Power steeing pump blues

[m1lky]

Hi Everyone,

I have a VY SS

I rebuilt my powersteering pump and reinstalled it. Everything was working great, went lock to lock a few times getting the air out of the system and suddenly all the fluid went out of it. Removed it again and it has bent the back plate and fluid poured out, all over my brand new alternator!!! I don’t know what’s happened to cause this. It was on full lock when it popped.

Does anyone know whether there is pressure relief in the pump itself or at the rack?

The only two options I can think of are either I reassembled it wrong, I don’t think I did, followed the instructions in my workshop manual to do it. There is a spring under the outlet valve that I assume is to relieve pressure, potentially some grit got into this and its blocked? Or one of the lines is blocked. But that steel plate was quite thick and i would assume that a blockage would blow out before that gave. Surely the spring loaded valve should have prevented this anyway (in the case of a blocked line).

I have found a new pump for quite cheap, which I will buy but I don’t want this to happen again. I was thinking of (with the engine off) turning the wheels backwards and forwards. Will the fluid return up the return hose as the wheels move as more fluid is drawn down? (I’m thinking a double acting pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder). If so this would help me to be confident that there is no blockage before I start it. Would this work?

Cheers
Taylor

[m1lky]

Wrong section sorry. Can a mod please move it. Although pump is the same

[m1lky]

Bump

If this deal falls through a monaro (well Pontiac gto) one is the same ay. Rockauto have a rebuilt one for 50us and shippings only 50us