I am having a really stupid issue with the PS system in my car. Its a 2002 Formula. Issue started up just a few days ago. My PS pump started blowing out power steering fluid from underneath the pump on the driver side of the car. It was not coming out of the hose, but instead the lower left side of the pump. I replaced the pump with another one and it came out in the exact same place. At this point I assumed there was a blockage so I had a mechanic friend of mine replace the rack and pinion and check the lines for blockages. No blockages, bypassed the ps cooler, new rack and pinion and it still blows out the side on the left lower side of the pump. The lines are also on the corrects sides. For something so simple it is very, very frustrating.

From what we can see the pump does not leak at idle, only when the wheels are turning left or right. When you turn the wheels left or right it sprays a very large mist out of what I believe to be some sort of check valve. Obviously I have way too much pressure, but why? I seen pumps leak out the top but I have never seen this before.

 

What kinda pump did you replace it with? Even cheap aftermarket should blow out like that but still... P/S cooler hoses arent hooked up backwards are they? Or hooked up wrong at the rack (I've done it lol but usually makes the steering wheel shake voilently side to side)

 

I used an refurb pump from the box stores. While they do have bad pumps occasionally they don't fail as often as some would believe, especially right out of the box, but anything is possible. The P/S cooler is bypassed as to rule it out and the lines are not hooked up wrong because it has the same symptoms on two different racks and two different pumps, one set stock and the other new refurbished. I am at a complete loss currently.

 

Did your reman pump come with a new tank or did you replace that yourself?

It sounds like you are describing fluid coming out from the pressure relief valve, but I'd think it would be really rare for two pumps to fail like that in succession.

 

I bought the reman with tank so as to limit issues. That is exactly where it is coming out of but I do not know why.

 

Put a third pump on today and it did the exact same thing. We used Turn One's instructions for bleeding and purging and it still comes out the freaking pressure relief valve. Replacing both high and low pressure lines tomorrow but both appear great and are not leaking. The only theory that I even have left is that the high pressure line is some how collapsing once the system reaches vacuum and forcing the fluid back into the pump. Is this possible?

 

is anything coming out the return line? sounds like a blockage is forcing the relief valve open

 

This is what is puzzling. The pump takes the fluid when filling without issue, but when the wheels turn this thing pisses its pants all over the engine bay from the pressure relief valve. I really have nothing left to replace other than both lines, which we used an air compressor on to look for a blockage but they passed that test easy. At this point I have a new refurbished rack and pinion, pump, and I have bypassed the cooler lines. No known blockage in the lines, but I have a theory that perhaps one is collapsing some how and causing a buildup of pressure, but I have never heard of this happening on a power steering system for our cars. The entire ordeal is extremly frustrating and i really, really do not wish to take this car to a GM dealership.

 

I'd put in another pump before I'd do this...

I have to ask -> what kind of fluid are you using in the system?

 

I'm on my third pump now and I don't feel that is the problem. Astronomical odds three pumps fail like this. I am using regular power steering fluid with the GM approved logo. Nothing fancy, just what I have always used.

 

Did you replace your steering rack before you had these problems? Maybe you got a junk one if not.