I just recently traded for my 94 IDI Turbo. Auto trans, 4x4, ec/lb, F250 pretty much all stock. There is some kind of problem with the steering pump. It does not seem like I even have power steering unless the RPMs are at ~1500. The guy I bought it from said that the PO installed the wrong pump (maybe off a 150 or older idi). After looking the truck over I realized that the line coming out of the pump going into the box was loose so I thought maybe that was the problem because it was causing it to leak. Replaced the line filled the pump and it didnt do ****. Doesnt leak anymore but didnt solve the problem. It seems to me like its got too small of a pump or too big of a pulley, one of the two. But after talking to a buddy with a 7.3 powerstroke he seems to think it could be the steering box. Nothing seems to point to that to me and he has been known to blow smoke (not out of his exhaust) so I figured I would get ya'lls genius opinions before dropping 60 bucks on a pump and/or ~15 bucks on a pulley thats not needed. The pulley has 2 extra ribs on it outside of the belt if that tells you anything. Thanks for all the help Im sure you'll be and Im looking forward to being a part of the board!

 

What size is the pulley? Measure it and report back, maybe its the wrong one.
The pump on these is pretty generic. I think the main difference between most steering pumps is how they mount. I know the steering box is shared between F150-250-350 and Rangers for some years, I'd hazard a guess the pumps are too, except for differences in engine mounting.

How long was the pump run low on fluid? it could be shot.

 

Im thinkin its the pulley too. I know its the same pulley thats on a 7.3 powerstroke by looking at it but they use a wider bet with more tracks. Dunno why someone would change out the pulley to a different size like that unless it was by accident and they just didnt notice or didnt think it mattered. The pump was never run outta fluid that I know of but there is a bottle of PS fluid in the glove box that was there when I bought it so maybe it has. It was a very small leak coming out of the line so it never ran low on me. I just figured it was loosing pressure, thats why I changed out the line. But that was when I was under the impression that it used hydroboost which now I know it doesnt. Ill measure it tomorrow and post back up but its raining right now and I gotta work at 6.

 

As far as I know, you shouldn't have any "extra ribs" on a pulley. I have not seen a serpentine system with pulleys that did not match up to the amount of ribs on the belt. It sounds like pulley size to me.

 

Yep, thats what me and all my non powerstroke knuckle head buddies are thinkin. It would have been too easy to get the wrong pulley for this year being that they made 3 different motors and most people go to autozone/advance with just year model and vehicle type. I think Im going to run down to the store tomorrow and compare mine to a stock 7.3 IDI turbo pulley. Dont you have to press on pulleys? This is going to be a bitch...

 

Not too challenging just make sure you press it on so its lined up. For future reference in getting parts, just tell them its a 93, makes everything easier.

 

haha good one snapon...the 94 IDI turbo ppl confuse all the time for the 94 powerstroke. It sounds like the pull size to me...My 84 has power steering issues but only when im at a dead stop and i need to crank the wheel like if im backing a trailer up(PITA when you need to jackknife a gooseneck and you cant turn the wheel w/o movin a little bit XD)

 

Yep, thats pretty much how mine does, cant turn at a dead stop unless you rev it up to about 1500 RPMs.

 

Yeah thats normal for these old rigs, my dad's 86, my buddy jared's 91, and my 84....we never bothered fixing it cause it seems normal to us lol.

 

Well its kind of dangerous and just a hassle. I can't imagine it with 35's

 

It dont seem dangerous to me haha...then again it only ever does it once in a while. I would put my money on your pulley if yours does it no matter what. Military vehicles do it too...i cant turn my MRAP from a stationary position....im just used to it i guess lol.

 

Well mine does it anytime the RPMs are below 1500 making any tight slow turn dangerous, I usually have to wait and hold up traffic until the street is clear and I can take up both lanes. Not to mention Im sure its wearing on my steering system having to man handle it all the time, I can hear the steering wheel creeking bad when its tough.

Update: Ok, so today I figured out quite a few things, hit up pretty much every part store you can think of and I can see how somebody would have gotten the wrong pulley. All part stores list the same pulley for a 94 IDI as they do with the powerjokes... They are all 5 25/32nds in diameter and 8 ribbed. This is the exact same pulley thats on my IDI. As suggested I started asking for 93's in all the part stores... None have a pulley listed for 93, weird, I know. So I finally went to the dealer. He looked all the jazz up and went through pretty much the same thing I did all day and came to find out that even ford discontinued production of the 7.3 IDI pulleys. But I had a small break through and I think this is what Im going with. I saw a diagram from ford showing how to put together a pully/pump on a 94 IDI. The pulley looks just like the pulley of a V8 gasser 94 (I think its a 351 windsor but not sure) so I think thats the pulley Im going with. But Im going to replace the pump while I have the mount off because that would be the smart thing to do. So new pump and V8 gasser pulley should do the trick. Its crazy owning these old trucks but it definitely makes you love them once they are running like you want. Now I see why they are so expensive even with upwards of 300k on them. I also painited the wheels today, PO had painted them light blue i guess to match to truck but either way, they are now the hammered dark paint from walmart, really good stuff if youve never used it. Id recommend it for wheels and bumpers all day long.

Once again, thanks for all your help Now Im going to check out LMC truck dot com as suggested by my ford rep.

 

Here is a pic of my pulley, anyone got some of what it should looke like?







Thinking it should be something more like this...


Mine is 8 ribs where it should be 6 ribs...

 

The number of ribs shouldn't make that much (if any) difference. The diameter is where you could be having issues. If the pulley is larger than what it should be, it will turn the pump slower. Slower pump means you need a faster engine speed to produce the same pressure.

That being said, replacing the pump is probably the best choice anyways. If the fluid was leaking (even slowly) there is a very good chance it was run dry, or too low and got damaged.

 

I just replaced mine with a cardone unit and my steering system won't shut up, you might want to get a motorcraft pump.