Ever had the plastic power steering dipstick melt?

[jhe.1973]

Hi Everyone,

Thursday upon starting my wrecker the steering wheel started spinning to the right by itself. When I grabbed it to turn back, it took off out of my hands spinning all the way to the left.

The pump was making noise as if it was out of fluid.

Shut it off popped the hood to look into the pump. The cap to the reservoir spun freely w/o the usual clicks.

This is what it looks like now on the right:



Everything from the rubber washer on down is nowhere to be seen.

I figure the missing parts have been ground up by the pump and circulated into the steering box, causing whatever valve that moves back and forth to stick in it's last position.

Any ideas? .... especially as to how the dipstick got hot enough to melt !!!