Power steering o-ring fix

Go get a Subaru oring. Your probably still leaking air with that generic part.

 

I'd try an oem o-ring before doing anything else, they're only around $2 from the dealer.

 

Picked one up today, will see

Picked one up today, will see

 

Put 2 on, double ring that bugger.

Put 2 on, double ring that bugger.

 

Is that even safe? Got the Subaru branded ring on today, put it in the pump, pushed the connector in place with a pretty snug fit, tightened down, still whines and foams like mad. Seems to be extra bad when the steering hits the limits to either side.

 

I guess next step is to swap out the clamps on the vacuum tube from the reservoir with geared clamps then if that doesn't work try the Red RTV gasket maker around the connector.

Yes, use 2, put them on the tube. Use some fluid for lube and slide it in. The 1st one puts the 2nd down in the bore further for a better seal, imho. Maybe not so humble

Yes, use 2, put them on the tube. Use some fluid for lube and slide it in. The 1st one puts the 2nd down in the bore further for a better seal, imho. Maybe not so humble

 

Tried, rapidly cultivated foam and whine. :-(

Are you sure it's seated correctly? If you have air in the system it's going to take some work to get it out after the seal is fixed. Seal it. Push some new fluid through it and go try to do some slow figure 8 lock to lock at a parking lot.

I was thinking that and didn't want to say it, because I wasn't sure if I was correct or not.

 

I think it takes time for air to get out of the ps system, so the ps fluid might be foamy for.. a couple days? I don't know how long, but I'd do figure 8's in the parking lot like kzr said, run the steering lock to lock to try and get any air out of the system.

So one thing I've noted is if I hit the locks the whine goes crazy and then is present throughout the range. If I avoid the locks, it seems to do better. This morning wasnt very noisy but the was some stutter in the wheel...

 

As far as knowing it's seated correctly, I have no idea how I can know that for sure. Seems to be flush all around?

And your reservoir is full-up at cold? and proper fill at hot?

And your reservoir is full-up at cold? and proper fill at hot?

 

Yes at cold, hard to tell at hot because it's often a foamy mess. Though, once it gets warm the squeal dies down.. temp are rising in our area so this problem might get "better" no matter what I do soon

The foam indicates air, and the squealing/juddering indicates that the system is not bled.

 

If air is getting into the system, at the o-ring, or at the reservoir tank suction hose, then you'll never be able to fully bleed the system.

I feel like the steering in my legacy and other cars have always been noisy when the wheel is at, or close to lock. So I'm not sure if that's abnormal

I notice this more with older fluid, so that may explain some of the noisiness.

I feel like the steering in my legacy and other cars have always been noisy when the wheel is at, or close to lock. So I'm not sure if that's abnormal

 

It's not so much that it's noisier at the locks, it's that when I hit the locks, it gets noisy and stays noisy throughout the range afterwards. The noise doesn't worry me as much as the stuttering steering wheel...

 

I notice this more with older fluid, so that may explain some of the noisiness.

 

Have put 2 quarts of fluid through the system. Pulled some out now and the fluid looks identical in clarity to the fresh fluid.

 

Is it safe to assume that if air is entering the system while it's running that it has to be somewhere between the reservoir output connection and the pump intake connection? This is the only place where the line should be in a vacuum state, everything beyond that should be high pressure and fluid should go out, rather than air going in and even if the air is getting in beyond the pump, it would self-bleed when it hits the reservoir?

 

Also, for the vacuum lines, can I use micro gear clamps to replace the spring clamps? Just to make sure the line connections are ok?

Edited February 16, 2018 by blaugranamd

If you are getting foam, then you are getting air. That can only originate between the reservoir and the pump, unless you have some materially different setup.

 

On the micro-gear clamps, if you have them and they're sized appropriately, sure, not a problem. You could also use the twisted wire lock between the hose barb and the clamp for extra sealing. Like a safety wire if you know what that is.

If you are getting foam, then you are getting air. That can only originate between the reservoir and the pump, unless you have some materially different setup.

 

That's what I thought. With the only connections being the reservoir to hose, hose to banjo, banjo to pump intake there's only 3 places this can leak then, yes?

Could a bad cap seal let air in? I replaced my cap a couple years ago because it was somehow letting a little fluid leak out.

So your sure the oring is going in clean?

I had to try again after pinching the first one, bought three just in case... If I remember correctly it's best to put the oring on the elbow and insert as square as possible. You'll have plenty of atf around for lube.

 

If it's pink foamy all the way through you'll have to flush a few times and let it sit for a bit between attempts. Having the car up so you can move the rack back and forth will also purge out some air.

I have read both: better to put the o ring in the pump opening and better to put on the elbow. Maybe I just need to do a better purge with the engine off? I don't want to just keep popping that elbow off every few days and resetting the o ring indefinitely. Gonna try this bleeding method today as I had been just starting it up and racking the wheel:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://strongforsubaru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/How_to_bleed_Subaru_Power_Steering_systems.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwi2pfSZw6rZAhXGtVkKHTTyCycQFggnMAE&usg=AOvVaw1tcMYvQP5OCd9NekzNQRRQ

Yes exactly... Don't start it and purge all that air infused fluid out of the system.

So went through that purge routine and there was a nice gurgle at each lock when I got it and when I let it go. Never got the fluid to stay level. Noted some pooled ATF just behind the PS pump that wasn't there before and what looks like fresh leak around the elbow joint from the vacuum hose... I don't know what to do next

Noted some pooled ATF just behind the PS pump that wasn't there before and what looks like fresh leak around the elbow joint from the vacuum hose... I don't know what to do next ��

Sorry, I haven't kept track of what you've already done. But sounds like either the pump itself, or the suction hose is leaking (if you can tell it's not the o-ring). I am replacing my suction hose and also the piece of return hose that goes into the reservoir (though it can't cause an air problem); got Sunsong hoses from RockAuto, much cheaper than OEM and they look very nice, but I haven't installed 'em yet.

 

I can tell you that after I first messed with mine to replace the o-ring, I was having fluid pooled behind the pump and leakage around the elbow joint, and tightening up the clamp (I replaced OEM one with regular worm-gear kine) fixed it. In fact, mine is fine now (after a bunch of air leakage after some bitterly cold weather), but I'm gonna replace those hoses soon, and then I'll have to go through the whole purge procedure again (argh!!).

 

Good luck, it's a sticky problem.

That's what I thought. With the only connections being the reservoir to hose, hose to banjo, banjo to pump intake there's only 3 places this can leak then, yes?

I think you're confused. Banjo bolt is the high-pressure line from pump to steering rack. That can leak fluid, but not allow air in (I don't think). The three places air can get in are the two ends of the suction hose, and the o-ring.

So I reseated the o ring again, this time put it on the elbow, hand torqued the elbow (had been using my impact driver on the low setting...). Bled the system with the engine off and wheels up, seemed to still make a lot of sloshing and gurgling. Unplugged the spark plug wires and turned it over a few times, worked the wheel, turned over engine, repeated a few more times. No whine this morning and no foam after driving to work, which is a big improvement from yesterday's banshee screech and overflowing foamed fluid on arrival at work. Still a bit of stutter when quickly moving the wheel back and forth but better than it had been. Hopefully some driving time will finish bleeding out whatever air might still be in there. Keep you posted. Edited February 28, 2018 by blaugranamd

So seems drastically improved. However, still seems like anytime I bump the wheel locks (like backing out of a tight parking spot) the PS pump squeals at the lock then is mad the rest of the drive. Is this just maybe a minor leak that only comes out when the pump is putting max suction on the line?