Can I run my truck without Power Steering Fluid?
- Thread starter mubai
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mubai
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I'm done with the removal/positioning of the wires and battery. I started to work on the bolts that are holding down the lines but the head is rounded due to rust so I PB Blasted it and will try again tomorrow morning. I'm also going to buy a set of bolt removers just as a backup and possibly future use. These are the ones I'm looking at:
Here is the stuck bolt
:
Wires and battery removed/moved and shot of the horn I had move so that I could get to the bolts of the battery tray
:
After all of this spray underneath the truck you would think PS fluid would be empty
:
Here is the stuck bolt
:Wires and battery removed/moved and shot of the horn I had move so that I could get to the bolts of the battery tray
:After all of this spray underneath the truck you would think PS fluid would be empty
:
mubai
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Still slipped. Went to PepBoys and bought this set. It was $28 at PepBoys and $20 at Lowes. I had PepBoys price match. Worked pretty good to get it loose. You have to set the bolt remover on and use BFH to get the bolt remover to cut into the bolt. After it got loose, I couldn't get the bolt remover to stay on, it started to slip again. I put my regular 10mm socket on it came out pretty easily. OK, back to work then back to this tonight.
mubai
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Tire removed, clip holding down the line removed (see below on this, I didn't need to take out the stuck bolt), line from gear box removed and I'm letting it drip drain overnight. Not that it matters too much, I got damn steering fluid in puddles in my garage from trying to find the leak initially. 
Not experienced with these lines, I didn't realize they were held down by these metal clips, which had a foam/rubber piece around the lines. Also, these things were so rusty, it just looked like one round metal cover.
Here are some shots of my ratchet, extension and 8mm socket around the bolt that holds both lines in the gear box
Once the bolt was removed, I needed to wedge a screw driver and hammer between the gear box and metal plate to get the metal plate to pop off. It wasn't too bad, just need a long screw driver. Two lines draining, not much fluid came out, few ounces.
Tomorrow, I will remove the line to the cooler and let it drain. By looking at these lines, I'm not sure how much more life it has, I'm afraid to touch the other line for fear of more leaks.
My one car garage, not a lot of space, but still better than 20F outside.
Tire had PS Fluid on it too from the puddle on the floor, wiped it off with some paper towels and left them on there so I didn't get it on me.
My past driveway repairs, I was so disorganized with my tools, they were sprawled all over the driveway, this time I decided not to leave anything on the floor. I got a box and put whatever tool I wasn't using at the time in the box. Great time saver and safety from tripping over tools or you know that time when you got down on your knees to look at something under the car and wham!, a bolt, hammer, socket jammed in your knee cap?
Hopefully, I'll get it wrapped up tomorrow and put up my final pics. I hope everyone is enjoying the story.
Not experienced with these lines, I didn't realize they were held down by these metal clips, which had a foam/rubber piece around the lines. Also, these things were so rusty, it just looked like one round metal cover.
Here are some shots of my ratchet, extension and 8mm socket around the bolt that holds both lines in the gear box
Once the bolt was removed, I needed to wedge a screw driver and hammer between the gear box and metal plate to get the metal plate to pop off. It wasn't too bad, just need a long screw driver. Two lines draining, not much fluid came out, few ounces.
Tomorrow, I will remove the line to the cooler and let it drain. By looking at these lines, I'm not sure how much more life it has, I'm afraid to touch the other line for fear of more leaks.
My one car garage, not a lot of space, but still better than 20F outside.
Tire had PS Fluid on it too from the puddle on the floor, wiped it off with some paper towels and left them on there so I didn't get it on me.
My past driveway repairs, I was so disorganized with my tools, they were sprawled all over the driveway, this time I decided not to leave anything on the floor. I got a box and put whatever tool I wasn't using at the time in the box. Great time saver and safety from tripping over tools or you know that time when you got down on your knees to look at something under the car and wham!, a bolt, hammer, socket jammed in your knee cap?
Hopefully, I'll get it wrapped up tomorrow and put up my final pics. I hope everyone is enjoying the story.
Sparky
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Those other lines you're looking at with the rubber hoses spring clamped onto them are to the power steering cooler. Mine rusted and died a long time ago, before I got the truck, and was bypassed then. I never bothered replacing it and just left it bypassed this whole time. I haven't noticed any ill effects, though I did replace the pump last summer (with nearly 200k miles on it).
mubai
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Everything is fixed and put back together. Wife says steering wheel has a better feel than before. Took me about 5 hours in total (taking out the battery was an issue, focused on the wrong bolt at one point, cleaning up the fluid, putting the battery terminals back on had some minor issues) I could probably do this again in 2.5 hours, less with another person. Very doable and a lot less painful than ball joints. YMMV.
mubai
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One more note, I just called the dealer to see how much this would have cost me (how much I saved).
Parts: $333 - seems ridiculous
Labor: $486 - 4.5 hours - ha! about the same time I spent.
Total: $819
I spent about: $88
$40 - Line
$30 - Rounded bolt remover tool, which I didn't need.
$7 - Power steering fluid
$3 - Clamps
$6 - Oil absorbent
$12 - Degreaser - oil cleanup
Savings = $731.00
It is a little skewed, since I called and got an estimate. They did say this was the worst case scenario and they would like to see it to give a more accurate quote.
