Overheating power steering pump???

[shane416ex]

I have a small block chevy power steering pump that in brand new, (bought it yesterday) mated up to a toyota ifs box. I was testing the cooling system by starting the truck and letting it sit and idle for a very long time. I looking into the engine bay and the pump was steaming and I touched the steering box and the pump and they were both extremely hot, is this pretty normal, and if not what could be the cause???

 

[Alan]

Hi All:

Did you bleed the PS system of air?

Regards,

Alan

 

[TreeClimber]

I've talked at length with Tom of PSC steering. His opinion of rebuilt pumps is that many of them are poorly rebuilt. He said 'you're better off getting one out of a wrecking yard, than most parts stores'.

Ergo, it wouldn't surprise me if your new pump was a bad pump.

 

[shane416ex]

I did bleed the pump and I also got one from pull apart and it was no good, thats why I said F it and bought a new one.

 

[Glenn]

It's not normal. How is sitting at idle putting a load on the PS pump? There should be very little load on the PS system sitting unless your wheels are at full turn.

 

[shane416ex]

So what could cause this???

 

[TreeClimber]

Out of curiosity, you didn't get the lines crossed, did you?

Pressure hose reversed with the return line?
Trying to pump fluid thru the box reversed?

 

[TreeClimber]

So what could cause this???

A bad (new) pump

 

[shane416ex]

I don't believe it's backwards, it still works, I have power steering but it gets hot. If it was hooked up backwards would it still have power to the steering?

 

[TreeClimber]

I don't believe it's backwards, it still works, I have power steering but it gets hot. If it was hooked up backwards would it still have power to the steering?

I dunno.

Rationalize it. HOT pump and HOT box mean that the fluid is HOT. That box certainly isn't turning enough to create friction in the fluid sufficient to heat the fluid. Ergo either the pump is creating the friction by either bad bearings due to a poor remanufacturing, or due to the pump generating pressure. Both of those scenarios don't make sense. The pump at idle, with the box under no load, should not create any pressure, ergo no heat. The pump being new, should not have bad bearings.

So the only thing else I can think of is an obstruction in the flow, such as would be created by reversing the lines. Obstructions mean the pump will have to work REALLY hard to flow the fluid. Really hard work equals heat. Lots of it.

But this is all hypothetical

 

[shane416ex]

My low pressure return line is pretty tight in the bends, maybe that has somthing to do with it??? I will get a longer hose and replace it tomorrow and see if that makes a difference. Any other input from anybody else???

 

[angelfly]

So I dont know much about chevy steering pumps, but I know when I put a higher flow rated one from trailgear and ran the motor with no other mods it did the same thing! Got really hot, pretty quick and for no real reason.

Trailgear told me I needed a bigger fluid resivior and a power steering cooler! They said since the rate of flow more then doulbed over stock it was using the same amount of fluid from before the upgrade now only to be circulated more then ever!! A power steering cooler is just like a tranny cooler, bolts on to the radiator or around it and I believe mine is routed, resivior- pump- cooler- to the box- then back to the resivior!!

Maybe try adding more line to add more volume to the system and maybe try and pick up a $20 carquest special steering cooler:awesomework:

Hope this helps!! Good luck with it man and keep us updated:beer:

 

[shane416ex]

Got a universal cooler and hooked it up today. Got warm but I think it stayed at a resonable temp. So I guess,..... problem solved!:awesomework:

 

[PUO-BANNED]

Needs Air Flow.

 

[shane416ex]

Dont get much air flow wheeling at .5 mph but I think this will work fine. It was disapating the heat pretty well.

 

[Ty.]

My low pressure return line is pretty tight in the bends, maybe that has somthing to do with it???

Yep I was having some troubles with my setup too. Power steering, and hydroboost brakes. I found, and eliminated some tight bends in the return just ahead of the mini-cooler. Then I jacked up the front, and turned it lock to lock a few times without the engine running to purge any air bubbles, and it seems to be better.