power steering pump/box

At lunch I slapped a power steering belt on and started filling the pump up when I noticed fluid pouring out of the bottom of the pump. It was coming out of the back just under the tension adjuster. Is this a drain maybe. It looks like there's a plug missing. On the steering box, the same thing, except it was coming out of the top where it looked like a plug was missing. Does this sound right? If so can you get these parts without buying new pump and box?

 

I'm not famaliar with that exact model power steering, but on my later Jeep the Reservoir "plugs" into the pump with an ORing providing leak free connection. It looked like it was leaking from the bottom of the pump but the ORing had failed between the 2 components.

 

This is clearly coming out of a particular threaded hole. The it's not the connection that runs to the box, and it looks like the hole is actually part of the reservoir. What you're talking about sounds a little different. I'll have to take a picture of it.

 

I think I've found the problem. I had it all wrong. It's missing a hose that goes from the pump to the steering box.

 

yep, have to have 2 hoses: a high pressure side and a return/low pressure side. iirc, the bottom hose is the high pressure side.

 

Put a hose on it. The pumps making a funny noise when the wheels are turned.

 

probably needs to be bled. remove cap and go lock to lock, refilling as needed, till noise stops. then recheck fluid.

 

How do you drain the whole system?

 

Unhook the hoses..

 

So there's no left in the gear box? Forgive me I know nothing about these things.

 

After you unhook the hoses you can turn the steering wheel back and forth and it "should" force any fluid in it to squirt out the return side hole. Why are you trying to empty all the fluid??

 

I think it's got some water in it.

 

gotcha. Was just thinking, The easiest way to flush the box if you can is to hook up the pressure hose and send new fluid in and pump the old stuff out. Man I can already see the mess all this fluid is making R)

 

There's already a quart on the carport. I just stuck a bottle under it and was catching it. Not to reuse of course. Could the thin mixture of fluid/water be causing the pump to scream?

 

yep.