Power Steering Problems

[Boosted516]

I just installed my ddp and exhaust the day before, and was showing my friend how much better the car pulls. I pulled first gear then let off and boom my power steering was gone. I know i have a small leak cause every month or so i have to fill the reservoir. I checked out the reservoir and its full, it goes up and down when i turn the wheel, and bubbles when i turn the wheel. I read that means theres air in the system. Can this cause it to fail completely? If the fluids going up and down does that mean its not clogged? Any info will be helpful.

 

[toyotanos]

If you run the pump dry/low for too long it will eventually wear out. You can also throw metal particles into the PS fluid system which can wreak havok on everything- bind pressure relief valves, tear up seals, plug lines, etc.
Now, if you're turning the wheel with the engine off, the fluid level should move up and down, but if it's moving a whole lot with the engine running, I would think that you have poor flow or pressure from the pump.
Try to turn the wheel all the way to lock and see if the engine speed drops. You may also hear a slight pssshhhhh noise from the pump. If so, that's the pressure relief valve doing its job, and that would mean that the pump is at least trying to build pressure. Since I see you have a 91 Turbo 5-speed (same as me) you may also have Progressive power steering, and the soleniod on the rack could also be causing you trouble. Power steering is fun, isn't it?

 

[supramk3man]

It is very possible that the pps soleniod could be stuck.

 

[927MGTE]

yeah check the pps solenoid
my steering would go out everytime I ran it hard put 3 pumps on it every time i replaced the pump everything was fine untill i ran it hard then it stoped working completely
if it is the seloniod you are better off getting an aftermarket reman rack with it they can be found for about $400 the seloniod itself is $700 from toyota

 

[Boosted516]

If you run the pump dry/low for too long it will eventually wear out. You can also throw metal particles into the PS fluid system which can wreak havok on everything- bind pressure relief valves, tear up seals, plug lines, etc.
Now, if you're turning the wheel with the engine off, the fluid level should move up and down, but if it's moving a whole lot with the engine running, I would think that you have poor flow or pressure from the pump.
Try to turn the wheel all the way to lock and see if the engine speed drops. You may also hear a slight pssshhhhh noise from the pump. If so, that's the pressure relief valve doing its job, and that would mean that the pump is at least trying to build pressure. Since I see you have a 91 Turbo 5-speed (same as me) you may also have Progressive power steering, and the soleniod on the rack could also be causing you trouble. Power steering is fun, isn't it?

I started it up this morning and the fluids not moving at all anymore, and i tried to turn it all the way and it didnt make the noise. Dead pump?

 

[Boosted516]

also how would i check the pps solenoid/ where is it? lol

 

[toyotanos]

The PPS solenoid is on top of the control valve on the rack. Basically, look for where the steering shaft comes in to the engine bay and follow it to the rack, there you'll see a wire coming out of a cylinder. That's the PPS solenoid. To test it, use a volt-ohm meter and measure the resistance across the two wires should be around 6-11ohms. You can also connect them to battery voltage and see if it clicks, but don't leave it connected to power.
But, since you don't have any flow when the engine is running, I would guess that your PS pump has taken a dump or has damaged/stuck components. It could be blockage, but you would usually hear a whine when it is running if that was the case. I would start with a new pump since they're relatively cheap and easy to replace vs the rack or solenoid. Be sure to thorougly flush out all the old fluid to prevent any future damage, too.
If you're tech saavy, you can try to disassemble the pump and inspect for damage or a stuck relief valve, but you would need a rebuild kit to put it back together properly.

 

[Boosted516]

The PPS solenoid is on top of the control valve on the rack. Basically, look for where the steering shaft comes in to the engine bay and follow it to the rack, there you'll see a wire coming out of a cylinder. That's the PPS solenoid. To test it, use a volt-ohm meter and measure the resistance across the two wires should be around 6-11ohms. You can also connect them to battery voltage and see if it clicks, but don't leave it connected to power.
But, since you don't have any flow when the engine is running, I would guess that your PS pump has taken a dump or has damaged/stuck components. It could be blockage, but you would usually hear a whine when it is running if that was the case. I would start with a new pump since they're relatively cheap and easy to replace vs the rack or solenoid. Be sure to thorougly flush out all the old fluid to prevent any future damage, too.
If you're tech saavy, you can try to disassemble the pump and inspect for damage or a stuck relief valve, but you would need a rebuild kit to put it back together properly.

it whines like crazy, how would i check for a blockage? i have a pump from a 7m-ge, im thinking there the same.

 

[toyotanos]

A whining pump can mean 2 things: 1- fluid flow is blocked and the pump is bypassing at maximum pressure, or 2- it could mean that the pump is worn internally and needs replacement. It's not easy to tell the differance between the two, and the only real test you can do is a pressure test of the PS system. Usually a shop will have to do that, since the gauge has to be good up to 2-4000 psi. Sometimes you can get an idea by cracking the pressure line banjo bolt at the rack or the pump loose, but that gets really messy really fast.
Checking for blockage involves pulling each component and checking to see if air or PS fluid moves through it(whichever is easier to test with). I would start by pulling the high pressure hose off of the rack and see if fluid comes out of the hose end (engine not running). If it does, try spinning the engine over a couple times with the starter (do not let it start), and see if the fluid flow increased. If it's flowing well, then you're looking at the spool valve or the solenoid on the rack, but that is not easy to work on or fix, and that's when most people reach for a reman rack. If it isn't flowing at all, you may have a blocked hose or a bad pump.
What I would do: check for flow through the high-pressure line by pulling it off of the rack. If it flows well, put the banjo bolt back in, but not tight. Get a oil tray/bucket/dish under the car and start the engine -for 1-2 seconds- while watching for fluid at that fitting *safety glasses!!!*- if the pump is good, it'll spray out like crazy. If that all turns out good, you are looking at a probable bad rack, and it'll need replacement. Used, part-out, reman, new, or whatever you want, but make sure it has PPS.

 

[Boosted516]

ok im gonna try that asap....i think i found where my ps fluid is leaking, im pretty sure its from the cap because there was fluid around the top of the reservoir and also some on my accordion

 

[927MGTE]

if it appears to be leaking from the cap than there is a blockage somewhere causing the resivor to overflow
sounds just like what i went through with the pps valve

 

[Boosted516]

if it appears to be leaking from the cap than there is a blockage somewhere causing the resivor to overflow
sounds just like what i went through with the pps valve

could be, i thought it might be when i beat on my car. its leaked for a while and ive never had any trouble with it until now.