Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

I'm trying to figure out where I went wrong! Per the How To Documents, the two O rings and a gasket were replaced in the PS pump. It was running fine but since I had everything out of the engine for the front engine re-seal project, I figure might as well do this.

The O ring under the PS Res is about three years old so I reused it and now I wonder if that's the cause of air sneaking into the system. The O ring "seemed" to be in good shape - not flat, still round and supple. The O ring on the high pressure output line was replaced and I wonder if that's too small :confused: Now that I think about it, if it was too small, I should see PS fluid leaking and I don't see anything.

My symptoms are excessive noise, louder whining with engine rpm increase. I do see very tiny bubbles that's in the fluid. Steering seems to be doing ok, nothing funky going on there while the car is being driven. Car feels normal at speeds.

While I had the pump apart, I made sure that all the vanes in the cartridge (center rotating part) were in place. One thing I did question was the orientation of the cartridge itself - it seems like it can go in either way and I wish I took a picture of it before taking it apart :mad:

Bleeding was achieved by idling engine and turning steering wheel lock to lock slowly. The level of the fluid stabilized and no longer overflowing out of the res. So, I'm not sure where to go next.

Thanks for any input.

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

you answered your own question,you didnt change the resivore o ring and thats where they suck in air ,it happen to me once now i never resue it

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

well, I hope you're right! I'll change it out tomorrow and see what happens but not holding my breath.

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

Youre still going to have air bubbles, even with a new O-ring. This is normal when you open the system below the reservoir. The bubbles will go away with time/use... and the noise should be reduced as well.

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

Go ahead and hold your breath... You will be good!

Keith:cool:

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to take the pump apart just to make sure that all the vanes are facing the right way, per FSM. Something about it is niggling me so I won't rest until that's settled.

It's interesting that the FSM says to wait half hour after every attempt at eliminating bubbles in the fluid. As stated above, just wait and see what happens. I just started up the car and the problem is solved, no more PS shrieking! :lol:

Thanks again.

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

When I was managing an auto shop in N. Tahoe.... one of our less brilliant techs would routinely shake up bottles of power steering fluid when refilling during flushes. When I asked him why he did this, he tells me the bubbles help scour the system of gunk :rolleyes:. I asked him if he knew what bubbles did in a pressurized hydraulic system, he shrugs. Needless to say, numbnuts was let go a few weeks later for blowing the rear diff on a newer ford f-series (forgot to refill after draining, guy was towing at the time).

Lesson: theres some really dim ASE certified techs out there, and the person that will best take care of your car is you;).

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

here's what I did to change the fluid.....


jack up front and set rigid racks.

disconnect rubber low pressure hose by radiator

turn wheel solwy lock to lock until no more fluid comes out

wait, perhaps come back tomorrow

turn wheel solwy lock to lock until no more fluid comes out

add some fluid to reservoir

turn wheel solwy lock to lock until no more fluid comes out

connect rubber low pressure hose by radiator

add some fluid to reservoir

turn wheel solwy lock to lock until no more air comes out

add some fluid to reservoir

turn wheel solwy lock to lock until no more air comes out

turn wheel quicker

realize mistake

clean up mess

add some fluid to reservoir


changed same time as trans. fluid


if'n desperate, suck out air

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

For my information, where were you able to get a power steering rebuild kit/parts?

Hope it all works out (the bubbles, I mean!) for you.

Cheers!

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

I did a search on Power Steering Pump rebuild and couple of threads popped up. One of them had an extensive list of parts and pieces needed for a total rebuild but I only replaced three items.

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

hi subaru didnt make a kit ,parts ordered seperatly, the brg is a 6202 or 3 i forget ,but cheaper at a auto store
oil seal 31263aa000
gasket 34425aa040
large o ring 31263ga900
small o ring 31263ga890
resv o ring 062610110
all oem parts are availible

Re: Rebuilt PS pump, now can't get the air out!!
 

excellent info, thanks! The actual bearing p/n is in the How To section, under Steering.