Ok.. Power steering pump failure/massive leak
Back from field exercise, and I meant to post this before I left, but time just wasn't on my side with getting ready for that.

I was coming back from mudding(4wheeler, not the truck this time) 2 weekends ago and stopping into the store to get something to drink, I noticed it was pretty hard to turn the steering wheel. I know well enough it's power steering failure, none of my tractors back home had it, so I knew well enough it wasn't something else that failed.. I'm just lucky it decided to fail a 1/8mi from my barracks, and not going 60 down the hwy.

So I checked to see if the belt was moving, it was. PS pulley was moving too.. So I figured something just over heated, or seized up.. I was pretty tired it had been a long day out on the trails and I just wanted to get changed and something to eat.. I went into the store, and came back out about 10min later.

I was about to get into my truck, and decided to check underneath the truck for leaks... By this time it's just rapid drips, but there was a massive accumulation of cherry juice just accumulated on the pavement, about 12in all around.

So the part store is miles away down the hill, and I decided that it would be safer to just park the truck in my parking lot, and wait till I got back from the field exercise to fix it. Now I'm back, and I'd like this fixed since the cold weather is just about over, and I'd like to travel to Colorado soon.

It's not like I didn't see this one coming, but at 231k things have a tendency to finally quit. Anyway, that's the back story to that one.


Question is, O'Reilly's has 2 pumps, one that takes 2 hoses, and one with one hose.. Both are in stock, and both have a core charge, so I'm at a loss there. I'm pretty sure it's the one with 2 hoses, but I'm thinking they didn't look it up by VIN letter(over the phone), yes I told them it was a 7.3 DIT, and they know my truck, I'm always there asking about parts, and buying tools an all.. but I'd like another opinion before I agree to it.

If anyone has replaced the PS pump, which one was it? And what was the time frame it took for the job? I'll have a buddy helping me out with the work, he a mechanic, so it should be a pretty smooth job.

Other than that, everything else is good, still working on it bit by bit.


Thanks in advance!

 

the 2 hose one is for hydroboosted trucks and you are looking for the single nipple one as for time frame i would give it an hour at the most u also will need a puller and installer it can be rented from autozone

 

Ok, thanks Rodneywar! Guess I was wrong, and I just got done looking for 2 hoses too! Well if I'm pulling it, I might as well get a new pulley to go with it too. What is special about the installer? It(the job) can't be done with traditional tools? Or it just makes it easier and quickens the install time?

 

the installer presses on the pulley to the pump traditional tools wont work you will still have to pull the pulley off with the puller to get the pump outta the bracket no need to get a new pulley the first one is the installer second one is the puller
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Fair enough. I have never rented tools from Autozone before, is that a refundable charge? If so, what is the initial cost of renting this?

 

the o rielly part number you need is Part # 20-7272

 

i cant remember as the last time i rented something was prob 6 years ago

 

also are you sure the hose isnt leaking beacuse the pumps are pretty sturdy pumps the hose where it goes into the pump is what usually leaks due to a internal oring inside the swivel fitting

 

Ok, I'll call them up tomorrow, and double check that they have that stock number.. And call AZ about the puller/installer kit. Either way, they are right across the street from each other.

My buddy just brought that up to me today too.. It's possible, but I would rather just be safe than sorry. New hoses and pump. I'd rather do it all now, instead of waiting for it to fail at a less convenient time(if it hasn't already). The radiator and water pump are going to be off to be replaced this weekend anyway. Can't think of a better time to do it!

 

Ding ding ding... winner winner chicken dinner!

I recently went through a power steering war with my truck. Lost power steering out of the blue one day... got home and it had blown all the fluid out the cap. Odd... must be a pump issue I'm thinking because that type of thing is pretty unusual. I tried pulling the pulley (yes I have a puller) to swap the pump in the truck but finally gave up and just unbolted the AC compressor and pulled the bracket with the P/S pump intact (highly recommend doing it this way... soooooo much easier!)
Swap in my known good spare, reconnect lines, fill fluid... life is good. I drive around 300 miles with no issues at all then bam... no power steering again. Same deal, fluid blown out the cap. Refill, drive maybe 2 miles and lose power steering again... out the cap again.
Get home, wipe everything down, refill with fluid, start it up and watch... I had a very slow leak at the pressure line because the nylon sealing ring somehow ended up in the wrong spot. Swapped with my known good spare and no more issues. My thought is that the pump was leaking bad enough to build an air pocket inside, then when it would try to pump that air pocket through the system it created too much pressure, blowing all the fluid all over the place.

Long story short... check the pressure hose before you get gung-ho swapping pumps.

 

I just had a similar problem - though mine was pretty obvious that it was the hose.

I had a small leak for a year or so, though that I attributed to the pump. I could keep up with it by refilling the reservoir every few months though and it nicely rust-proofed the frame rail below, so I never cared too much.

then one day when pulling out of a muddy field, BAM, no power steering at all. I was only a half mile from home, so I got it home fighting the wheel the whole time.

look under the truck and there's a big puddle of 'cherry juice,' as you say. open the hood and the pressure hose is blown right off the side of the pump - the hex fitting was still on the pump but the metal hose end had come out of the fitting. I buy a new one for $15 bucks, put it on in 10 mins and my power steering is better than its ever been. that was about 2 months ago, and no problems since and the leak that I thought was the pump itself is now gone - it was the hose the whole time...

 

Upon taking off the pressure line, turns out it had become unseated, and just blew out.. 35$ fix, not 130$ pump!



Thanks for everything guys!

 

John, did you put in the little nylon ring? I forgot once and had a leak. I found that ring in the bottom of the box, phew!

 

glad to hear that was the problem.

regarding the nylon ring, Glenn. mine didn't have one - or if it did, its still inside the box in the trash. but I've had no leaks and I don't believe I missed anything in the box.

there were like 6 different varieties of part that would supposedly fit my truck at the parts store, though. I took the one that said OEM-style as it looked the most like my busted one. some of the others looked nothing like it, but supposedly would have worked. wonder if the fitting styles are slightly different as well?

 

Glen, I believe there were several choices to choose from, the only one in stock was in a bag, and the only thing in there was a green cap to close off the hose.

If i remember right, I can recall a nylon washer on one of the ends, I can't remember which one, we were really hustling! We did everything in about 4hrs. But I've been driving around for a week now, and the only thing I've noticed leaking is some fuel when the truck is running.

It's coming from under the fuel bowl. I'm thinking it's either a fuel line not clamped on right or possibly a gasket failure on the fuel filter. I'm looking toward electric lifter and fuel injection pump. It's not a massive pour, just steady drips, no idea if it does it when I'm driving, I only noticed it at idle. Is the fuel bowl hard to take off to check that?