I just replaced my power steering pump not long ago and one day after a hard run to clean out the carbon the steering got real hard again. I figured the new pump died... but when I run the RPM's up the pump re-engages and starts working again until I let off. Could that switch have died or something? It only seems to work at about 3k or more.

 

Did you check to make sure the fluid level is correct and the belt is tight?
If those things are good you might try to rebleed the system.

 

Fluid is correct, pretty sure belt is tight as I'm not hearing squeeling or anything... it just doesn't seem to work unless RPM's are up and when they are I can hear noise out of the wheel like the pump is straining.

 

I think I've have the problem/solution ?.
Make sure the belt is not the problem !. ( YES ? ).
I have to do my research first !.
Basically it might be the two stage valve in the hydraulic system ( Power steering ).
I have right hand drive power steering ex- 12AT, but no GSL / GSL-SE computer to tell it what do do.
1/- at low speed ( ??mph ).
2/- and at high speed ( 55 mph ? /+ ).

I've figured out how to trigger my setup in practice without the computer from low speed & to high speed ( 55 mph /+ ).
Come back to me via forum/pm,or better still E-mail ?.

Regards the OLD - BOY.

Cheers.
adsltl64@tpg.com.au

 

The belt is on well, no slippage. I had my wife turn the wheel from side to side and the pump is definitely whining but when I checked the continuity of the pressure switch it didn't seem to read anything? It could have just been a bad read though. It really feels like the pump is straining at at 3k+ RPM's when I turn it left to right but at low rpm's its like it isn't on at all... can barely hear it strain. It's basically manual steering at low speed, at high speed I have no idea since I don't really turn on that sharply

 

Jarath,
Sorry for the late reply just been flatout !.

I'm also thinking that maybe you might have an airlock in the hydraulics ?

Anyway with the pressure switch take it out and bench test it.

The pressure switch itself is just a simple spring loaded magnetic switch ( push & pull ). Pic-1

With no voltage to the switch the needle valve is ( withdrawn ) open allowing full hydraulic pressure to the steering box.
This would be also called the low speed ( 0 - 55mph ). More pressure needed to steer at low speed. Pic-2

With voltage to the switch the needle valve is ( extended ) closed allowing much less hydraulic pressure to the steering box.
This would be also called the high speed ( 55 + mph ,Triggered by the computer ).Less steering effort needed due to speed. Pic-3

The amount of movement of the needle valve from no voltage ( withdrawn ) to with voltage ( extended ) is very small only a few millimeters.
You may think as I did that changing the size of the orifice with voltage in the pressure switch needle valve,wouldn't make a huge difference to the hydraulic pressure but it does !.

 

can someone help me out im having somewhat the similar problem only mine is reversed, my steering gets extremly stiff after about 25-30mph, extremly hard to turn past 30 degrees of turn angle (1/4) of a full 360 degree turn of the wheel. ive removed the power steering pump, cleaned it out, reput it back, did the flud right, bleed the system, and the same problem is still occuring, steering is fine till about 25-30mph then it just stiffens up extremly bad. would i possibly need a new pump? joints? rack & pinion? steering coulmn? plz help. thank you.

 

Even if you had no pump, the effort above 20mph is very minimal on these cars. Something is wrong I'd say. Maybe your fluid is overfilled?

 

i dont think its overfilled, but ill take some of the fluid out and see what happens, ive always had this problem, ive had the ps pump replaced out twice already. i was begining to think that it could be the ball and joints or maybe it needs a new rack & pinion, or maybe new hoses going from the pump to the rack & pinion. idk really i dont know all to much about cars really, im just going off what i think could be the problem, i know its not my suspension because i just got new kyb struts and shocks along with new coil springs just two weeks ago.