ASAP I Need Help

[biggsj84]

Not sure if this is in the wrong topic...sry admins

Tonight after work, while the ground was wet, i decided to be an idiot and spin some tires and do some donuts...well after the first one, it seemed that something had gone wrong with the power steering, so i parked it and popped the hood. It sounded as if something was leaking, cause i could hear a slight hiss coming from around the power steering box...so the question is

are power steering hoses/fluids expensive and hard to replace, and would it be messed with if having the plugs and wires replaced, cause then i can try and blame it on STS and not have to pay for it...

The help will be greatly appreciated

[JPiZZiJP]

Is your power steering not working at all now? and how many miles on the car? Your power steering pump might be shot... This past winter, I was trying to get up a hill with snow and ice on it, and as I spun my tires, my power steering pump went. If your serpentine belt is falling off now, then it's definitely the pump.

~Joe

[79CamaroDiva]

It sounded as if something was leaking, cause i could hear a slight hiss coming from around the power steering box

Was there a puddle on the ground in the morning? Pretty good sign somehting is leaking ;) (sorry for playing captain obvious)
Was this a hissing like air leaking? Engine running while its making the hiss? Hows the belt? Dumb question, but did you check to make sure theres fluid in the pump? Hissing could be pressure build up while the belt turning the pump with no fluid. If the belts frayed, the pumps probably shot.

I cant imagine anybody needing to go near the power steering pump to change the plugs and wires.

[biggsj84]

Update...

Went out in the morning to see no visable leaks or wear on the belt. Ran to pep boys in the mini van, grabbed some fluid and tryed to refill power steering tank. It was registering low on the dip so i added up to the C line and looked to see if there were any leaks...none. So i took it around for a drive to see if ne changes, and nothing, its still ridiculously hard to turn the wheel. Im hoping its not the pump...gonna take it to the shop tommorow to see if neone can figure it out...ne one have neother ideas to what it could be?

[foff667]

sounds like the pump to me or something clogged in the box :shrug:

[Fasterthanyou]

Sounds a lot like the pump is dead. Being low on fluid is death to these hydralic pumps. With trapped air the vanes start to wear hardcore and if one comes out the rest will follow.
No plugs and wires having nothing to do with the steering and they wouldn't (shouldn't) have touched them. By doing donuts you're near redline and turning the steering back and forth. Sometimes **** happens, rare, but it does. Having low fluid just compounded that problem.
Just to be sure it isn't the rack, remove the sealing boots on the ends and check for fluid there. If there is a lot of fluid it's the rack seals, if it's not, it's the pump. Not to sound like I think you're an idiot, but is the pulley on the pump tight? Remove the belt and check that the pulley is on there really tight.

[Snuffles]

The symptoms sound exactly what I've heard everytime the pump goes.
My guess would be your pump crapped out on you.
It happens during donuts or even pulling into a spot hard, it's not too uncommon.
Do a search on LS1.com or Fbody.com, it'll pop up.

[12secondv6]

Maybe dead pump?

I run manual steering.... so what do I know

[biggsj84]

ring pinion and seals went, mechanic found metal in the pump, so that needs to be replaced too...its in the shop getting done now...damn the luck

[Fasterthanyou]

ring pinion and seals went, mechanic found metal in the pump, so that needs to be replaced too...its in the shop getting done now...damn the luck
Wow, so let me get this straight. It's the pump AND the rack? It's making sence since you DID drive around without assist for a while. Normally the rack and pinion don't see much force since the power assist is at either end of the rack. no assist = lots of load on those poor gears :( . It's probably best you replace them both since the pump taking a **** put metal fluid into the system.