Had no steering and squealing power steering pump on my 82 Ford e350 Cube Van.
I seen the fan belt was stretched,I pulled it and went to get a new one.
After I put the new belt on it ran great,had easy and quiet steering,all was well.
I came out the next day and the pump is squealing,doesn't want to steer.
It has sat for a good 15 years,I've done lots of work on it to get it going again.
Anyone know why it would run great after a new fan belt and go back to no steering and squealing.
It runs fine unless I try to turn the wheels then I and it makes noise for a 15 mins till it settles down and then the engine runs smooth again.
It's 351 5.8 with 2 barrel carb.

 

The new belt stretched?
Retighten it and make sure the bracket bolts are tight

 

It would appear the PS pump is failing. I don't know if there is a reliable test for it but that would be my guess.

 

I could also be trapped air in the pump, when was the last time you flushed it out and changed the fluid?

 

Mike1
Never. It sat for a good 15 or 20 years,I helped my Dad get it running and move it twice over the years before he passed away.
I'm gonna jack up the front end and see if the steering will move and any air may pop out,if not I will turkey baster the fluids out and try some new fluid and see how much air will come out.

 

Sitting for that many years, I'm sure it's gathered quite a bit of condensate in the fluid, your seals may start leaking with any normal sustained use. You may be better off just getting a new pump. But don't forget that old PS fluid is also in your gearbox so just pulling the fluid out of the pump reservoir won't really do much good, change it all. But the 1st this to do and Manicmechanic00 said, recheck your new belt, it may have stretched, the PS bracket may have loosened up and sometimes it's just a crappy belt, shoot some belt dressing on it and see if it stops squealing.

 

Jacked it up,tightened the fan belt as far as I could,fired it up and steered it back and forth for ten minutes,only one slight tight spot after ten turns then no more. It steers smooth and quiet now without issue.