My power steering pump started making all kins of noise last week. It also came through the brake pedel. When I hit the brakes it became louder. I put some stop leak in it ( the cheap kind they were out of Lucas). It stopped making noise and steered good and the brake noise went away too. This week its doing it again. I went and got some Lucas and went to fill it thinking i got a leak. I started filling it and it wasnt that low? Is the brakes and the power steering connected in some way? Is it like Hydro assist? Any help would be great.. Is the power steering pumpa need to replace item?
Power steering question
- Thread starter chopper
- Start date
Big T
diesel bleeder
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2008
- Messages
- 23
Bleeding hydro assist brakes
The brakes on a 97 should be hydro assist meaning there is no vacuum booster behind the master cylinder. There will be lines from the steering pump to the back of the master cylinder for the hydro assist. It does sound like your pump is dying. One thing to try before replacing is to bleed the system. If you pump was low the first time you may have gotten air in the system. This can be hard sometimes to get bled. The best way is to remove the pitman arm from the steering box or the tierod from the pitman (this can be very helpful and more efficient). That way you have full stroke in the steering box. Fire the truck with the steering fluid full and allow it to run for a few seconds up to a minute then shut off. Pump the brake pedal 3 to 5 times minimum. You will feel the power assist going away. After that I turn the wheel SLOWLY from lock to lock twice. Then refire the truck, pump the brakes once or twice and turn lock to lock once. Shut the truck off, Check the fluid and repeat. I know some guys that did this process for an hour until they stopped getting bubbles in the fluid. Another way you may be able to tell if is bled correctly is the brake booster lines at the master will get super hot, that means there is still air in the system. Every one that has done this has there own way, this has worked for me time and time over.
The brakes on a 97 should be hydro assist meaning there is no vacuum booster behind the master cylinder. There will be lines from the steering pump to the back of the master cylinder for the hydro assist. It does sound like your pump is dying. One thing to try before replacing is to bleed the system. If you pump was low the first time you may have gotten air in the system. This can be hard sometimes to get bled. The best way is to remove the pitman arm from the steering box or the tierod from the pitman (this can be very helpful and more efficient). That way you have full stroke in the steering box. Fire the truck with the steering fluid full and allow it to run for a few seconds up to a minute then shut off. Pump the brake pedal 3 to 5 times minimum. You will feel the power assist going away. After that I turn the wheel SLOWLY from lock to lock twice. Then refire the truck, pump the brakes once or twice and turn lock to lock once. Shut the truck off, Check the fluid and repeat. I know some guys that did this process for an hour until they stopped getting bubbles in the fluid. Another way you may be able to tell if is bled correctly is the brake booster lines at the master will get super hot, that means there is still air in the system. Every one that has done this has there own way, this has worked for me time and time over.
