Bleeding Power Steering Pump?

[gpchris]

Ive never really dealt with this before. I ve disconnected them before to change motors and such but Id always just put them back in and just make sure they were full. Well mines been really loud for a while and now its dragging the idle down with it. So today I replaced it completely. I filled it back up with fluid and turned the wheel lock to lock about 30 times (car raised, engine off). I saw some bubbles but the fluid level didnt change much at all. I don't really know what to do.. Maybe its time to change the powersteering fluid?

[gpchris]

I pumped out the old fluid and it was very milky and nasty.. But it groans worse now with new fluid.. Wtf.

[xtremerevolution]

I pumped out the old fluid and it was very milky and nasty.. But it groans worse now with new fluid.. Wtf.

Let it sit for a bit and try it again. My car did the same thing when I replaced the steering rack. There are probably air pockets in the system that will need to come out. When you run the pump though, it all turns into bubbles everywhere. If it still doesn't work, try adding some bars or lucas power steering stop leak.

[19Cutlass94]

Take the belt off, get a drill ( electrtic would be best ) and get an allen that'll fit it, and start the drill. Thats how I changed the nasty fluid that was in mine. Put the return hose in a bucket, and kept filling the pump while the drill was going. eventually the fluid got clean and clear.

[gpchris]

Very good advice. Thanks. I drove it around quite a bit today. It's a lot better now but it still groans at idle. Is that normal? It's perfectly quiet while driving but like the second the idle stablizes it starts to whine..

[jman093]

Very good advice. Thanks. I drove it around quite a bit today. It's a lot better now but it still groans at idle. Is that normal? It's perfectly quiet while driving but like the second the idle stablizes it starts to whine..

Probably not normal. GM powersteering pumps are pretty quiet. If it's full, the air is going to work itself out eventually. If it doesn't continue to get quieter the pump is just a little worn and noisy. Really not a big deal. Unless it's just really howling, it's not in danger of going out.

[rockfangd]

I say just drive it. the noise will probably disappear and you wont even notice. I have done it so many times

[gpchris]

That's what I always did before. I guess I got a bad ps pump.. That's lame.

[19Cutlass94]

Its the fluid clean or is there still some junk in there? I think I went through like 3 qts of PS fluid to do mine. If you havent done that yet its worth a shot. If nothing else youll have clean fluid in there which could help it.