Power steering question??????

[71 super]

Just got back to the point of finishing my 72 k10 super. Tying loose ends now, but have one that is a little strange..... Power steering pump like rest of engine components is new, added fluid and when motor is first cranked the steering wheel will rotate to the left lock, I'm not talking about a twist but actually spinning rapidly - jerking the wheel out of your hands - twisting to the left. Pump needs to be bled but I have never had one so bad that it did this. Do I have a bad pump or something else? Also the keywayed pulley wobbles on the shaft, but it is not the shaft, but the retaining Knut is tight. Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

[mahanian]

It sounds like a large air bubble in the line, if you are using an old gearbox it may help to plumb the gearbox return line to an empty jar and the return side of the pump to another jar of clean fluid. Run the engine and slowly turn the steering wheel from side to side till clean fluid is coming out of the gearbox. Then reconnect the pump to the gearbox and repeat keeping the fluid level high until no more fluid is being consumed.

If the pulley is wobbling on the pump shaft then I would exchange it before bleeding it.

[hugger6933]

On ones I have had that have been problematic about the power steering pump bleeding, I have jacked the front wheels off the ground turned the wheels lock to lock each side about three times and that normally will suck the fluid from the pump tank to the pump filling the lines and pushing the air out to the top of the pump. If that doesn't work [but you should be getting close] then with the wheels pointing forward turn them almost to a lock [with engine running] then shut engine off that give the air a chance to work towards the top after the cavitation action stops suddenly by shutting off the motor. Those two are the most drastic of cases I have had in all the years normally they will burp out the air pretty quick but I have had a few that were stubborn. Good luck and have fun, Jim

[Bigdav160]

Yes those are the procedures bleeding but do it without the engine running.

Otherwise you are badly aerating the fluid and it takes a while for the bubbles to break down.

[luvbowties]

Hope it's something simpler; but every one I've seen doing that had a bad gearbox. They can actually break someone's arm if he's not expecting it and has his arm like thru the steering wheel for some reason.
Sam

[71 super]

After bleeding the box actually got worse if possible, a lot of air , turned well when off, but with motor cranked it raced to the left. The truck has a steering damper as well, and it did not start to slow it down:-/ any suggestions for replacements? Looked into the red head units Wes offers, any others out there?

[Bigdav160]

So has the box been replaced? It sounds like the spool valve has lost a seal.

[71 super]

The box was replaced when truck was still chassis only, rebuilt box, new pump. Truck was painted and hung together, my wife passed away and I stopped on the truck because.... Just got motivated to finish it up. Got interior finished, motor had never been cranked until a week ago... I am chasing gremlins that are three years old now, got most things sorted but the pump shaft on the pump is sloppy, that is to say the pump seems loose on the shaft. After reading everyone's posts I went back and took the return line loose and there is hardly any pressure at the return side of the box. I can hold my finger at the port with motor running at 750 rpms and it will not push it off. Is this normal? Could it be the pump, my intuition says yes but I need someone more experienced in pump operation to explain if possible

[Bigdav160]

Sorry to hear about your wife.

The pump is just a pump. The spool valve in the box directs fluid from one side of the ball nut (piston) or the other.

It sounds like the box was not assembled correctly.

[hugger6933]

First off sorry for your loss. I'm with Big Dav on the box thing. Could be a spool valve. Replace the box first then when you have the lines off take the big nut out of the back of the pump. That is the pressure regulator look it over real well and see if something there seems amiss. It has been so very very long ago that I have had one apart, I can't remember them. But maybe you could find a diagram that could help you out there. I think that would be worth investigating while your still apart. Jim