Replaced my steering pump now trying to fill the system back up with fluid.

With the car running and the reservoir car off shouldn't the fluid work its was through and I just keep topping up until the system is full?

The fluid in the reservoir doesn't drop and there is noise coming from the pump, same as the one I replaced.

Blockage? If so what would be blocking it?

 

Try jacking the front end up and turning the steering lock to lock a couple of times to get the fluid round the system. Then start the engine and do the same at tickover. Hope this helps

 

No use I'm afraid.

I've had the car (Mondeo 2002 Tdci) running and unscrewed the pipe coming off the top going to the steering rack just to make sure the pump is working and the fluid squirted out so I'm pretty sure I can rule that out.

The vibrating/rubbing kind of noise coming from the pump area seemed to disappear so took it for a short drive, the sound came back and when I stopped to check the reservoir the level has risen and started coming out of the cap.

Someone must know what's causing this, I did see someone else on here with same problem but they didn't get any answers.

 

Just replaced the fluid in mine by removing return pipe to reservoir filled reservoir got a mate to turn engine over on the key till new fluid starting coming through return pipe. Hope this is of some help to you.

Paul

 

Right, I've Googled the problem instead and it seems a very common thing with power steering, with these symptoms it means there is air getting into the system causing the overflow and bubbling in the reservoir!

The question is where is the most likely place for this leak to be?

 

You will find that it will be air in the system from refilling it. Not a air ingress in to the system. Try with the engine running with the cap off and turning lock to lock and this is the way to get the air out of the system. I have changed loads of PAS pumps and this is the way I was taught as an apprentice.

 

front wheels in the air

engine running

turn the wheel from lock to lock until the air stops coming out of the pump/pipes

make sure you have plenty of cloth's to soak it up as well as it can be a bit messy

 

Appreciate the advice but the air is not due to the refilling of the system, the reason i replaced the pump was because of these symptoms which started as i was driving along one day so there is a leak somewhere.

I would think the leak would have to be before the pump as that is the side that being sucked through rather than after the pump as fluid would be rushed out. Would i be right in thinking this?

 

Can anyone confirm my logic?

 

Check the reservoir to pump hose. It might have a small hole or split enough to suck in air.

 

the pump won't do anything until you are turning the steering wheel, so if it's simply foaming over when you turn the engine on it may be something else

are you sure you've got the hoses on the right way at the other end?

 

That's what i mean, surely it's that side of the pump to be sucking in air, i would think the other side (going to the steering rack) would push out fluid thus meaning the reservoir would empty.

 

It is bubbling when the steering is turned.

What do you mean hoses at the other end? I've only changed the pump.

 

If i had a leak between the pump and steering rack would air get INTO the system?

 

on the sierra rack you could put the pipes on either way in some cases and it wouldn't make a difference, but in some it did which led to problems

the way you have described it, you have air in the system which we all seem to agree on

all we have to do now is figure out where the air is coming from, either air stuck in the system from when you changed it, air coming from a leak in the pipe, highly unlicky as it would leak from said hole, or air from a split in the rack, which would mean the bellows on one end will be full of fluid and it may only do it when you turn the wheel one way

 

The air was getting into the system originally, not knowing this I thought it was a faulty pump and changed it, it was only after I found out on google (noone on here seemed to know) that my symptoms are that there is air getting into the system.

To me it seems that it must be before the pump, I want to confirm this before messing around and jacking the car up and wasting my time elsewhere but noone can tell me whether this is the case or not.

 

Only just noticed there is another pipe coming off the bottom of the reservoir that disappears into the front bumper somewhere, impossible to follow it.