steering pump spitting fluid

[wart-hawg194]

My steering pump drinks too much fluid...as a result it throws it up a lot

I've got a 69 4x4 that has it's 3rd power steering pump on it for 3 months now. The one on it when I bought it was INOP so I can't say for sure what it was doing when it bit the dust. Changed it and about 3 months later I was out 4 wheeling and it starting binding...lots of noise...and then it quit working all together. Looked under the hood and steering fluid was everywhere...thought I busted a line at first...looked a lot closer and nothing. Pump # 3!!! worked fine for about a month then (when I was 4 Wheeling) same story. Started binding, hard to turn and a lot of noise. Pulled over a the nearest solid/dry spot and looked under the hood...you guessed it...fluid everywhere. Filled it back up and turned the wheel as best I could...when it does engage the power steering the fluid spits out the filled tube with great force and is really foamy Question...is it the pump...again?? Or the steering box or is it that I haven't bled the system?? I work on aircraft for a living...we bled hydraulic systems on jets...but I've never done it on steering for a truck The steering box is kind of new (changed it when I first got the truck) The front end is locked...which I know puts more stress on the system...has 33in tires. I've converted the front axle to a disc set-up out of a 78...and the steering linkage is tube set-up (like "ROCK_PROOF"). I need HELP Thanks in advance.

[fordman]

i think it might have air in it.

[wart-hawg194]

Air...where did it get air...I didn't add any air
Is there a proceedure for bleeding a steering pump?
The only thing I do ( don't poke fun if this is retared ) is turn the wheel fully to left then fully right and hold for a second...repeat a few times.

[fordman]

thats how your suppose to do it. with the tires off the ground.

[wart-hawg194]

I've done that type of bleed...I'll try it again
Is there any other thing that I might try? I'm not the most smartest mechanic...but I'm not too dumb either...this is starting to get on my nerves though Any other options to what may be the problem??
I've read about a few people switching to the Bendix system...is it that much better?

[fordman]

for a 2wd bendix is junkier. let see what everyone else has to say. i cant remeber what the deal is when th ey do that if its isnt air in the system. i dont think there is a way to cross the lines

[l1k2gadd]

Did you see the other p/s problem that was happening with the 2WD Bump? His pump was doing this at high speeds. His problem wound up looking like it might have been fuel line as a p/s return hose and not p/s pressure rated hose.

If the pressure is becoming excessive on the system when you lock-in the 4x4 the return line may be collapsing OR the high pressure line might be bad internally and blocking the fluid flow in the system.

[l1k2gadd]

Another thing, I don't know if you use type "A" tranny fluid, actual power steering fluid or type "F" tranny fluid in your power steering system but when I had the old 60s Mustangs in the 80s with p/s the type "F" was used in them a lot. Type "F" fluid was also known (knicknamed) "Type F for Foam" back then because it does foam in the p/s systems, especially when the pump gets low.

[basketcase0302]

wart-hawg,

Check this out:
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... highlight=

Basketcase

[willowbilly3]

My method to bleed air (from a non ford factory manual) turn to lock, shut engine off and wait several minutes, start engine, repeat procedure to other lock. If you are using the round can Ford pump you might want t change to the Saginaw type pump. Keith recently told me about this swap so he would know more than I do. On my 74 4x4 I killed those round pumps with amazing regularity.