Quick question on P/S system bleeding

[Stwilm]

Was having P/S problems with 91 Turbo and based on info from here removed resovoir and cleaned screen (couldn't believe how much gunk was in there).

Do I really need to jack the car up to bled the system, or can I just turn do the "turn to wheel lock" several times with the car on the ground? thnks I love to drive em...just hate getting greasy!

 

[supra90mkiii]

i had a problem with my p/s last week. turned out the return hose on the driver's side cracked and spewed fluid all over the driver's side wheel well area. i thought it was the rack... i got lucky.

but anyways, back to your issue. all you do is fill the fluid to the recommended level, maybe a little over.... then start the car, and turn the wheel lock to lock, 15 times. turn the car off, check and add fluid. Then start the car, and do the same thing, turn the wheel lock to lock 15 times. check fluid and top off again, after that, it should be all good. Then in the next day or two, check the fluid again just to be sure.

 

[Demianu27]

^^ that's not bleeding the system though.

no you don't need to raise the front of the car.

~disconect the return hose to get rid of the fluid in your res.
~turn your car on and have someone constantly fill the res. while someone turns the steering wheel to full right and full left a few times until the fluid coming out of the return hose looks clean
~turn the car off, fill up the res., turn the car on, turn the steering wheel full right and full left a couple times, turn the car off.
~fill up the res again.

you might have to do the end part a couple times.

 

[boltz]

Don't fprget the part about hooking the return hose up again before that last step. and if the fluid looka foamy and the pump sounds groany it will settle down.

 

[IJ.]

Careful now NOT 14 or 16 times but 15! <jk>

 

[Stwilm]

Thanks or the info. I tried all that and steering seems a bit easier, but pump still sounds bad. Is there just the one screen in the resovoir, or is there also a screen in the return line?

The resovoir is full, and when I turn to wheel lock it drops down, but I have not seen any foam or any bubbles? Although I have an extra pump, was hoping to not have to replace it. Thanks

 

[boltz]

Just change it. It isn't that bad to do. It won't cost you anything if you have a spare.

 

[lagged]

i have two good PS pumps.

 

[jetjock]

Sounds like pump is shot. Most likey because no one ever did any PS system preventive maintenance.

Flush the system before you change it to get any crap out. Clean the tank screen, add a Magnefine filter in the return line (below the AFM), refill with with synthetic and bleed. If you're anal you can add better cooling. Use either use an old Supra engine oil cooler or any of the small PS coolers available. Not a big deal when using sythetic fluid but it'll keep regular fluid from oxidizing.

If you don't want to do any of this after the system is repaired than at least suck out the PS tank with a turkey baster and refill at every engine oil change. Replace the Magnefine every 20 to 30K miles. Contamination and heat are the single greatest killer of hydraulic systems and that's what your PS system is.

 

[Stwilm]

Thanks for all the help. Just finished flushing the system again, and now she's working fine. Strange tho, I never got any foaming bubbles, but just added new fluid slowly while buddy turned to wheel lock. Anyway, no more noise and fluid level seems constant after 10 mile test drive.

 

[jetjock]

Thanks for all the help. Just finished flushing the system again, and now she's working fine. Strange tho, I never got any foaming bubbles, but just added new fluid slowly while buddy turned to wheel lock. Anyway, no more noise and fluid level seems constant after 10 mile test drive.

Well, if you never let the pump suck air you're not going to get foam. I'd still either install a filter or swap out the tank fluid every 5 K miles or so. It'll give you a chance to keep an eye on the suction screen too. And fwiw, you'll have less problems if you stop refering to the car in the female vernacular.

 

[IJ.]

Reconditioned rack/Pump new Filter and a Cooler cleaned out the Reservoir
so far it's perfect.

 

[jetjock]

Reconditioned rack/Pump new Filter and a Cooler cleaned out the Reservoir
so far it's perfect.

Well no wonder, you replaced just about everything in the system. That's cheating

 

[IJ.]

Well I figured it was 20 year old gear so a bit of cheating couldn't hurt !