Hello everyone,

I'm encountering some continued challenging power steering issues with my 2001 Land Rover Discovery and would greatly appreciate any insights or advice. Here's a rundown of the events and symptoms:

Initial Symptoms:

• Started hearing a slight whine occasionally, especially when turning the wheel at low speeds (like in parking lots).
• Noticed a belt squeal sound when the A/C was on a hot day.
• Experienced a brief instance where the power steering seemed to momentarily stop working (kind of like a hard spot), though it was mostly functioning normally.

First Response - Fluid Change:

• Decided to swap out the power steering fluid as a first step.
• Used a vacuum pump to remove the old fluid from the reservoir as per Disco Mike's suggestions in older forum posts and replaced it with new fluid.
• After this change, I took it for a test drive and noticed a decrease in steering performance. But I had to go on a trip so I left it sit for a couple of weeks and decided just to change the power steering pump when I got back.

Power Steering Pump Replacement:

• Given the persistent issues, I opted to replace the power steering pump.
• Purchased a remanufactured pump from Autozone and installed it (for which I now kick myself, as I thought I might).
• During the bleeding process post-installation, I was doing it myself, the pump briefly ran dry, causing a brief screeching sound. I immediately turned off the engine. Admitted extreme bonehead move. :smh:
• I noticed there was some black debris on the reservoir filter. I cleaned it well and installed an after-market filter.
• The hoses otherwise looked good, and I'd have replaced them except I was getting to the top of my budget on the project... things are a little tight in that department with the holidays so I've been trying to do the best I can.

Post-Replacement Symptoms:

• Steering works when the truck is first started but becomes very hard to turn as it warms up.
• The steering improves with higher RPMs but is accompanied by a whining noise.
• Despite thorough bleeding (I raised the front end, first cold spent 10 minutes turning it back and forth lock to lock, then started it up and let it get to warm up, then used a vinyl hose connected to the bib on the bleeder valve, [and made sure it didn't come out], and got all the bubbles out) these issues persist.

Potential Issues Considered:

• Damage to the new pump from running dry.
• Drive belt issues (initial belt squeal sound) but the belt is in good shape and maybe has 10,000 miles on it.
• Potential issues with power steering rack or fluid properties. I'm using the recommended Pentosin.
• Air trapped in the system, despite bleeding.
  
  I've ordered a NEW Cardone pump and it's on its way, to arrive tomorrow.

I'm at a crossroads and pulling my hair out a bit, and I'm unsure of the next best step. Could the brief dry run have damaged the new pump? Are there underlying issues I might be missing? Any advice or suggestions would be highly appreciated, especially regarding diagnostics or further steps I can take.

 

This doesn’t answer your question but maybe adds to your information. When I rebuilt my pump a couple of years ago there was no problem with bleeding. I don’t even remember bleeding it, but if Rave called for it all I would have done is follow the procedure. The reason I rebuilt mine rather than buying one was due to the stories of most of the pumps available being garbage.

 

Thanks, Harvlr - I noticed that other people have said that in digging around the forums. I followed Rave, with the minor difference of using the vinyl tubing instead of just letting it dribble out.

Hoping it's the pump. I have to drive to Seattle in a few days and I've been working on this for 10 days. It's become a bit of a nightmare.

 

I just recently replaced my steering box and didn’t need to bleed the system as per the Rave. I filled the reservoir to fill line and left it for an hour, the level dropped by gravity. I did this again and then started the truck gently turning the wheel back and forth keeping an eye on the fluid level, topping it off when it got low. Once I could steer from lock to lock I went for a test drive and topped off once more. It’s been weeks and steering is perfect still.

 

Well when Doug from Atlantic British replaced the power steering pump on the demo vehicle in their video, he basically just said move it back and forth and let it sit.

 

When bleeding, with the vinyl hose, you had the bleed valve open and the hose running from it to the reservoir, is that correct? And you know it is free of air because there were no bubbles in the clear vinyl hose? Almost zero chance you damaged the pump. The pumps are exceedingly simple, simpler rollers out of bearing steel that push oil down a hose. There is a pressure relief valve that allows oil to bypass the box when it does not need it. Most of the noise you hear is usually the pump cavitating, usually caused by air in the system but could be caused by some other flow restriction. Loss of power means there is not adequate pressure at the box, likely caused by the pump cavitating.

I typically bleed with the hose from the bleed valve to the reservoir, cracked open and let it run. Then go from one end of lock to the other 2-3 times, slowly. Most of the air is at the lock positions. Once it is free of air close the valve with the engine running. That usually does it.

 

Hey Extinct -

Thanks - that’s correct, I ran the hose back into the reservoir. I bled it twice. First time maybe 10 minutes.

Second time I raised the front and I spent about 25 minutes total moving the wheel from lock to lock. First 10 minutes with engine off and valve closed, watching for little bubbles in the reservoir.

Then I started the engine and ran it to temp. Once it was at temp I opened the valve 1/2 turn and moved the wheel back and forth, in between looking for bubbles in the line.

the bubbles stopped, though when shining a light through the line I could see tiny metallic flakes if I looked very close.

I’m puzzled as to why it’s working at first when I start it up then after turning it back and forth several times it basically stops working and becomes very hard to turn.

 

Very unusual. I would look to unusual causes. Any chance the filter in the tank is clogged? I wonder if the suction hose could be collapsing internally - maybe swap it out and see what that does. Maybe run the return line in to the top of the tank so you can see what the return flow looks like.

 

The filter is clear, I installed the in-line filter today before bleeding again so I had to drain the reservoir again and saw it was still clear. Also the fluid is seemingly swirling normally.

it seems that what I may end up doing is swapping the pump tomorrow with the cardone and if that doesn’t resolve the issues I will have to store the truck and deal with it in a few months when I return. But I’m hoping to not have that on my conscience

 

Sounds like the belt is loose. Maybe check the tensioner?