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Hard Steering after installing steering gearbox

4K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  Lilla j 
#1 ·
1998 ZJ 5.9L Just installed reman. steering gear box, and New high pressure and return lines and filled P/S pump and started engine. topped off fluid as needed while turning the steering wheel lock to lock a few times. Steering is Very hard to turn the wheel and there is alot of tiny air bubbles in the P/S reservoir . After a little google time I jacked the front end off the ground put on jack stands to keep the tires off the ground and with engine off I cycled the steering lock to lock 30 times to get the air out. Put the tires back on the ground topped off the fluid and started engine and the steering is still very hard to turn the wheel.

What could the problem be? I've never had this problem with the old loose gear box and never had this problem after installing new reman P/S pump. P/S pump is several, several years old. Could it just be weak?

Also I switched from ATF +4 fluid to P/S fluid. If that makes a difference or not who knows, it ran the ATF +4 for several years, 10 + years with No problems. Makes me wonder why I switched it to P/S Fluid.

Any help would be greatly appreciated
 
#2 ·
Dang 18 people viewed my post but nobody has responded. Years ago when I was building my ZJ people on here responded real quick and actually helped. Anyway, I have Never had a problem like this replacing a gear box and or P/S pump. Hopefully someone will reply with some good info.
 
#3 ·
Could be the pressure relief vale sticking on the steering pump, try unplugging and replugging in the electric sensors/valves on the pump as my 4.0 suffers from this at times :)
Could also be the new steering box may have been adjusted and set to tight, but if it has foaming/bubbles in oil then it sounds more like an air lock and all you can do is keep changing the fluid and bleed it with the engine running and some resistance on the steering :)
when you cycle the steering with the pump not working it can force the oil out and drag air in
 
#4 ·
Thank you very much for responding. My pump does not have the pressure relief valve / No electrical connection on it. I'll keep trying to bleed the air out with engine running and some resistance on the steering. Thanks
 
#5 ·
1998 ZJ 5.9L Just installed reman. steering gear box, and New high pressure and return lines and filled P/S pump and started engine. topped off fluid as needed while turning the steering wheel lock to lock a few times. Steering is Very hard to turn the wheel and there is alot of tiny air bubbles in the P/S reservoir . After a little google time I jacked the front end off the ground put on jack stands to keep the tires off the ground and with engine off I cycled the steering lock to lock 30 times to get the air out. Put the tires back on the ground topped off the fluid and started engine and the steering is still very hard to turn the wheel.

What could the problem be? I've never had this problem with the old loose gear box and never had this problem after installing new reman P/S pump. P/S pump is several, several years old. Could it just be weak?

Also I switched from ATF +4 fluid to P/S fluid. If that makes a difference or not who knows, it ran the ATF +4 for several years, 10 + years with No problems. Makes me wonder why I switched it to P/S Fluid.

Any help would be greatly appreciated
I have a 2004 jgc and I'm having the same problem been to different Mechanicst they told me to do the same as you did,I tried again this morning didn't help I see gold specks in the pump while the engine is running I don't know if there is a problem in the gear box or the atf+4 comes like that.any help is appreciated.
 
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