Hey guys, im new to the forum ive been using it for valuable info for years but never had to write a post before cause there is so much info on here!
however I have recently run into a big problem with my 2001 Disco 2 SD. first of all im no mechanic but im pretty mechanically minded and know how to turn a wrench. I live in Northern WI right now having moved here from Michigan after Australia after meeting a girl on a weekend trip.. (insert sarcastic remarks here haha)
my newly acquired D2 with about 150,000 miles on her served us extremely well over the last year hauling all our gear and canoe on many long camping and exploring trips all around WI in both 24inches of snow and humid muddy woods as well as crossing a 2 ft deep section of the Mississippi that flooded this year over the 4th of july (gopro video to be uploaded). After all this the D2 sprung a bad power steering leak on a camping trip 3 hours from home. I did the unthinkable and kept her full with gas station steering fluid this seemed to worsen the leak. when I got home a master mechanic buddy of mine too a look and we agreed it looked like a seal on the steering box so after a bunch of research and swearing and bruised knuckles I took the box out and rebuilt it over a couple of weeks. it is functioning as it should as far as I can tell. I then checked all the hoses etc and they were fine when cleaned and pressure tested by another mechanic buddy.
Unfortunatley next I allowed the girlfriends brother to assist me in putting the hoses and box back in the truck. 5 mins in he removed a pin and tension spring from the side of the steering pump to replace the o ring on it and puts the damn pin in backwards. I stopped him and checked a couple youtube videos and determined that he had royally screwed up. I now was up for another weeks worth of work as I hardly have time in the evenings after my day job to work on the disco. I ordered a rebuild kit for the pump since I was gonna have to take it apart to get the pin out that was securely lodged in there, I rebuilt the pump with minimum fuss as I banned the girlfriends brother from helping!
the system has been all put back together and filled with close to 3 liters of fluid I used pentosin 11s which is a sub for pentosin 202 both of which are $23 a liter instead of $30 that landrover charges for their fluid and they are specially formulated for all landrover models and some volkswagon and Volvo models.
With the system back together I have some power steering back but no where near what it should be, I struggle to turn the wheel with one hand!? the only 3 things I can come up with to diagnose the problem are as follows.


1) the filter in the reservoir is blocked slowing the flow of fluid, I checked this before I put the system back together and it looked fine, I also get no groaning or squealing which would be consist with slow fluid flow.


2) The pump internals may be ruined causing a lack of pump pressure In the system, the pump looked fine to me but I have limited knowledge of what this pump internals are supposed to look like, one thing that I noticed was the fact that there is what I am assuming is an aluminum ring with 6 or 8 little rollers inside the ring , inside the internal of the pump. These were removed to clean and replace seals, when I reassembled the pump I noticed that it wasn't a perfect circle but almost an oval as if it has been worn on the inside of the ring when the rollers sit, is this designed like that or is it worn?


3) the girlfriends brother also decided that it would be a good idea while I was under the truck in the beginning removing the bolts that mount the steering box to leave the high pressure line from the cooling coil to the steering box attached at the box so when the 40lb box dropped down into my hands it belt the line slightly. during reassembly I had to force it straight a little to reinstall it into the steering box, it wasn't a sharp bend by any means but could that affect the flow of fluid or cause me to lose half of the power in my power steering system?


I forgot to mention that there are absolutely no leaks in the system now after the rebuilds and line checks and the system is quiet as it should be.


To conclude, It is now winter in northern WI and the truck is in the driveway with 7 inches of snow on it, it has been off the road for 6 weeks as I ordered parts and slowly worked on it, I need my landy back as the winter is getting worse and worse and I cant fit her in my garage. Also no mechanics in a half hour drive want to work on it cause it isn't a ford or a jeep and they don't understand it... please help me!! any and all suggestions or help is greatly appreciated, cheers fellas.
Josh Rave

 

Pretty long post so I skimmed some of it. You've changed so many variables at once, you're going to just have start ruling stuff out.

get the front wheels off the ground and turn it lock to lock with the engine off. Does it feel too tight like it's fighting you? If so, it's not a pump issue. Could be an issue with how the box was rebuilt. Could be you just need to back off the box adjustment a bit.

If if feels normal with the engine off and the wheels off the ground, you can start checking the pump and flow issues. I think most rover owners can see fluid "churning" in the reservoir with the engine running.

 

Thanks for the help stb616, I finally got some time to work on the disco tonight. I limped it up the block to a buddys house who has a garage big enough to fit the truck since we just got another 5 inches of snow here in northern Wisconsin.
Basically I put the front of the truck up on stands and found the wheel extremely easy and smooth to turn from side to side, with the wheels straight I could turn the wheel 1.75 turns in either direction. with the motor running the wheel became stiff and lurchy and more difficult to turn. from what I have read this simple test points to the pump being somewhat faulty is this correct ?

 

Hey guys, just a quick update. Basically I gave up on the rebuilt steering box and pump as I just couldn't get them to work. I bought a brand new aftermarket pump online for $101 and a used steering box from a very helpful gentleman in Kentucky off an '03 D2 with 89,000 miles on it. I fitted both and my truck now steers perfectly, just need an alignment and ill be golden. Had a few small other problems spring up along the way but nothing an AC compressor clutch kit couldn't fix. Thanks for the help!
Josh

 

congrats