Stumped on power steering problem.

[ASRoff]

how about an electric power steering pump from a Grand Cherokee?

[DarkoStoj]

is the cooler on the return side?

The racks take less pressure than the conventional style do. You can use the style cooler you have, just make absolutely sure it is on the low pressure side. It sounds like you have it on the high pressure side of the pump. It sounds like there may be a restriction somewhere. Double check the cooled to assure it isn't clogged with bits and pieces or stuff.

If you are initially installing the rack, then make sure you have that plumbed correctly. If it isn't, then the rack will turn all by itself (usually to the left).

Just my .02....grr

The cooler is on the low pressure side. I wouldn't think there is a restriction since all the parts were brand new. It has a AGR saginaw PS box, all new cooler/lines, and I tried 3 different pumps.

I think I am going to tap the return port of the pump and run a remote reservoir. I noticed there was a lot of cavitation in the factory power steering reservoir.

how about an electric power steering pump from a Grand Cherokee?

I am really kicking around the idea of installing a electronic rack and pinion off a newer mustang or camaro.

[grr456]

Figured you'd have it connected correctly, but you can always check.

Gary

[cjmatt]

we should just see how bad it is to drive manually, bypass the pump.

[wrath]

I've had nothing but problems with AGR stuff.

Do you have a P-series pump on it? They're the ones with the integral reservoir where the whole pump is submersed in it.

https://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gene...ml#post1679554
https://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gene...ml#post8621464

I have a factory P-series pump off a Chevy 1-ton van with hydroboost that I use to move the 44" tires on my mud truck, front and rear, and it does it on dry asphalt with both axles locked without hesitation. This particular pump is supposed to be the high volume one (supposedly a little north of 3gpm at 1300psi). I never verified it, but it is way better than one off a 2wd pickup or a G-body. It worked fine. I tried a ton of aftermarket pumps.

I had some weird problems similar to you. I ended up reducing the rate at which the pump spun to less than the engine RPM (instead of being overdriven) because of cavitation when inflicting stupid. I also had to replace all the return-side hoses to ones that could handle a lot of vacuum. I kept starving the pump because the return hoses would collapse which lead to lots of bubbles which caused the pump to overheat. These two problems were a side effect of the fact when I'm being stupid I usually hold the skinny pedal to the floor while operating the clutch and both steering ends. 3-4 minutes of doing this in a mud hole gets everything hot. Power steering pump always made it, a lot of clutches and axle shafts did not.

Later I drilled out the ports to 5/32" so I could get more volume and shimmed it so it produces 1400psi before blowing the relief. It's still a little slow when trying to move both front and rear at the same time, but it does it. The rear is a ram-only, the front is just ram-assisted. It made a moderate improvement with speed to steer but nothing impressive. I never ran a power steering cooler, but I had a lot more oil (two rams and all the hose to get to the rear steer).