Parts: $333 - seems ridiculous
Labor: $486 - 4.5 hours - ha! about the same time I spent.
Total: $819
I spent about: $88
$40 - Line
$30 - Rounded bolt remover tool, which I didn't need.
$7 - Power steering fluid
$3 - Clamps
$6 - Oil absorbent
$12 - Degreaser - oil cleanup
Savings = $731.00
It is a little skewed, since I called and got an estimate. They did say this was the worst case scenario and they would like to see it to give a more accurate quote.
Well, finally got around to attacking my leak yesterday. Was about 28 degrees out, but, we haven't been getting much better than that, so off we go...
First, I unbolted the brackets on both sides of the engine that keep the AC line in place, then bungee'd it out of the way as much as possible (which isn't a lot, but helps for sure). I then bent the 2 steel tabs up on the bracket holding the 2 steel power steering lines in place at the top of the strut tower. Then I removed the rubber grommet thing under that, which holds the lines. I then removed a small bolt from a bracket down below that and to the front, that also holds those 2 lines. That allowed them to flex up a little above the surface of the strut tower.
I kind of expected to see both lines pretty rusted under the entire 3-4" run of that grommet, but it really just caused the lines to rust at both ends of it (so...4 rust spots total). My pinhole leak was on one of those 4 spots. It turned out to be (luckily) on the return line (outer, closest to fender). I broke out the sawzall with a metal cutting blade, pried the line up with a flat pry bar with one hand, and carefully cut with the other. This made for a rough edged cut of course, so I found in my arsenal, the smallest pipe cutter that I own(the kind you spin by hand around a pipe, and keep tightening as you go). I had JUST enough room to get it turned around the line. So, I made 2 nice clean cuts with that, one to either side of the initial sawzall cut. Wiped the line clean. Installed a 3/8" brass compression union, and fired it up. No more leak! Wphew!
Gotta love when something costs $6 and a couple hours of work, instead of over $900 (which it would have cost to have both lines replaced at a shop.
First, I unbolted the brackets on both sides of the engine that keep the AC line in place, then bungee'd it out of the way as much as possible (which isn't a lot, but helps for sure). I then bent the 2 steel tabs up on the bracket holding the 2 steel power steering lines in place at the top of the strut tower. Then I removed the rubber grommet thing under that, which holds the lines. I then removed a small bolt from a bracket down below that and to the front, that also holds those 2 lines. That allowed them to flex up a little above the surface of the strut tower.
I kind of expected to see both lines pretty rusted under the entire 3-4" run of that grommet, but it really just caused the lines to rust at both ends of it (so...4 rust spots total). My pinhole leak was on one of those 4 spots. It turned out to be (luckily) on the return line (outer, closest to fender). I broke out the sawzall with a metal cutting blade, pried the line up with a flat pry bar with one hand, and carefully cut with the other. This made for a rough edged cut of course, so I found in my arsenal, the smallest pipe cutter that I own(the kind you spin by hand around a pipe, and keep tightening as you go). I had JUST enough room to get it turned around the line. So, I made 2 nice clean cuts with that, one to either side of the initial sawzall cut. Wiped the line clean. Installed a 3/8" brass compression union, and fired it up. No more leak! Wphew!
Gotta love when something costs $6 and a couple hours of work, instead of over $900 (which it would have cost to have both lines replaced at a shop.
danj
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- Sep 29, 2014
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I may have missed other comments on here, but steering products are my job.
DO NOT RUN YOUR PUMP WITHOUT FLUID!
It will cause the vanes to stick inside of the rotor and burn up the pump.
Also, any connector your using to patch the leak has to be rated for up to 1500psi for the pressure line. The return line is low pressure so that's not as big of a deal, but that pressure line runs about 100psi at idle and about 1300psi at lock. I know it sucks to do, but I would buy the correct replacement line just to be safe.
DO NOT RUN YOUR PUMP WITHOUT FLUID!
It will cause the vanes to stick inside of the rotor and burn up the pump.
Also, any connector your using to patch the leak has to be rated for up to 1500psi for the pressure line. The return line is low pressure so that's not as big of a deal, but that pressure line runs about 100psi at idle and about 1300psi at lock. I know it sucks to do, but I would buy the correct replacement line just to be safe.
danj
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If it's not making noise, and you still have assist you should be good to go. Sorry I missed the part about the return line. One of my many jobs here is to diagnose power steering troubles, so as soon as I read "can I run my pump without fluid" a little voice in the back of my head started yelling "NNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!". It was distracting.
DARKASS04EXT
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- Nov 21, 2011
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Which line is the pressure line and which is the return line? I just started to have a leak at that rubber bushing and havent been able to take off the clamp yet. Mine happened when my strut was removed. The strut was broken so the spring shot up into the top of strut tower and i guess the impact from underneath broke the corroded line. I havent had a chance to pull off the bushing so im unsure which line is my issue.
Is Return line closer to the strut bolts or is it the other hose closer to the engine?
Is Return line closer to the strut bolts or is it the other hose closer to the engine?
IIRC, it's the one closer to the wheel. To confirm, just follow it down the front of the strut tower and it should connect to the oil cooler with a skimpy clamp. It it's a high pressure line, you'll know it by the heavy hose and crimp.