I have a 1976 Ford HiBoy with a 390. I recently replaced my power steering pump as the pulley went out and it worked fine for a couple weeks of in-town driving then i went back to college and drove the truck 115 miles and when i got there...the power steering is all but gone and i have to strong-arm the steering to turn. I have 33" Super Swamper Thornbirds on it which i cut myself, but i dont beleive that to be the problem as it worked before always and then i drove it 115 miles and the power steering is gone. I have checked for bubbles, air, etc, and i also see now leaks. Please help me...I'd like to be able to drive my baby again...

 

Does the power steering setup have the power steering lines from the power steering pump to the steering arm?

 

I had this happen to me a couple of times till I got the system flushed of all the debris. Where the pressure line screws into the pump, there is a valve behind the fitting( big nut) it sticks open and you have no pressure. Take the big fitting out and pull the valve. Make sure everything is clean and reinstall. After the second time of pulling valve I decided to flush the system. Pulled the return line and plugged on resivoir and put return into a bucket and started engine, kept pouring fluid in to flush till it ran clean.

NOTE:I did not have the power assist steering like you have. The pumps are all the same though. Where is the leak?

 

The setup has lines that run from the pump to a cylinder that runs lines to the arms i think...or the cylinder runs the arms. There is no leak, that was a typo and this weekend i will be taking your advice and flushing(which very well may be the case since i dont know as if it has ever been) and seeing if i can figure out the valve nut deal. I will look at it some more tomorrow when i have time off. Thanks very much.

 

Power Assist P/S:

Two hoses, one pressure and one return, route from the P/S pump to the control valve.

Two shorter hoses route from the control valve to the ram cylinder.

No hoses route to the gearbox, because it has nothing to do with Power Assist P/S.