Lee Power Steering help

[Boss 2731]

Just a heads up, the lee pump is definitely noisier than stock even after being bled. I also found the pump whine concerning at first, especially after just pulling off yet another blown stock pump. Fast forward to now (1.5 yrs later): things have been working great. It has gotten quieter over time.

Not to dismiss your concerns but it might some getting comfortable with your new setup. Bleeding the power steering is generally pretty straightforward, I'd bet you did it correctly especially if it's been the same with 2 pumps and its not running when

I did the Lee kit and it doesn’t seem to make any more noise than the stock pump did. I only hear it when cranked all the way over. Hope your situation gets resolved!

I'm fine with a little bit more noise, but it seems to be more than just that. I'm pretty sure I've got a leak somewhere. I'm kind of thinking the O-rings on the rack adaptor are a good place to start looking. I've had every other fitting off and on multiple times and I'm pretty sure they are all tight.

 

[B E N]

Do you have any leaks in the system? Go through and make sure everything is tightened properly, it is possible you are letting air in somewhere.

 

[jondle]

I've swapped pumps in the desert a couple times. Fastest way to bleed the system is wheels off the ground, engine running, then lock to lock. I've tried to with the engine off and it just takes forever and doesn't work. Jeff from SVC is the one that told me to start the engine and he was right. 5 min. later I was packing up the jack and good to go.

Disclaimer for future readers: I would start slowly turning the wheel left to right, increasing the degrees each time, slowly building to lock-to-lock, not just immediately jump right in to lock. Also, don't hold at lock, just bounce off quickly.

 

[Boss 2731]

Do you have any leaks in the system? Go through and make sure everything is tightened properly, it is possible you are letting air in somewhere.

That's what I'm thinking right now.

 

[Boss 2731]

I've swapped pumps in the desert a couple times. Fastest way to bleed the system is wheels off the ground, engine running, then lock to lock. I've tried to with the engine off and it just takes forever and doesn't work. Jeff from SVC is the one that told me to start the engine and he was right. 5 min. later I was packing up the jack and good to go.

Yeah, I've done it a bunch of times with the engine off and it only moderately worked. I did it yesterday with the engine running and it really pushed out a bunch of air. Unfortunately I think I've got a leak somewhere.

 

[MEIRONMAN207]

My money is on the O rings or fittings...

 

[Boss 2731]

Another thought I’ve been having, how likely is it that my rack and pinion is bad and or leaking air. I see no evidence of fluid leakage anywhere in the entire system, which makes finding the air leak all that more difficult. I’d hate to be spinning my wheels on the pump and hoses when the problem was the rack. How would I even go about checking that out.

 

[jondle]

I am not an expert mechanic, but I don't see how you can have a leak without fluid coming out. The entire power steering system is pressurized once the pump is running. If there was a leak for air to get in, the pump would push fluid out, and you would have drips. Maybe someone can point out something I'm missing, but it doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe you have a kink in the hose, a pinched line, or some other type of obstruction? It would be messy, but you could pull the lines off the rack to verify you're getting fluid all the way to the rack. You could even start the truck briefly and verify fluid comes shooting out once the pump is running (maybe disconnect the spark plugs and just let the starter turn the pump a couple times??).

 

[Boss 2731]

I am not an expert mechanic, but I don't see how you can have a leak without fluid coming out. The entire power steering system is pressurized once the pump is running. If there was a leak for air to get in, the pump would push fluid out, and you would have drips. Maybe someone can point out something I'm missing, but it doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe you have a kink in the hose, a pinched line, or some other type of obstruction? It would be messy, but you could pull the lines off the rack to verify you're getting fluid all the way to the rack. You could even start the truck briefly and verify fluid comes shooting out once the pump is running (maybe disconnect the spark plugs and just let the starter turn the pump a couple times??).

I'm with you, I don't fully understand either but from what I've been told it's possible. I can for sure say that there is not any sort of pinched or kinked line. It's all new, I've been over it more times than I care to have been. Also, when I installed the system, I flushed out all of the old ATF with the new PS fluid by pulling the fuel pump fuse and turning the pump with the return line in a bucket. It's flows very well.

 

[Boss 2731]

Lee is sending me a new rack adaptor with O-rings. If this doesn't fix the problem, I feel like it almost has to be the rack is bad.