1996 explorer 4x4 4.0. I had one of the hard lines on the power steering rack rust out and leak. I drove it without power steering fluid for about 10 miles because it leaked too much to keep fluid. I bought a new power steering rack and removed the line and installed it on my old rack instead of replacing the entire rack. I drove it many times and turned the steering wheel from complete right to left it. As you turn the steering wheel it is easy then hard then easy and then hard and continues this without improvement.
What can it be? Did I ruin the pump or is there something wrong with the rack running it without fluid? I do not know where to start. thanks for any replies

 

From your description it sounds like you just have a lot of air in the power steering lines. There are various methods for bleeding air from the system which vary from removing the return line, using a bottle of fresh fluid to "feed" the pump where the return line would go and letting the return line from the rack drain in to an empty bottle, or just turning the steering wheel from lock to lock several times, preferably while the wait of the vehicle is off the front tires. You want to make sure you go all the way to the locks, but don't hold at the locks for more than a couple of seconds each cycle.

-Rod

 

Thanks for the reply, last Saturday I replaced the PS pump and did as you suggested.... had it on the lift and turned the wheel multiple times from extreme left to extreme right. It felt better when on the lift but on the ground there isn't much improvement

 

You may just need to drive it a few days and keep track of if it's improving or not. I suspect it will.

-Rod