1960 - 1969 CORRECT Power Steering Filter NOW AVAILABLE!

[TonyC]

Yes, Nick, that's including the bleeding procedure virtually every time, turning on the wiper control before I even crank the engine, letting it sit for a few minutes, turning the wheel end to end during that time. Still it groans...well, admittedly not today, but more often than not it does. To my knowledge all the lines are in order; not one flex section is more than ten years old.

---Tony

[tomo]

It could be that you are sucking air into the system from the low pressure side hose. Take a good look at all of the connections on that hose. You should bleed the system with the front wheels off of the ground. If that doesn't fix your problem, have the front wheels off of the ground and have someone turn the wheel against one lock and then the other while you check the lines, pump and steering components for something unusual under the hood. Air is getting into the system somehow.

[TonyC]

Sorry, all, I just realized that I never completed the record on that issue I had. I went into detail elsewhere, but I'll do a summary here as well for good measure. It turned out that the groaning was due to the impeller sleeve and its bearing eating each other up. When I saw that, I knew I could not re-use that pump; so I pulled out a spare I had, rebuilt it with new seals, inspected it for smooth, fluid-tight operation, and installed. End of problem. That was last year.

Then the new problem occurred this year, just a few days ago in fact, which prompted me to start a new thread: During a road trip the system suddenly started to froth and belch fluid up the filler pipe, bathing the left side of the engine bay in fluid. But that was the only place that fluid loss was occurring. The fluid also started to turn brown, as though it was being cooked in the system. On a hunch I took the filter out, to see what effect that had; and the frothing and belching stopped. The filter was clogging the fluid flow. It could be that some residue from the old steering pump just finally caught up and clogged the filter, and removing it freed up the flow. Oddly, though, the cold level of fluid has stayed at the FULL mark without my having to add any fluid, this despite the amount of fluid that sprayed the engine bay, and the removal of the filter. I do intend to get a new one once I return from the road trip, but for now I have to run unfiltered, and hope the pump withstands unfiltered and partially-cooked fluid. At least it is not groaning nor leaking...yet.

---Tony

[Dan Szwarc]

The filter was clogging the fluid flow.

Did you order one of John's filters?

[TonyC]

Yes, the filter I pulled was one of John's, which makes it rather strange. On the other hand, nothing about this new crisis makes any sense. Nearly all the power steering system was purged during the rebuild, the only undisturbed part being the steering box, and no telltale signs of trouble came up at all until I started this road trip. Now it's like it's slowly self-destructing.

I can only hope it holds up enough to get me to Ocala to get new A/C lines on order, then back to Kansas next week, when I can start doing more exploratory surgery.

---Tony

[George W]

When you get home you may want to cut the “old” filter apart to see if it, in fact, is clogged or clogging and what was clogging it. Metal or rubber or whatever else could have caused the frothing.

[TonyC]

Oh, I have a lot of surgery involved when I get home. In fact, the latest is that the symptoms have returned now, so the filter itself may be okay. I'm suspecting that the pump is failing...dammit. It hasn't started sounding death throes yet or dumping fluid on the ground, just still belching up the pipe...but the pump has to be the cause. That is the one component responsible for circulating and pressurizing the fluid. I'll still have to add another filter to my shopping list, because there's no telling how much debris is already trapped in the filter.

---Tony

[George W]

Could it be that the system is sucking in air on the inlet side of the pump ? Perhaps on the hose or the connections between the reservoir and the pump inlet ?

[TonyC]

Well, maybe, although the inlet hose is fluid-tight. It has been years since I replaced it. I wanted to during the big rebuild, but I could not find a source for 5/8" hydraulic hose that didn't require me to buy a 25- or 50-foot roll of it. I'm prepared to look at all possibilities; if I can get a reasonable length of that hose, I intend to replace it.

Meanwhile, last night I ordered one of those M2E pump kits that include the sleeve bearing, and another Brewer filter, although I don't think the latter is the cause anymore. I blew through it before and after I sprayed my old one, and it seems clear. Still, there could be embedded debris, so it would be prudent to put in a new one anyway. For right now, however, I drained as much toasted fluid as I could with intent to add new fluid. Yes, mixing new with compromised fluid is not advisable, but it's all I can do in Florida. Hopefully the mix will slow any further breaking down until I get back home. The system survived with toasted fluid from Dallas to Quincy, then two round-trips between Quincy and Ocala, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that.

---Tony

[RMAENV]

Tony,

Just go to a hydraulics shop and have them make you a hose. They will do high or low pressure and match what you have.

[TonyC]

Thank you, Rob; I didn't think of checking hydraulic shops for replacement hosing, and I should have. I'll do that.

Anyway, I have determined that my steering problem is not caused by the filter, that it wasn't even a major contributor. I sprayed the filter clean and re-installed it, drained as much old fluid from the pump and reservoir as I could, poured in new fluid at a somewhat lower level to help mitigate any belching, and crossed my fingers hoping that will at least delay any more serious symptoms until I can make it home.

---Tony

Follow-up, 12 April: The big question-mark about how to install the new filter is no longer a question. I think John got enough questions regarding the installation instructions that he also decided to label the filter itself to erase any doubt about which is "TOP" and which is "BOTTOM." Basically, the side that has that perforated plate on it is the top side of the filter. So folks, that is now established canon.