Bleeding Air From Power Steering
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Bleeding Air From Power Steering
What is the best way to bleed air from the power steering lines? I just replaced the power steering pump on a 06 6.0 f250 and now I need to bleed the lines and refill the power steering. I'm just curious as to what is the best and easiest way to do this. Thanks
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To get air out of the system---fill the holding tank--start engine--do this a couple of times, then with the engine running, turn the steering wheel all the way, in each directions, against the stops. this will force the air out. After you're done, shut it down and check the fluid. Don't overfill, Dennis
Post Fiend
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From: DFW, TX-GoldCanyon, AZ
Best to do it with the wheels off the ground. Easier on the tires and the system in general. But yes, cycling the steering though its range of motion is about the only way I know of doing it..
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: DFW, TX-GoldCanyon, AZ
It sounds like it's got an air bubble in the spool valve.
I would shut it off and turn the wheels all the way to the left and sit for 5 mins to let any air in that chamber start to migrate through the spool - then start the engine and let it idle for a few mins, then turn back to center and back to left 2-3 times. It should purge..
I would shut it off and turn the wheels all the way to the left and sit for 5 mins to let any air in that chamber start to migrate through the spool - then start the engine and let it idle for a few mins, then turn back to center and back to left 2-3 times. It should purge..
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Complete loss of power steering is what caused me to change the pump. This is my fathers truck. He drove to a jobsite with no issues. When he went to leave he turned to the right and when he went to back up the wheel snapped back hard to the left and there was a total loss of power steering. I searched around here and the consensus was that the pump went bad. I'm at a loss now as to how I have power steering to the right and not to the left.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: DFW, TX-GoldCanyon, AZ
Complete loss of power steering is what caused me to change the pump. This is my fathers truck. He drove to a jobsite with no issues. When he went to leave he turned to the right and when he went to back up the wheel snapped back hard to the left and there was a total loss of power steering. I searched around here and the consensus was that the pump went bad. I'm at a loss now as to how I have power steering to the right and not to the left.
I won't say that it could not have damaged the pump, but think of it this way - it was the pressure that the pump was producing that snapped that steering hard over. The direction of the pressure from that pump is controlled internally within the steering gear. I had this happen many years ago in a virtually new 1980 Ford F150 4x4 and I almost crashed the truck. They found that the steering gear itself was faulty and had not been machined properly. While it's doubtful that a machining flaw would have made it as long as this - in your case - there is something really wrong inside that steering gear and I think it needs to be taken apart and inspected. Or minimally, it needs to be flushed out and tested very well..
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: DFW, TX-GoldCanyon, AZ
You can check out this link and see a bit more in regard to the composition of the steering gear itself.. Some searching might net you some service instructions as well.
http://www.justanswer.com/ford/3981i...ering-box.html
http://www.justanswer.com/ford/3981i...ering-box.html
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: DFW, TX-GoldCanyon, AZ
That's a good question - a couple of possibilities might be:
The pump was in the process of grenading and it sent shrapnel through the pressure line into the steering gear where it jambed the spool?
The steering gear spool hung up and the pressure built up and the relief valve in the pump did not open and it collapsed the vanes in the pump?
The pressure hose started delaminating internally and jambed the spool?
All possible and probably other possibilities out there..
The pump was in the process of grenading and it sent shrapnel through the pressure line into the steering gear where it jambed the spool?
The steering gear spool hung up and the pressure built up and the relief valve in the pump did not open and it collapsed the vanes in the pump?
The pressure hose started delaminating internally and jambed the spool?
All possible and probably other possibilities out there..