Moaning, groaning, angry hyroboost power steering

[davepl]

Installed a Hydraboost yesterday, using a head unit that was known good (worked fine when taken off years ago). Installed it in the same car with the same PS pump that it had come out of. So in other words, I was expecting it to bolt in and work!

Which it largely does, functionally, but it's loud as heck. I assume it's air in it but neither me nor the shop can quiet it down.

I was planning to put it up on the lift and with the motor running, cycle the PS pump back and forth through the range of motion a few times, which I've heard is a good way to "bleed" the power steering.

Anything else I can or should try? Can air get trapped int he hydra boost? You can feel it in the pedal and it makes noise just like the steering wheel when you hit the brake.

Otherwise, they work fine in terms of assist and so on.

Thoughts?

[indymachinist]

I don't have it in front of me but there is a certain procedure to bleed a hydroboost unit. That is probably what you need to do.

[jeffahart]

I just installed a new a/c compressor. My PS pump was squawking on full left and right max turn. I had to take my belts off for the a/c belt. After reinstall of PS belt no more squawk. I guess my ps belt wasn't tight enough.

When I installed my hydorboost (junkyard unit) I plumbed the return line from the booster to the straight part of the "T" into the pump, with an inline filter. I ran that for 100 miles. I pulled the filter then routed the steering box return line through the straight part of the "T" and booster return into the 90 angle. Maybe run a filter and do a fluid dump if your running something that's been sitting for a few years. Maybe you got a bottle neck and shes starving for fluid on the return.

Here's the "T" with a filter. Improperly plumbed under the philosophy that a straight shot from the booster might catch more crud from the junkyard beauty. When I took the filter off I re-plumbed it.

j

[cleszkie]

The phrase "Ran good when parked" came to mind when I read this thread Probably got a rat turd or spider nest up in one of the hydroboost ports.

[57taskforce]

You should be able to cycle it lock to lock to work the air out, sometimes it takes a little bit. Make sure you aren’t low on fluid as the hydraboost unit takes quite a bit more fluid than a standard unit. I ran my old suburban out of fluid when trying to purge the air out after a pump change. it’s relatively easy to do once you start turning the wheels if your not adding fluid in to displace the air your working out. Are you using a pump for hydraboost with 2 return ports, or a standard pump with the T fitting?

[toolboxchev]

After meeting up with you last year I put in a new rebuilt power steering box in my truck.

Had the same problem, it took many attempts of bleeding the system with just the front in the air to get rid of the growling, not to mention about a full gallon of fluid blowing out the top of the power steering pump while bleeding.

Some say the high pressure side of the pump the seals will go bad and blow right back into the unit. I took about a month to get that unit to quiet down with many refills. I could not explain it any better. Have a new belt on hand once it quiets down.

I would venture to say that the power steering fluid would hold the air and again foam up again after settling. Engine oil I know for sure has antifoaming agents. I figured this out after a rebuilt top end using Lucas Oil Additives which did not have the anti foaming agents.