Didn't think about the cold weather... (been in 80's, dropped to freezing last night) Running B100 bio... Truck started, I backed down the driveway, as soon as I was lengthwise across the street it died and it hit me that the cold weather gelled the bio. CRAP!

Should be fine once it warms back up though right???

But that's not the best part, as we did our 3 point turn (3 people pushing, and really horsing the steering wheel) to get it lined up to the curb, I apparently blew the steering pump?

There's a pretty good puddle out in the street, and a small amount under the pitman arm where it's parked now.

So did I kill the pump? Blow a seal? Is there some kind of relief valve that allowed the fluid out?

It's not actively dripping fluid now, and I won't be able to start the truck up until Monday when it gets over 40 degrees.

SOB!

 

The fluid probably just puked out the top.
Quite common when turning the steering wheel without the engine running because fluid returns back to the reservoir but doesn't get pumped back out.

 

Puked out the top of the pump, or the resovoir?

 

Isn't the resevoir on top of the pump ?Last time I looked mine was anyway .Are you thinking the fluid came out the pump or the steering gear box?

 

Ya know what, I'm not even sure. I've never looked at either I'll look at it closer tomorrow. Only thing I know for sure is that it was dropping off the pitman arm, so that would tell me it was above that. If it was the box, it wouldn't have been on the trackbar/pitman arm.

 

Lets not forget the hydro boost accumulator , if you pressed the brake at all it probably used the reserve oil in the accumulator , which would return to tank once used , and if the res was full , it would obviously overflow. Turning the wheel with the pump not running won't hurt a thing.

 

Thanks for the tips, I'll pop the hood tomorrow and look at it. I didn't have time today, after I got the truck on the side of the road I jumped in our other car and continued on my way. I only got home a couple hours ago.

 

The reservoir, from the vents in the cap.
Likely all you need to do is refill the reservoir.

 

your truck should start up on the bio....


i run straight veggy oil and i forgot to switch back to diesel when i came home the other night, it was 25* the next morning and it still started... it ran rough for several minutes then was fine...


just start it and hold it at about 1200-1400rpms and it'll clear out

 

Well I got it started this afternoon, it's running fine. I checked the power steering level, it looks fine, but it's definetely what puked. I can't find my book, but do you screw the cap in all the way to get the level?

Not sure if I'm being paranoid, but when turning to the left now you can feel a slight hangup. Probably always there, but we'll see how it goes.

 

You may have to turn the wheel back and forth lock to lock several times to get the air out. Then recheck the oil again, and I do beleive it has to be all the way down to check the fluid level.