K guys, i have looked all over this site for a post similar to mine and didnt find one, so if I missed it sorry. Heres the deal. I have a 92 4runner with the 3.0 V6. I have been driving around for a few months with no power steering, and decided to do something about it. After using my limited mechanical ability and referencing this site, i decided i needed a new power steering pump. So I got a new one and put it in, not too hard. I fill the reservoir up, turn the car on, add some more fluid to the res (ATF btw) and start cranking the wheel from lock to lock. I should mention that I did not bleed the system to remove air mostly because I am lazy and have never done it before, and although the manual lists the bleeding procedure after power steering pump removal, it doesnt actually say you need to bleed it after words . This is where my problem comes in. Cranking the wheels back and forth i have power steering, so i top of the reservoir and drive around my block like 7 times with power steering the whole time. drive across town on an errand with power steering and on the way back to my house I notice how hard it is to turn, and I no longer have any power steering at all. So heres what happened again. I replace the pump, refill with fluid, I do not bleed anything. I have power steering for like 1 hour and then it suddenly goes away. and has not returned. Some super elite mechanic genius please help me!! btw i have been cruising this site for a while, nice to become a member

 

its probably something wrong with the spool valve in your steering box, all the pump makes is pressure and flow and since you've changed it twice i really doubt its the problem, but if the valve in the box is not working right you may have intermittent assist, BTW how did the fluid look, any metal flakes?

 

i looked really good and I did not see any metal flakes or anything at all in the fluid. And i have only changed it once, sorry for the confusion

 

ok, some of the newer steering boxes have a bleeder screw on them similar to a brake bleeder, look around on your box to see if it has one....

 

I think i do have one is this a symptom of having air in the lines? the power steering going out cuz i didnt bleed it?

 

its possible, i would try to bleed it first before condemning it

 

I suppose I should have tried bleeding it first before posting...well any other ideas are still welcome, and I will follow up on this thread in the hope that it will help others in the future. I also think I remember reading a post by a guy who didnt bleed it, and sed it like worked itself out after a couple days. I dont remember him saying it worked in the beginning tho. I might try it that way

 

Well, to bleed the power steering system, all you do is turn from lock to lock several times, holding at each lock position for a couple of seconds. Do this with the engine running, all tires on the ground, and the cap on the power steering fluid reservoir removed. Have somebody looking in the reservoir while you're doing this. They are looking for nice smooth surface of the fluid, any foaming or significant bubbling means there's still air in the system.

 

incase this helps someone in the future. I did bleed the system by turning my wheels back and forth, while not elevated on jack stands. I remember seeing air bubbles in the reservoir, adding more fluid, turning wheels more and then seeing no bubbles in the res. I was confused, because i didnt hook up a clear tube to steering box or whatever it says to do in the chiltons manual. anyways, I currently think my power steering stopped working becuase my belt got automatic transmission fluid all over it. I think it then slipped on the pulley giving me no power steering. I was gonna go down the next day and buy a new belt, but its working again ever since, so I guess the ATF evaporated or something