Hey all. My 1977 Cutlass S sedan has no power steering at low rpm. It steers ok at higher speeds, though this could just be because I'm moving already and may not feeling the lack of power steering. You used to be able to steer with your little finger at any speed. I have noticed that i will suddenly regain this ability randomly. The pump is original, and recently stopped making the usual subtle whining noises it would make when the wheel was turned. Since the car is close to 140000 miles, I'm going to replace the pump and flush the system. Is there anything else i should take a look at while I'm at it? Thanks!

 

Summthin don't seem right. I assume the noise that used to be there is when you turn the wheel to the stops? If it was "whining" just steeering the car normally, it sounds to me like there's a lot of wear on the rotor/vanes/pressure plates where the pump is leaking pressure around the sides instead of building up to normal pressure resulting in poor power steering characteristics. Or potential crud getting inside and sticking relief valve components leaking pressure back to the reservoir. With nearly 50 years and 140K under its belt, it could simply be wearing out. Possible too is enough dirt/contaminants are sticking the vanes. They use centrifugal force to move out of the rotor and anything that can stick them in place will hurt pump output. While not as common, the O-ring seals inside the pump backing plate and/or the gear box can get hard and crack/leak causing bypass of pressure as well. All the "little things" of old and worn out stuff may be adding up and catching up with you.

Ensure you do a good flush on the steering box as well as anything you retain to ensure dirty, contaminated PS fluid is gone. If you don't do that, it could affect your new pump, too. In fact, now would be a good time to replace the hoses with new ones if they're old.

After putting in a new pump and pressure restored to where it should be, just be alert for new gearbox leaks.

 

I just replaced the power steering pump on my '73 Delta 88. I would say that, after 140,000 miles, a new pump is certainly worth doing.

But keep in mind that the symptoms you describe could be due to there simply being air in the system. When you replace the pump, you will, of course, have to bleed the system. But before you buy a new pump, you might run through the bleeding procedure (it''s described in the service manual, or find a video on youtube). That might fix your problem.

 

Consider flushing the current system, replacing the fluid and bleeding it thoroughly before replacing the pump. It could just be a sticky pressure relief valve.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys. Ill try flushing it first, then follow the bleeding procedure. It sure would be nice if that's all it needs.