Monkey_fuerte

Okay, this problem I have started a few days ago. I was putting some power steering fluid into my car in sig. It was from an older bottle that had been opened already. So, I topped it off, turned on the car, and started turning the wheel back and forth to bleed the system. I went to go see if it needed any more fluid while still running, and the reservoir was bubbling up with yellow foam. I turned the car off and smelled the bottle that I had just poured into my car. It smelled like Power Steering fluid mixed with detergent.

Well, long story short, I've spent the last couple days and about 50 dollars in PSF trying to flush out the system, with no progress. It was getting better yesterday, but today there was signifiigantly more foam and more shaking in the steering wheel. The whole car started to shake because of the pump freaking out on me. The method I used was one that I got out of another thread on here. Disconnect the LP line, drain fluid, reconnect, refill, turn on car, steer lock to lock twice, turn off car, repeat. I've probably cycled this about 13 or 14 times. I just want to know if I should try a different method, or just cut my losses and buy a new pump and rack.

Thanks in advance for replies

-Steve

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

What does your coolant look like? Is your PS Cooler cross contaminating the two systems?

Joshiedoom

iTrader: (4)

Thats my guess

Monkey_fuerte

Okay, I bypassed my Power steering cooler and flushed the system a couple of times to make sure there was no more coolant in there. My power steering works just fine now. Thanks for the responses. Is there any PS fluid recommended that can take higher temps now that I dont have a cooler anymore?

DaddySS

power steering cooler is $135 from the dealer - fyi

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Take a look at this article. According to them, the pump needs the cooler in order to protect the seals. If you want to ditch the cooler, you'll either be changing your pump more often or will need to get a cooler pump. (Cooler pumps will likely not perform as well at low RPM.) http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...fications.html

Or, you can check out LS6427's threads on an alternate cooler setup.

BTW - You'll also need to power flush your coolant a couple of times to get it clear again...

Joshiedoom

iTrader: (4)

If they burn up so easily why doesnt mine have a cooler from the factory?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Check out the first paragraph in the article above. In '98, they were only put on SS and WS6. Later on, it says they became standard on all 5.7L.

Joshiedoom

iTrader: (4)

Im rocking at 168k, stock one and shes been beat on. I had to hunt for that article lol.

01 ss vert

iTrader: (1)

A trans cooler works fine, and are $30 from a parts store!

SlammedWS6

Yea wen throught this myself, its the coooler for sure

nighthawk15

Or you can make your own with a tranny cooler radiator.

rabbit320

iTrader: (11)

yes use one from the store, i read somewhere on here that our power steering cooler actually add heat to our system because of location. had a brother with the same coloring problem... trash the cooler.

pjb

iTrader: (2)

I haven't done any research to the claim the cooler "adds heat", but just because something is said on here (and repeated) does not make it a fact. Does running automatic trans fluid through a cars radiator "add heat"? I tend to doubt it, since it is so common for manufactures to do so.

camaro1999ss818

hey guys, I have this problem too. How would I flush the power steering out?