Replaced a toyota P/S line, now no power steering?

[idosubaru]

Helping a friend with a 2002 Sequoia - it lost power steering after I repaired a hose?

I cut out a 1" rusty section of return power steering hard line under the vehicle and installed ATF hose. Others did this in
another forum post on a Tundra which shares similar parts without issues.

* It was whining as I turned it back and forth numerous times to bleed, lots of bubbles in the overflow.

* After a few turns - it would not have power steering at idle but give it gas and it was fine.

* After a few minutes of idling/bleeding - the whining is now gone from bleeding but now it has no power steering at any RPM's??

Fluid is full, hose is not collapsing, no bubbles in the fluid, it's not puking out the reservoir, I see some fluid movement in the reservoir, and it worked fine before the work.

She was using some kind of generic power steering fluid - I refilled it with Dexron since that's what the reservoir cap said.

This looks so simple but I'm obviously missing something?

1. the hose? But others have done it on Tundras without issues and it's not visibly collapsing, I can squeeze it.

2. mixing of fluids - But that seems unlikely and most of the Power Steering fluid came out when I cut the lines.

3. bleeding? but these seem simple enough to bleed - i turned it lock to lock tons of times and the whining disappeared.

[Crazyeights]

I hope that the pump didn't give up

[john in KY]

Just based on what you described, my guess is the pump is now not producing enough pressure. 

[markjw]

I'd look harder at the bleeding/air in the line. Nothing else makes much sense. I had a Outback that just wouldn't burp or bleed or whatever after installing a new pump. I gave up on it,after a couple days of driving, it fixed itself. I think there was a big air bubble in the rack that finally worked itself out.

[idosubaru]

Thanks guys.

 

Toyota forum guy also suggested bleeding and getting the nose in the air and wheels off the ground to turn lock to lock for bleeding.  I'll try that in the morning.

 

I'll check these other options once i see what happens tomorrow morning.

Edited October 7, 2015 by grossgary

[idosubaru]

Can I use a fuel pressure gauge to test power steering pressure?

 

If there's an obstruction to the return line - how will that affect pressure?  Will it reduce pressure or just volume?

High side or low side or both?
 

More bleeding and driving and no change.  This is so bizarre. 
I didn't remove one bolt or screw from the vehicle.  Cut 1" of metal, install hose and done.

[idosubaru]

Woah crack - power steering systems are 1,000 psi....guess I'm not measuring that.

[idosubaru]

First I'm going to extend the return line into the reservoir - and just see how fast the fluid is moving through as a baseline

[l75eya]

Thoughts:

Your section of repair hose, how's it look? It hasn't failed right?

She had added generic power steering when it called for dex. Power steering fluid is thicker than dex, it would have made her steering stiffer than factory and would have been more labor on the pump and more psi in the hoses.

I just went through bleeding a rack when I had the PS drained in the Loyale. What a pain.

Having the tires in the air helped big time. First I turned the wheels lock to lock like 3-4 times with the car off, then I did it with the car running but like 50 times. With the cap on the reservoir.

 

No power steering at all is odd. I'd add more fluid and turn lock to lock tires in air car off a couple times then check to see if level went down at all. Very bizarre, sucks when you try to help a friend and something dumb like this happens.

[idosubaru]

Ended up taking it to a shop and they fixed it.  I tried asking her what the issue was but she had no idea.rrrr

 

There were a ton of metal particles in the reservoir so there was a good chance of something ominous, I really wish I knew what it was!