Power Steering Spitting Fluid?

[DuckRyder]

O.K. This is a bit strange, after the engine rebuild, the power steering will spit fluid out (and I mean ALL the fluid) out if a sustained 3000 RPM trip is made. (IE 70 on the interstate) It takes approximately 8-10 miles at a more or less steady state to do it. Around town basically ALL day with burst above 3000 will not cause it to spit fluid. It has been filled 3 times due to this and is not over full.

The only thing that has changed in the power steering system since before the build is that I did not reinstall the very small cooler? I am going to reinstall it but am reluctant the belive that this is causing the problem because working the steering around town should heat the fluid much worse than steady (more or less straight) interstate cruising.

Any ideas?

[heep70]

How about a restriction on the pressure side of it? Restriction in hoses, gear box, cooler. A peice of hose broke lose and has stuck somewhere? Blow air thru hoses.

[DuckRyder]

Hoses are new and proper for the truck, I replaced them a few months before the motor was pulled.

I'll double check them tomorrow but I am wondering if there is some sort of pressure relief valve that is being overwhelmed by the pump running at 3000 rpm.

It is also a bit hard to tell if its spitting out the fill tube or if its coming out at one of the connections. I am wondering if the pressure is building and forcing fluid out the high pressure connection.

I am seriously considering throwing a new pump on it, but I would like to know what is wrong with it.

[heep70]

Could be the check vlaves are sticking in the gearbox. Is there any new noises?

[willowbilly3]

This may not help but bleed all the air out. Turn to lock and shut engine off for several minutes, then fill reservoir, start engine and turn to the other lock and shut engine off for several minutes. I am guessing you have air and it is foaming out.

[DuckRyder]

Alright, yesterday I changed the fluid (had some water in it, probably got in while apart) added the cooler back, and bleed it.

Ran it 8 miles at about 3100 and it kept its fluid, I'll try it a few more times on progressively longer trips and see what happens.

If it is fixed, I don't really know what I did to fix it....

['75-4x4guy]

best guess: the water in the system got hot enough to boil and force the fluid out . I would think that by (removing the water) and adding the cooler solved your problem!