Hi. I just replaced my radiator, thermostat and head gasket now it seems as if my power steering is out. It makes a whining noise when I turn the tires and feels like I'm driving a '49 Ford so it is definitely not working at all. The return hose was leaking a bit so I replaced it with bulk hose but it still is whining and not working. It appears to maybe be leaking from the pump itself but I can't be sure.

Now for my question. Does it matter how the pressure line hose is lined up? My mount that is holding up the pressure hose is all bent up and it appears that the line was hitting the hood for a while. I do not know when I bent it up.

Is this system based entirely on pressure? So if there is any kind of leak in the pump it will stop functioning? Here is the pics of the bent up mount.

 

Hose looks fine. Have you checked the fluid level and if so what did you top it off with?

 

Yes foolishly I did not put enough fluid in there. I ended up topping it off and it runs fine. The leaking power steering fluid however did ruin my alternator and cause more electrical porblems... lol. Thanks.

 

"Power Steering Fluid"? Did you look closely at the cap to the reservoir?


IF you use "plain ole" power steering fluid, it will (eventually) wreck your pump. You need to use ATF. Of course, you might have known that, and you were just referring to the large print label on the cap.

 

I cant recall the last time I refilled the pump prior to it leaking or if ever. It is the original pump from 1990. But I put in ATF this time but probably too little too late.

 

You might be lucky. Which is going to say it is going to leak for a while. I bought my 94 runner used and it had power steering fluid in the reservoir. I started putting ATF in and it leaked all the power steering fluid out. It has been about a year I just kept topping it up. No more leaking and my power steering reservoir is full on the level with no more leaking.

 

Same problem with my 87 pickup. This is my 2nd alternator I've blown from the power steering fluid. Did you fix your leak? If so, where was it leaking from?

 

I believe it was just leaking from the return bottom hose but I've yet to do extensive driving to see if it is the pump itself also. Here is my electrical problems.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f131...attery-282007/

Did yours make a very bad electronic burning smell?

 

I had a hose to break to leak down on my alternator and it did give me a bad burning smell. It flamed up and then blew the 80 amp fuse. Leaking pumps are nothing to mess with. Luckily I was able to get the fire out before it did any damage.