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Weird Power Steering Problem???

PurpleBeeper

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So, I converted my manual steering car to power steering. I noticed that when I'm parallel parking (steering going lock to lock) I get a "belt chirp" & my power steering belt keeps getting loose. This weekend, I ran it up through 3 gears and the p/s belt jumped off completely. I replaced the belt & can definitely here the belt "slipping" when I'm parking. Is this my power steering pump hanging up? Steering box hanging up? Any ideas?
 
I would start looking at the basic first, Check to be sure the brackets aren't cracked or bent. Correct Belt tension. Then making sure the belt is matching to pulley groove, Then checking & aligning power steering pump pulley to crank pulley.
 
Yes, check alignment, but two or three times over the years, I've also had a bad belt that for some strange reason, would invert itself.
 
Good point, but those pulleys are dead-on straight thanks to the home built stack of washers I used. Any other ideas?
 
can you take a few photo for inspection. If the aligment is good. does the belt have any wear? or the Pulley. The belt could be riding out of the groove at high rpm..

Coat the pulley grooves with yellow crayon & by hand move the pulley to check the pattern of contact...
 
Purple the belts are 13/32's, 15/32 and I think 17/32 . You "may" be too wide? I always had better luck with the Dayco type that had grooves molded into top side of belt,seemed to not whip quite as bad. But this was a while ago.
 
OK guys..... I replaced the power steering pump & all seemed kosher for about 30 miles, then I went to parallel park. The power steering system just puked out all the power steering fluid. I still need to refill it and check for the leak, but I don't see any holes in the hoses & the reservoir is empty. Maybe I didn't get the clamp tight enough on the return line?

It still seems to be "over pressurizing". I noticed in the factory service manual that there's some type of high-pressure "something" in the system, but that's part of the pump itself (where the high pressure hose connects & I believe you can remove it), so I've got a new one in there now (new pump).

Is there something that can go bad in the steering gear box itself that will cause this issue? 1st time, belt squeal when parking & I think the pump was locking up (not sure). 2nd time, puked out all the p/s fluid.
 
been a while since i worked on ps. is there a presure valve in the pump? most do not come with rebuilt pumps.or is it built into gear box? there has to be one someplace in the system.
 
I was thinking there was a relief spring built in...I may be thinking of a gm...Heidts makes an external regulator you can bolt to the frame. It will however require some custom lines...
Didnt read this whole article but it may help...
http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...ower-steering-pump-from-1966-satellite.66942/

Thompson Power Steering Pump.jpg
 
Maybe you had filled too high or it needed to burp out some air? You never want to turn wheel against the stops for too long, it up's the press way up.
 
OK gentlemen, I found the answer.... the gear box itself is bad. Yes, the pressure regulator is in the pump itself & screws into place into the pump right before the high pressure hose which screws into it.

However, it's the gear box that's my problem. How do I know? I couldn't see any leaks or blown hoses, so I re-filled the reservoir and turned the engine on. The gear box started puking p/s fluid & emptied the reservoir in about 60 seconds. I can see both the pressure/return hoses from up top & everything is completely dry. The "niagra falls" of p/s fluid is coming from underneath & towards the firewall. The only place it can be coming from is the gear box itself.
 
That stinks, not fun swapping them especially if you've got headers. Did you check the valve block on the top? You have to loosen those 2 bolts to center the power steering, could just need tightened?
 
That stinks, not fun swapping them especially if you've got headers. Did you check the valve block on the top? You have to loosen those 2 bolts to center the power steering, could just need tightened?

If you mean that little hose/nipple piece on top that didn't come with the steering gear box itself (?), then yes... I can see it an it's bone dry all around. There is a freaking river coming out from underneath somewhere. I've never seen anything leak that bad that wasn't a blown radiator hose.... I mean it's a RIVER of fluid.

And yep, I've got headers. My car came manual steering & I didn't have to pull the headers to get it in. Hope I'm remember right and didn't do the steering before I put the engine back in???? Either way, I can work around that no problem.
 
Just screwing around looking at FSM and ur valve body looks like 5 o-rings,2 gaskets. Jeez, although maybe gskt on end plug blew out?
 
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