This truck I bought needs work I don't wanna do, but I hate taking a vehicle to an unknown mechanic without knowing what's wrong with it. Both the power steering and power brakes don't work.

Pump doesn't whine. I see a leak history underneath and found an empty quart in the bed, but at the moment it is full. Cleaned it all up underneath and let it idle without seeing anything leaking. Wasn't putting a load on it by turning the wheels, because you can't turn them. Still, because it's stayed nearly full for 40 miles of driving, I don't think a leak is the only problem.

Unless, someone drove it long after it ran out of fluid? Would that burn up the pump? Wouldn't it make some kinda noise? To watch it run, all is fine.

I read of ujoints on the steering shaft of Ford trucks seizing up. But, if so, why would the power brakes on my truck not work as well?

Ditto the hydrobooster - can a bad hydrobooster make the steering go out?

Could it be as simple as flushing the fluid? None of the lines look crimped, but maybe there is a restriction?

Wouldn't you know it, even the power steering is a complicated thing on these diesel trucks. Geez, I had no idea.

The dealer probably won't diagnose anything. They'll just start swappiing in parts. I figure the powersteering pump will be first, $800-$1000. If that doesn't fix it, they'll either hit me up for the hydobooster or the steering shaft at about $700, and whichever one they don't choose will be the actual problem - they tell me - so I'm good to go after about $2500.

I'd rather not do it that way. However, the next step would be to check the PSP output pressure, and I don't have the experience or tools to do that. Nor would I want to replace the PSP, if that's the solution - that looks like a PITA on this 4x4, laying on my back. Ditto going forward from there with hydrobooster diagnose and replacement.

Instead, I want to take it to a mechanic, but I don't know any here, except the diesel guy at the dealership, and I don't want to get hosed.

So, can I eliminate the hydrobooster or steering shaft as the problem? Or should I do one first and something else second to have the best chance?

I know. I'm a crybaby. Just take like a man, they say. Aaarrrgh.

 

Ask your local chapter for recommendations on a good diesel shop in the area, I know for me I do not have all of the diagnostic tools I need so I will take my truck to a shop down the road have them test it then I'll fix it.

 

Just to follow up on this thread. I replaced the pump myself, and screwed it up (see Bonehead HOF thread)so that it didn't work and couldn't be diagnosed. That's when I took it to the dealer - they recommended replacing pump, hose, and steering gear for $2000 even though they couldn't tell what was wrong with it. When I declined, they didn't charge me anything for looking at it, which was cool. Once I put the pump on correctly, it works fine. Cost: less than $100.