98 buick century power steering HELP!!!

This is driving me crazy:banghead:
A year ago I had a shop put an inner tie rod on my car. shortly after that the car would not turn left with power assist sometimes. I replaced the power steering pump and still had the same problem. Had another shop tell me it was the rack "cause yer pump don't care which way yer turnin its the rack". Drove the car becase I did not have time to mess with the rack and it got worse until no power in either direction so... I eventually got sick of driving the car that way and I replaced the rack. Now the new rack is on and still no power steering.


I turned the steering wheel in both directions seversl times with car up on a jack to bleed like the book said and I could not really tell if all the bubbles were completley out becase it had foamed up so much. It did take more fluid as I turned the wheel back & forth and I kept adding fluid until the level did not go down any more. I turned it about 10 times in both directions and - still - no - power - steering! AAARRRGGGH!

It got late and I gave up for the day. If anybody has some suggestions I will put them to the test on the next round with this #$*@ car.

Ir it's foaming, air is getting in somewhere. Check your hose connection out on the pump.

checked all connections and tried bleeding again, no more foam or bubbles but still no power steering!:banghead:
when tuning wheel back & forth to blleed (tried with resivoir cap on & off) noticed suction to cap when procedure wass done with cap on

Variable-assist power steering A power steering system that uses valves and speed sensors to vary the amount of steering assist according to engine or road speed. At slow speeds more steering assist is delivered and steering the wheels is easier; necessary for parking, etc.. At higher speeds, steering assist is reduced and more steering effort is required to steer the car, giving the driver greater feel of the road. Also known as Speed-sensitive power steering.


seeing as your car is a ninty-eight, I'd call a dealership or consult a technical manual at a library to find out if your steering system is equipped with any system like this. You have already eliminated the rack and pump... assuming you bought brand new parts that is.... You might still have another go at bleeding though, as some present problems when they get air in them, theycan be a pain in the ass to bleed.

When I replaced the pump on a '87, I had a similir issue. What ended up happening is that when the wheel was cranked all the way over over to the stop there was no fluid in the pump res. :eek: Thus I had my wife turn the wheel hard over, then add fluid by small increements until it was worked through. you've ahd a good amount of the system open to air, may be a pain to get everything sorted out :2cents:

well folks I ended up buying a high pressure line and checking to make sure tere was no blokage by puttuing air through the high pressure and low pressure lines--all OK so I must have got a bad rack or pump from Murrays I am thinking. Pump was replaced about 6mo ago and I drove it that entire time with a bad rack. Pump had a lifetime warranty so while checking lines I went up to Murrays and got a replacment pump (what the heck it didnt cost anything and I had to take it off & remove the lines to check them anyhow.) when I put it back together with the new pump--- TA DA... power steering!!!!:iceslolan


But I was wondering.... did driving it with a bad rack blow a seal on the pump & kill it or was it just coincidece that the cheapo Murrays pump failed before I could get a new rack in it?