The power steering fluid in our 1988 2wd Pickup was looking rough, so I attempted to flush it. I've flushed several other vehicles, but this one acted different. I used the same process of disconnecting return line, capping the nipple on the reservoir, filling up with fresh fluid... When I started the engine, the pump pushed fluid back through the reservoir and overflowed. Nothing ever came out of the return hose. Have y'all ever seen this? I'm thinking something must be plugged or the pump needs rebuilding.

 

If the pump refilled and overflowed there is a chance that that was the return hose and the one you disconnected was the send line right?

I’d try flipping the connection/reconnecting the supposed return or making sure someone didn’t swap power steering parts in there before considering it broken.

the pumps are pretty bulletproof and if fluid did change levels, the pump was pumping and perhaps not having the send line to exit. That added to the return from the steering box would overflow for sure.