It sounds like you have an air pocket in your power steering pump from the rebuild have you tried running lock to lock with the engine running if so try taking the pressure line off the top and pouring fluid into the pump.

Jacolu3 said:

So I rebuilt my pump because it was leaking. I found the directions on here how to do it and all seemed to go well.
But now I have no power steering.
I jacked the car up. Filled the power steering pump up with redline power steering fluid and turned the wheel slowly (with the car off) from lock to lock several times. Maybe about 50. The fluid only went down when I got to left or right lock but once I centered the wheel the fluid went back up. I didn't see any bubbles forming while I was doing it.
Then I cranked the motor with the fuel pump disconnected a few times and the fluid level didn't change nor did it bubble.
I don't see anything leaking and the belt is definitely spinning.
When running the pump doesn't squeal or sound any different than it should.
Anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks
Brian

Click to expand...

You need to turn it lock to lock with car running.

Here's a screenshot from section 19 of the factory shop manual, about bleeding. Don't know if this will solve your problem, but near the bottom it does talk about what it means if the fluid level rises suddenly when you turn the engine off.
I don't know anything about the Red Line fluid, but you should use a fluid recommended to replace Dexron II and III. I used Chevron MD-3 which is one of those.
When I replaced my pump with a NAPA reman, I didn't drain the entire system. The only fluid I lost was from the reservoir, the lines near the pump, and the pump itself. As I remember I only added about 10 ounces of fluid to get everything back to normal when it was done. I could look that up if you want to know.
That banjo stud at the top of the pump, with 2 o-rings, be sure to use either 2mm or 1.9mm metric o-rings there. The factory manual calls for 1.9mm. I used 2mm. But anyway don't use 1/16" AS (American Standard) o-rings there. Mine had 1/16" o-rings there at one time and the darn thing leaked slightly, enough to cause an alternator fire one hot day.
I used 2mm x 11mm and 2mm x 13 mm o-rings on that banjo fitting. From the O-ring Store: http://www.theoringstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=368_12_11&products_id=1976

pauleyman said:

You need to turn it lock to lock with car running.

Click to expand...

I'll try this now
Thank you!

4g63popo said:

It sounds like you have an air pocket in your power steering pump from the rebuild have you tried running lock to lock with the engine running if so try taking the pressure line off the top and pouring fluid into the pump.

Click to expand...

Good idea. Guess this couldn't hurt

Edit: So I just jacked the car up and with the car off went lock to lock 20 times. Then started the car and went lock to lock at least 20 times. I saw some bubbles appear in the resior but the fluid level never dropped. Before I rebuilt the pump I'd say the majority of the fluid drained out. Way more than I put back in so far. It just seems to me that the pump isn't taking any fluid in. The steering has not changed at all. It's still very stiff with no fluid change.

I had a similar issue with a WS6 I owned. It took forever for me to get the air pocket out of the system. It has so much air in the system at one point that it blew past the check relief ball valve and dumped fluid.

So is it bad for the pump or rack to drive it like this?

Jacolu3 said:

So is it bad for the pump or rack to drive it like this?

Click to expand...

Yes, it it not good. Like I said, my old WS6 had a big pocket of air in it and it caused me quite a few issues until I could get it out.

If you can't get it out on your own take it to someone at a shop you trust. Depending on how much pressure is in your system your could damage seals in the rack. That would be a concern of mine.

you can disconnect the return line to the reservoir, put in a bucket, cap res nipple and top off, start the car and add fluid to the res to pump all the old fluid out of the system and remove all of the air. if you remove that return line and nothing happens it means the rebuild was done wrong, got faulty new parts, or there is an air pocket in the pump not allowing flow

Patchez_ said:

you can disconnect the return line to the reservoir, put in a bucket, cap res nipple and top off, start the car and add fluid to the res to pump all the old fluid out of the system and remove all of the air. if you remove that return line and nothing happens it means the rebuild was done wrong, got faulty new parts, or there is an air pocket in the pump not allowing flow

Click to expand...

This is would be the first thing I would try. I am surprised your pump isn't whining loudly if it isn't getting fluid.

Chaotic Deconstruct said:

This is would be the first thing I would try. I am surprised your pump isn't whining loudly if it isn't getting fluid.

Click to expand...

This surprised me too. I'll have to try to disconnect the return and see what happens

Were you able to get it sorted out?

Chaotic Deconstruct said:

Were you able to get it sorted out?

Click to expand...

Swapped out the Ps pump with a new one and bled the pump and now it's all fixed.
I also changed to dex 5 instead of redline power steering fluid. That probably didn't matter but I'm just glad it works again

Jacolu3 said:

Swapped out the Ps pump with a new one and bled the pump and now it's all fixed.
I also changed to dex 5 instead of redline power steering fluid. That probably didn't matter but I'm just glad it works again

Click to expand...

Glad you were able to get it working again!

btw next time I think you have to pull the fuse so the engine is cranking not running when you go lock to lock --- cuz running is just too much flow for bubbles

why dex5 instead of redline?

2ndgenken said:

btw next time I think you have to pull the fuse so the engine is cranking not running when you go lock to lock --- cuz running is just too much flow for bubbles

why dex5 instead of redline?

Click to expand...

I decided to go to dex 5 because I wasn't sure if it was the redline fluid that was causing my problem(probably not) and I didn't have much redline left and I knew I could easily find dex 5 anywhere.