retrospect

Hey guys I recently had developed a leak in my 3.slow power steering pump. I decided to go with a rebuild using the help of the thread on here and my FSM. Now that it is complete i am left with some weird steering characteristics. I followed the FSM step by step and am not sure what my problem is.

There are a couple things I have noticed:
- the leak is fixed
- my steering is WAY stiffer than before
- if I jerk the wheel in one direction it seems that there is an initial force I must overcome before there is power steering. Ex. If I jerk the wheel hard to the right it initially feels like there is no power steering but after that initial "lack of PS" it will start working normally. If I am doing regular driving it feels like the power steering works as it should and it always there. It is only when I make a sudden turn or am turning while going over a bump does it seem to have a lapse in power steering. I hope that makes sense!

I have also JUST replaced the steering gearbox, idler/pitman arm, and Balljoints so all other steering components are top notch. PLEASE HELP!!

sotb3

did you replace the "steering gearbox" prior to the problem or was that after? just curious if it's new, rebuilt, or just new-to-you--i've never had a problem with a toyota box but have adjusted/tightened them before to take out slack and if they are too worn the problems you are having are alot like that--also i am assuming you had someone turn the wheel while you watched your steering components that you replaced to make sure there are no clearance or binding issues--just thoughts, good luck--

bugs1961

You might try bleeding some more. Some have required multiple tries at bleeding to get all the air out. Good work on the pump!

retrospect

I replaced the gearbox after I did the pump rebuild, thinking it might be the casue fo the problem. I also had about 3" of slack in my steering wheel so I thought I might be able to kill 2 birds with one stone. The gearbox is new to me, but after install i have almost no steering play, which is good. But my stiff steering still persists. The steering components were replaced about 5k miles before I did the pump rebuild and everything worked fine until after the rebuild. I will try bleeding again.... i really hope I dont have to open up that pump again!!

OutlawMike

Sounds like a bleeding issue to me, you are compressing an air bubble.

I just did my pump about a month ago. It is pretty simple to rebuild and put back together. Kind of hard to get it together and screw it up, if it all went back together, then, most likely you did the pump correctly.

retrospect

So to be sure, Jack the front up, leave the cap off and turn the wheel left and right?

retrospect

bump*

OutlawMike

I'm not sure about the cap being off, that might make a mess. But, yes, left, right, left, right, back and forth, takes a while.