I think I broke my PS pump

[awing]

I finally have the car on the road, and maybe like 600 miles total on it. The power steering pump is a new/refurb from oreilly's, I only replaced it a year ago because I cracked the plastic housing removing the old engine being careless.

Rack is original to the car, guessing 80-100k miles. Fluid is new and topped off. Unknown ball joints, probably original. Maximum motorsports solid steering shaft and solid bushing kit, stock k member. Underdrive crank pulley. Everything was great until I raised my RPM limit to 6800 and went testing, after the first pull the steering was "grumbly" like it would pop into place instead of being smooth. I've kept driving it and the steering effort is going up dramatically.

Did I get a marignal pump? Do the stock pumps not like RPM? Thinking of trying to rebuild it myself and flushing the rack out. I just hate removing the SN95 PS pulley.

I know there are a lot of variables to consider, but the solid bushings were a great upgrade for the loose steering I used to have, and I don't think that's the problem here - unless the rack moved?

 

[90sickfox]

These pumps aren't really high rpm pumps. That can cause cavitation in the fluid and cause fluid to push out of the cap. In autoX people extend the pump reservoir neck to help with that. Make sure your tire rod ends are tight. Make sure the headers aren't too close to the u joints in the shaft....or the shaft itself. Can feel weird if they are making contact.

 

[awing]

These pumps aren't really high rpm pumps. That can cause cavitation in the fluid and cause fluid to push out of the cap. In autoX people extend the pump reservoir neck to help with that. Make sure your tire rod ends are tight. Make sure the headers aren't too close to the u joints in the shaft....or the shaft itself. Can feel weird if they are making contact.

The shaft clears my headers okay, I'm sure something went wrong in the rack or pump. I was running some generic power steering fluid, I wonder if a new pump would benefit from good ATF?

 

[90sickfox]

Yes....use ATF....

 

[revhead347]

The factory pump uses ATF Type F fluid. To get bubbles out of the system, jack the front end of the car up, remove the reservoir cap, start the engine, and turn the steering wheel lock to lock a few times. See if that fixes it.

Kurt

 

[General karthief]

I'm pretty sure the cap on my 89 gt ps pump says use power steering fluid only. I'll check later to confirm.
I know the older systems used F type fluid.

 

[revhead347]

I'm pretty sure the cap on my 89 gt ps pump says use power steering fluid only. I'll check later to confirm.
I know the older systems used F type fluid.

Check your owner's manual to be sure. "Type F, Ford put that on everything."

Kurt

 

[General karthief]

Oh I am not doubting it, and my owners manual has been awal since I bought this rag.

 

[General karthief]

Curiosity got the best of me so I checked, the cap says power steering fluid, the assembly manual says power steering fluid and in parentheses (ATF) and also lists type F trans fluid so it can be confusing. I use power steering fluid not ATF. I would guess it does not matter as long as you use one or the other.

 

[Blown88GT]

For the O'Reilly pump, use O'Reilly PS fluid. If it goes bad, they can't say you used the wrong fluid.
The pumps are noisy until you get every last bit of air out of them. I did the lock to lock thing with the front wheels off the ground. Helped some. A better method is pull a vacuum on the reservoir. There's a little tiny hole in the cap. Also, don't fill to the mark on the dipstick or it will puke out the vent hole.