Power steering

[Danwrx]

Hi everyone, need to pick your brains, right ive had a squeaky power steering belt on the blog for a couple of weeks now, only every so often, so went to tighten the belt up and noticed the top of the power steering pump bracket (where the tension bolt is ) was snapped. So rang colverwells and they wanted £120+ vat to for a new one but couldn't get it till at least a week as needed to get it from Japan. So I took it to a mate who welds alloy and he fixed it for us, while taking the bracket of I had to move the power steering pump out of the way but didn't need to undo any hoses at all, now it's all refitted, steering is kind of heavy and there is a constant whining/grating coming from the pump, and the power steering resavoir froths up quite bad, I thought maybe some air had got in somehow but the only bled nipple I can see is on the back of the pump itself, firstly I can't see how any air could've got in as didn't undo any hoses and secondly I've read that there is a bleed nipple of the steering rack itself, I can't see it anywhere but it could be well hidden, trouble is I need the car for tomorrow.
Thanks

[andy-m]

i changed my steering rack last month for a 2.7 quick rack, so as you would imagine, the system was completely drained down so I could fit the new rack.
To fill it, I just topped up the reservoir, put the cap on, started the engine, turned the steering wheel lock to lock for a bit, then turned it off, took off the cap and topped up.
I repeated that again. no bleed nipples, and then drove back home from Ireland to london.
No problems.
I would guess that the bracket being broken meant that your pump didnt have the full belt tension on it before, so maybe the bearing is shagged in the pump? or maybe you adjusted it too tight? either way, I didntneed to go at any bleed nipple when I changed my rack so I would guess you don't either, although mine is a classic, so I guess yours could be different.

[Danwrx]

Yeah it is strange mate, worked perfect before it took it of, I'm sure the pumps working as I was stupid enough to undo the rubber hose after trying everything else to see if it was pumping the fuid through and the fluid shot through the hose all over the engine. Strange I just don't understand it

[Red Barons Brother]

Sounds like you may have a hole in one of the pipes,maybe where you have bent them out of the way it is probably on the suction side between the reservoir and the pump and it is sucking air in. As said above you do not need to bleed the system as it is a closed circuit loop be very careful removing bolts on the back of pump etc as they normal have small springs and ball bearings behind them like a pressure relief valve. I work with hydraulics so shout if you need any more help.

[Danwrx]

Thanks ALOT for your help mate, I started taking it back apart at 6.30 this morning in the rain, put it back together again, it was still the same, done the same again and it still didn't work, lost my temper a bit, hit it with a hammer (hard) sorted no more whining. I suppose the saying " if in doubt give it a clout" is true after all