[STEELCITYFIREBIRD]

Does it pull the idle speed down when turned hard on the steering stops?
If not time to T a gauge in the pressure line.
You MAY have put some trash/ damaged the spool valve,
or more than likely the pump has another (assembly?) problem and is not making ENOUGH pressure.

[mgarblik]

Couple of questions. When you rebuilt the pump, how did you put the vanes back in the rotor? Depending on how old the pump is, there were 2 designs. 1st design has a rounded bull nose end and a flat end on each vane. The vanes need to be installed with the bull nose facing outward from the center toward the pump ring. 2nd design, the vanes are the same on each end so it doesn't matter. Also, did you use assembly lube or trans gel or grease to hold the vanes in place during assembly? If you did, did you use a pocket screwdriver or pick to push the vanes out toward the pump ring before you buttoned it up? I ask these things because if the vanes are stuck inward, it won't make any pressure. You can look in the reservoir and fluid will be moving because the rotor is turning, but no pressure. I have had this happen a few times even when put together correctly. One thing you can try is to get the engine warm and snap accelerate the throttle HARD a couple times. That will sometimes throw the vanes out against the ring and it will just start working like magic again. Worth a shot.

One last thing to be clear on the valve. It goes together, spring in pump 1st, then flow control valve with the hex nut pressure relief facing inward and the flat surface facing out toward the big nut. Then the big nut and O-ring. Hope it works.

[JMB36TA]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Couple of questions. When you rebuilt the pump, how did you put the vanes back in the rotor? Depending on how old the pump is, there were 2 designs. 1st design has a rounded bull nose end and a flat end on each vane. The vanes need to be installed with the bull nose facing outward from the center toward the pump ring. 2nd design, the vanes are the same on each end so it doesn't matter. Also, did you use assembly lube or trans gel or grease to hold the vanes in place during assembly? If you did, did you use a pocket screwdriver or pick to push the vanes out toward the pump ring before you buttoned it up? I ask these things because if the vanes are stuck inward, it won't make any pressure. You can look in the reservoir and fluid will be moving because the rotor is turning, but no pressure. I have had this happen a few times even when put together correctly. One thing you can try is to get the engine warm and snap accelerate the throttle HARD a couple times. That will sometimes throw the vanes out against the ring and it will just start working like magic again. Worth a shot.

One last thing to be clear on the valve. It goes together, spring in pump 1st, then flow control valve with the hex nut pressure relief facing inward and the flat surface facing out toward the big nut. Then the big nut and O-ring. Hope it works.

The vanes were put in with the round side out and I lubed everything with power steering fluid. I didn't push the vanes out but they kept falling out when I was assembling it. I took that as a sign that they were moving freely. I've been "popping" the throttle quite a bit lately because I've been trying to get it to idol right so that kind of takes care of that.

I took the valve out yesterday and found it was backwards with the flat end in. I turned it around so it's facing the hex nut. The spring went in first.

The only thing I can think of is that there might be a blockage. I'm going to pull the return line from the pump and spin the motor with a quick crank to see if fluid is actually coming out through. I'm going to basically flush the system.

[JMB36TA]

Originally Posted by STEELCITYFIREBIRD

Does it pull the idle speed down when turned hard on the steering stops?
If not time to T a gauge in the pressure line.
You MAY have put some trash/ damaged the spool valve,
or more than likely the pump has another (assembly?) problem and is not making ENOUGH pressure.

The idol doesn't come down when the wheel is turned all the way.
I'll have to take it in to test the pressure line. Or I'm thinking of flushing the whole system and seeing if fluid comes out the return hose.