airbox etc, looks like it came from the little "hole/vent/whatever" in the PS reservoir cap.

I'm guessing this is the pump acting up, but wouldn't mind any other diagnosis from people who have dealt with something similar. I was also kind of thinking it MIGHT be the box, and the pressure was getting back into the reservoir and making it piss.

Thoughts?
:wierd:
 
From my experience working on trucks for 7 years or so, if you give it a little gas and the power steering starts working again then it is a bad pump. I have the same problem on mine. I am just waiting for the funds to swap out the pump.
 
I'd say the pressure relief valve has probably give up the ghost. It's the screwed-in fitting that the pressure hose attaches to at the pump, and is responsible for regulating the fluid flow to the gear box. Age can cause the piston in the valve to stick, and foreign material can plug a passage, but either way, a new valve/ pump should solve the problem.
 
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You might have overheated the power steering oil while wheeling.
Hot, boiling oil would escape through the vent and spew itself over the engine compartment.
[FONT=&quot]
A power steering cooler is always a good idea for a trail rig.
A small automatic transmission cooler works well as a steering cooler.[/FONT]
 
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