Power Steering problems
 

I have a 90 pickup with the v6 in it and i recently replaced the power steering but i still dont have power steering even though ive bled it using the bleeder screw on the steering gearbox and followed the directions from my haynes repair manual. I also replaced the vacuum lines on the bottom of the pump and it didnt help anything. The only thing i can think of is that i put regular power steering fluid in not realizing that ATF was called for and i have been draining as much of the psf fluid as i can while replacing it with ATF but i dont if that would make a difference or not. Any help would be appreciated.

On top of the PS res it should tell you what fluid to use. Mine (22re) takes regular power steering fluid.

What does the Haynes manual tell you to do to bleed it? I jacked mine up in the front, fired it up in neutral (rather important) and would turn the wheel left and right, lock to lock, then turn it off and top off the fluid. This might not be the way the manual tells you to do it but an old mechanic taught me this way.

It shouldn't make a difference if you use regular power steering fluid. The vacuum lines shouldn't matter to the steering either, though watch out, that part can fail and leak fluid into the vac lines and it's hard to find when that happens.

You replaced the pump, and bled from the bleeder screw? Have you cranked the steering lock to lock a few times? If someone does that, while running, do you see movement in the power steering reservoir?

Read it again. In particular, ignore the big white letters that say POWER STEERING FLUID and read what's emobossed in the cap DEXRON TYPE ATF

http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...10onvehicl.pdf

I just went and looked at mine in the garage, on the truck, and it says on the sticker on the side of the res FILL WITH DEXTRON TYPE POWER STEERING FLUID. Does that help?

*edit* The only thing embossed on the cap is one word. "TOYODA", yes with a D.

Ever have any luck finding Dexron type power steering fluid?

It usually comes in an Automatic Transmission Fluid bottle ...

I have always used ATF in power steering, whether the manufacturer specified it or not. I always figured "power steering fluid" was ATF in a smaller container, that cost more. Power steering is a hydraulic pump system.

I really think the OP's problem isn't what juice he put into the system, but whether the air is really out, or if he has some other problem. I'm new here, but I've been wrenching my cars since the end of the 70's.

Carry on...