i'm upgrading the power steering box in my 69 convertible to the IROC box. everything is installed and i'm refilling the system.

so, my plan was to disconnect the return line at the power steering pump and run that into a oil catch pan. then i could fill the pump and spin it with an electric drill to refill the system with fluid, and to bleed any air out of the box.

how long should it take for the ps box to refill, and for fluid to be flowing out of the return line?? i've spun the pump for about 5 mins and haven't seen any flow.

pump is bad ??????? or just some faulty logic to my plan ???

thanks

bill

In order to fill a steering gear box with oil you need to actually stroke the gear full lock to full lock in order for the oil to flow into the box.

Jack the front wheels up off the ground. Rotate the steering wheel full lock to full lock about 2 dozen times. Refill the power steering pump reservoir as needed during the process. You do NOT start the engine during this time. (Note, this is a good time to also have someone carefully look under the front end to inspect the power steering hose routings to make sure that the full lock travel of the linkage is not causing the hoses to hit anything such as the linkage or any other stationary front end structure).

Let the car down, start the engine and turn the steering wheel to full lock a couple times. Refill as necessary. Go for a short drive. You should be done.

If you start the engine with air still in the system, the air gets circulated with the oil. It gets pumped into the power steering pump where it gets whipped with the oil into a foamy froth (milky in appearance). It then can result in erratic power assist and can take quite a while for the air to work its way out of the system.

I also recommend that you use genuine GM power steering fluid - available from GM dealerships. It is the only power steering fluid specifically formulated to operate with the Saginaw power steering pumps.

JIML82

ok. the car is currently totally up on jackstands. the brake system is out, as is the radiator and a few other things. i'm replacing several things at once. so, i have that part covered.

you said "rotate the steering wheel full lock to full lock about 2 dozen times. Refill the power steering pump reservoir as needed during the process. You do NOT start the engine during this time." that's it? rotating the steering wheel lock to lock will pull the fluid into the steering box? i don't need to be spinning the pump to do anything? i'm assuming that when you say to NOT start the engine, that means that the pump pulley isn't being turned.

once i have the steering box full of fluid, i'll see fluid flow through the return line?

thats what i was going to ask b/c i will be doing this in a week...do you hook up all the lines to the pump and box and just turn the wheel back and forth to prime it or do you un hook the return line.....

yes, hook up all the fluid lines. No need to pump fluid into a can or anything.
Fill the reservior, crank it lock to lock, check level, top off, repeat.

Do NOT start the engine, it will whip the fluid into a froth that could take days to clear.

Just hook up the lines and stroke the gear by turning the steering wheel full lock to full lock. The oil will be manually circulated down into the gear and the air will come up into the pump reservoir in big bubbles. Refill the reservoir to the COLD mark on the capstick. Then you can start the car.

JIML82

alright thanks guys

thanks guys. i'll finish this replacement up this week.