[Bilbog]

Soo it snowed a decent amount here yesterday, and on my way home I got stuck. I gassed it and turned my wheels side to side and got un-stuck. The moment I get free I realize I have no power steering anymore...I checked the fluid level, and it looks fine, is just a little low. The serpentine didn't break, the pulley spins and pump has fluid in it, however it's a little low. The high pressure hose coming out of the pump is ok, and from what I could see there wasn't any fluid on the rack, and the line looks ok. When I take the pump cap off, there is a mild hiss. I'm assuming I have a working pump then? How can I determine if it is my pump, or my rack? I would much rather do the pump than the rack in the snow the weekend before a long drive to see family on Christmas lol.

Anyway, thanks for the help! lots of rambling, I know.

 

[auntjemima]

How strange. Is it entirely gone or does the wheel jerk around? Like having air pockets? When you look at the fluid in the pump does it look like there are bubbles or visible signs of air?

A lot of questions I know, but I would hate to diagnose something and not be right.

 

[Bilbog]

I should also mention this is a 2000 3.4 base model. Well, I went out and played with it while I had a babysitter for my sick little boy. The fluid looked perfectly fine, just a little darker than normal. My steering went from me turning the wheel just fine when I was stuck to dead. I had to he-man it to park in the driveway and did It the second time I drove it as well. I did the bleeding procedures I found on the website and a TON of air bubbles came up, and my fluid level rose a lot as well. Still nothing. I noticed the pump makes a lot of noise...a clunking noise at a consistent pace. It vibrates as well...I am pretty sure the pump is bad. It wasn't that bad the first day it happened. Maybe it got worse the second time I drove it? It seems weird me gassing it one time for 10-15 seconds would cause the pump to fail. Am I crazy?

 

[auntjemima]

From what you've posted I would say its a pump. It could have just been a fluke that it went at that time or the quick increase in rpm's caused it to fail. Either way, the pump wasn't far from failure if it went from the situation you described.

 

[Neanderthal]

Leave it alone! In a month you'll look like Schwartzeneggar in his prime. :yikes:

 

[outonthetiles]

Sounds like a pump. If it is, I'd get it out of there soon because it's gonna shoot pieces of itself through your lines into the power steering rack and ruin all the seals.. Been there..

 

[Bilbog]

It was the pump. I got the pump out last night, the pulley and the shaft fell clean out of the pump. Got a new one and putting it in tonight, thanks for the help guys!