Ok im banging my head on the engine block. It all started the other day ps pump whinning went to check fluid and it was mud color and real foamy, last night we flushed the system added new atf and some lucas started her up and ps was still whinning you could see bubbles working into a froth shut it down and the fluid came bubbling out.

Today i drained the system again took the res off and tried cleaning the screen out put all back together. slowly added atf to cold fill and without truck running turned wheels back and forth bout 40 times and still bubbling over. Oh and I did inspect all the lines no holes, leaks, or even scrapes. Its def. getting air somehow. should I just bite the bullet and replace the pump? any other tricks or suggestions? Its on a 95 t100 3.0 v6 truck.

 

Turning the wheels without the pump running just gives your arms exercise and does not bleed the system

Sounds like you have more bleeding to do!!!

What caused the change in color of the fluid??

Might be time for a new one if bleeding does not work.

 

"lucas" what? "LUCAS POWER STEERING STOP LEAK"? I'm pretty sure that's not Automatic Transmission Fluid, and if that's the case, it will probably wreck the seals in the pump. First thing to do: drain all that junk out!

There is a simple procedure for replacing the fluid in the Power Steering pump. Did you follow that, or just guess? http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...10onvehicl.pdf

In the end, something probably did go wrong with the pump ("whining" etc.) Your most cost/time efficient solution is probably to put in a $55 remanufactured pump.

 

When I did my fluid change from PS to ATF it took 2 days to get all the air out and notchyness of the system. I First filled the reservoir and jacked the truck up and turned the wheels lock to lock about 40 times with the truck running. Felt ok to drive so I thought I was done. The next day I noticed that if I turned the steering wheel fast it seemed to get real notchy again. So I jacked the truck up, then put a clear PVC hose onto the nipple on the box, started it up and bled it that way and got a butt load of air out of it. Its been 100% since. Dont know if its the proper way but it worked for me.

 

Your right Lucas junk is not atf. I didnt do much guessing and I did pretty much to a T on your pdf instuctions other than use jack stands, oil pressure gauge and a steering wheel gauge. So I guess I did do some guessing because I guessed that would be ok.


I filled the res with atf cranked engine then topped of with that lucas junk. I thought I bout had it. With the engine running had no bubbles, turned wheels left and right bout 10 times no bubbles, p/s stopped whining. took for a drive bout 3 turns started to hear the whining again and when I got it had puked oil out and all foamy again.

 

Where"s this nipple at? I can't find any thing like that on mine

 

its on the top of the box right above where the steering shaft connects but mine is a 2wd so it might be different then yours.

 

I looked on the steering box no nipple. Went ahead and bought a p/s pump, I guess the one I'm replacing lasted 208,000 miles the new one will also.

So if a seal went out in the old pump would'nt it be leaking fluid instead of just sucking air in? I dont know like I said I'm at my witts end.

Thank you for all the advice. hopefully get the pump tomarrow and life will be good again ha....

 

welp got the pump in, filled er real slow, crank engine top off crank engine top off, crank engine and was full, waited a few minutes started truck up check fluid level and started turning wheels left to right lock to lock check fluid level, drop jack and took er for a drive. worked perfect.
The next day drove to town sitting at a stop light lost p/s drove for about a block and got it back, made a few stops at the bait shop and gas stop p/s was intermitten.
Headin down the country road going home and the p/s worked no prob.

Today checked fluid started er up cranked wheels left to right worked fine grabbed fishing rods and went out and caught a limit of walleyes in a nebraska snow storm.

Guess I must of had some air in the system. driving seemed to work them out, so anyways thank you all for the advice.