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No Power Steering


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I have a 1988 Mitsubishi Starion Turbo Esi-R. The original power steering pump was leaking through one of the vein casing seals. I took the pump out of a spare car that was wrecked but the pump still worked at the time of the wreck. I put that pump in the car and it held up for only a couple of days. I took the original pump and got new seals for it and installed them on the pump. Now the pump works fine, I've made sure the pump is getting the right pressure and doesn't leak but for some reason I still have no power steering.

 

I'm currently using Dexron III Automatic Transmission Fluid because they don't make Dexron II anymore and I've bled the system of air the way the service manual states and I've done it about five or so times. I've also emptied all lines, refilled all the lines, and rebled the system. I still have no power steering.

 

Any ideas on what the problem is? Please help as I have no idea and these cars are not meant for non-power steering assisted.

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Is Dexron III the same as ATF? The system requires ATF.

 

Is the belt on nice and tight?

Is there any signs of the pump working when the front wheels are off the ground, any leaks?

Any noise that would indicate air the in the system?

 

I figure its the gearbox, lots of stuff there to break, leak and clog up.

Consult this guide

http://starquest.i-x.net/viewtopic.php?t=1147&sid=50a882d8d1b40b000ca1af19405bad3d

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Is Dexron III the same as ATF? The system requires ATF.

 

Is the belt on nice and tight?

Is there any signs of the pump working when the front wheels are off the ground, any leaks?

Any noise that would indicate air the in the system?

 

I figure its the gearbox, lots of stuff there to break, leak and clog up.

Consult this guide

http://starquest.i-x.net/viewtopic.php?t=1147&sid=50a882d8d1b40b000ca1af19405bad3d

The belt is on tight. To bleed the system I have to jack up the front wheels and turn the wheel with the coil disconnected as I turn the key as if i'm starting the car. No leaks anywhere. Dextron III is Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF). I thought it might be the gearbox...but I wasn't sure because the previous pump leaked but I still had power steering. The power steering only stopped working after I put the rebuilt pump on...

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I did notice, however, that when i bled the system i hooked a tube from the bleeder valve on the gearbox and looped it back to the reservoir to create a loop and when i turned the wheel clockwise it bled fluid but when i went back the other way there was no fluid coming back through. So, one way fluid comes out and it seems that the other way sucks in.
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Did you crack open the bleeder valve on the box,start car with front wheels off the ground and turn wheel lock to lock.

Still sounds like air in the system.I did that to mine and it worked.

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Fluid is pumping through the lines freely and is flowing through the gearbox normally and back into the reservoir. Bleeder valve is still completely in tact and is not damaged whatsoever. I've also filled the car up with fluid and then bled the fluid completely about three times in a row and then filled it back up and bled the air.

 

I also jacked up the front of the car, opened the bleeder valve, ran a hose from the valve over the the reservoir so it'd be a cycle instead of having to refill, disconnected the coil wire so the car wouldn't start, held the key in the start position the entire time i turned the wheel from lock to lock about twenty times, closed the valve, and still doesn't have power steering. Like i said though...when i hold the key in start position and turn the wheel clockwise it pumps fluid. But, when I hold the key in start position and turn the wheel counterclockwise it's like the gearbox wants to suck the in fluid or air. But i'm thinking that might just be to add pressure.

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Bleed it this way.

 

 

Disconnect the PS belt, attach a longer belt or the same belt, or any other belt to the pump wheel and have a friend spin it by hand while you work the bleeder valve. At a slow speed like that the fluid will gush out, no need to use your starter.

 

If you have fluid circulating and no power steering, you either have a massive air leak or the gearing inside the gearbox are trashed.

 

are you loosing any fluid?

 

When you ran the hose back to the reservoir, did you use a clear hose so you can see any air bubbles in it.

Edited by Killtodie
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Bleed it this way.

 

 

Disconnect the PS belt, attach a longer belt or the same belt, or any other belt to the pump wheel and have a friend spin it by hand while you work the bleeder valve. At a slow speed like that the fluid will gush out, no need to use your starter.

 

If you have fluid circulating and no power steering, you either have a massive air leak or the gearing inside the gearbox are trashed.

 

are you loosing any fluid?

 

When you ran the hose back to the reservoir, did you use a clear hose so you can see any air bubbles in it.

I'll bleed it that way first thing tomorrow and see what happens. should I turn the wheel at all or just simply get them to turn the powersteering pump pulley without anything else?

 

i'm also not losing any fluid and i used a vacuum hose from the parts car that was long enough and fit so it's not clear.

Edited by nightwalkerancestery
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Use a clear hose, you need to see the air bubbles.

 

Turn the wheel lock to lock while your friend manually spins the pump. Keep doing this until no air bubbles are coming out of the hose. If after some time air bubbles are still coming out, you have a leak. if you have no more air bubbles coming out and the steering still does not work, see my first response and start to disassemble that gear box.

 

Also, keep an eye on the fluid, make sure its nice and clean.

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I'll see what I can find for a clear tube and see what the outcome is with the air. I'll also try leading the tube I have to a bucket and see how fresh the fluid is. Maybe it has some power steering fluid still mixed in with it from the last owner who didn't know to use ATF.

 

If it turns about being the gearbox lucky for me i have the parts car with a good gearbox so it shouldn't be too hard other than seals and bushings.

 

I'll try it all tomorrow and reply with my results. Thanks so far

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guys are you all asleep,, he didn't have the engine runing http://www.starquestclub.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif when bleeding the air or so he says

 

the engine must be runing to bleed the system,,NO power steering system i know of can be bleed with out the pump runing ,,and you said it has proper pressures HOW do you know that,,the power steering system is capable of generateing close to 1000 lb psi

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Went ahead and got sick of troubleshooting so I took the pump back out completely, took it completely apart once more and inspected everything inside the pump (had extra seals but didn't need them because the others were still in useable shape).

 

Everything looked fine and so I put the pump back together inspecting every part as I went. Installed the part back into the car and for some reason the pump is now working again. I have yet to properly bleed the system of air as I'm currently in the process of replacing the exhaust manifold but I can tell it pumps better now as i can feel it's easier to turn to wheel and I can HEAR it now.

 

Thank you all for your input! I'm sure I'll need it again for something else knowing how these cars turn out! ;)

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