Help Diagnosing Power Steering Problem

New power steering setup. When I start the engine it steers all the way to the right all by itself. It does it with some real force and keeps trying to go right when it hits the stops. I feel like something is going to break if I don't shut the engine off immediately.

Any guesses why it steers right with such force?

 

When you steer it left to counter it, does it have power to the left? In other words, it just "powers right" at rest but otherwise operates normally?

 

Haven't got that far. I haven't put my hands anywhere near that spinning wheel and then shut it off fast because it's trying to steer right with such force.

 

I think my pump is bad. I worked hard to get all the air out. Made sure fluid was full. I ran it for a very short time. It didn't take off right this time but I couldn't steer it (tires are off the ground). You can hear the noise. When I shut it off the pump was smoking and the pulley was too hot to touch.

Here's it running and me fighting to turn it


And here it is smoking after that really short run

 

Oh and the pump was really empty after that but the fluid didn't leak out anywhere. Then I worked the wheel back and forth a bit til it steered freely and the fluid was back.

 

That noise is the belt squealing. I'd say your pump is working fine. It's trying to supply fluid to a circuit that is giving resistance, binding the pump, squealing the belt. Like Howard said, something downstream is faulty.

Let me go dig through my trash....

 

This had been sitting on my shaper for about a year and I finally chucked it a few weeks ago.





Like it says, cycle the system without it running first. Maybe excessive air is causing it to act funny, but something in your box seems to be wonky.

 

Ah, so the pulley is hot because the belt slipping on it then. Ok, not sure how to diagnose the steering box problem.

 

Was it a junk yard unit? I'd take it back and try again.

 

No Craigslist. It was unreal cheap tho so can't be too bummed.

 

Our U-pull-it yard gives a few bucks for cores. If that's where you're headed, might not hurt to ask.

 

I was thinking about learning how to rebuild it, but buying a new one sure sounds easy. I could check out the junk yard this week and see. Not sure yet what my plan is yet.

 

Taking one of those apart is a mistake I've only had to make one time.

 

Oooo, a challenge

 

30 years of GM vehicles used the Saginaw boxes. I have yet to get a bum box at the U-pull yards. I first count how many turns, lock to lock. Then I check how clean it is, as in is there any sign of leaks. Finally, I check to see the fitting type, flare or O-ring. If it passes these requirements, then it comes home with me.
-Donny

 

Thx Donny. So any GM vehicle Saginaw will bolt on? If that’s the case I’ll hit the junk yard, I have a $30 credit at my local one. This box is off an XJ or YJ, I can’t remember which, I get them confused.

 

In an earlier post there was a question about hooking the box up backwards. Did you check your plumbing and confirm the hose routing? It a simple system and never had the issue your experiencing. Double check the plumbing before you remove anything. Could be as easy as swapping the hoses at the box.

 

My box has a 92 on it. Does that mean anything when I go to find another one?