2001 Power Steering Pump

I have a 2001 Taurus. I changed the power steering pump this past weekend, filled the new reservoir, started the engine, turned the wheels both directions several times to bleed the lines etc. Everything seemed fine until I shut off the engine. When I shut off the engine, the cap popped off 1 side of the lock and blew power steering fluid all over. This is happening every time i shut off the motor. The power steering works fine when the fluid level is good but after 2 engine shut downs, the pump now has no fluid. Does anyone know what would be causing the cap to blow off and fill my garage floor and engine compartment full of fluid? This is driving me nuts.

maybe try checking the cap for the power steering resevoir, it has a vent on the cap, see if it is pluged. try turning the engine off with the cap off of the resivoir and see if it blows out. just a suggestion hope it works.

What happens if you leave the cap off, start the engine and slowly turn the wheel from lock to lock a few times. Maybe the vent is not able to purge the air quickly enough with the cap in place.

-Rod

My 03 was whining loud so I put on a rebuilt pump and immediately quieted down. Sounds like yours is building up pressure and that's what the small hole in the cap is for; to release air pressure or overfilled reservior. I heard two ways to get air out of the system. 1. Turn the steering wheel over hard right and hold it there and turn off the ignition, hold the wheel tight because it will try to move and hold it for two minutes. Go look in the reservior and you might see air bubbles in the fluid. Now crank it and turn the wheel hard left, shut the engine off and hold the wheel and do the same thing. Look in the reservior again and if you see bubbles you know air was in the system. While doing that I parked mine with the front end up high on a hill.

2. Turn off the switch in the trunk that shuts off the fuel pump in case of a rear end collison, or unplug it. Now turn the ignition key, (it won't start), and at the same time turn the steering wheel hard right and hold it there while cranking the engine over a few times. Let go of the key but hold the wheel hard over for two minutes. Now look in the reservoir for bubbles. Do the same thing the other way and the bubbles should be gone.

One article said you have to do all that with the front wheels jacked up off the ground and I don't know if that is right or wrong. Bottom line for mine was the pressure regulator valve in the reservoir had blown so all my efforts were for naught. You can't buy new pumps so I got rebuilt for $55.00 after core credit and shop charged me $105. to install it.

ATF expands lot when heated and the PS fluid/ATF fluid gets real hot so be careful not to overfill it. Check it stone cold and let the fluid just barely touch the reservior cap dip stick and that's all you need.

FYI - With the old pump when I looked at the fluid in the reservior with engine idling it did not apear to be moving at all, but with the new pump there's a fast moving whirlpool in the fluid.

Hmmmm. . . . I know nothing about the inner workings of a PS pump, but do you think your pressure regulator valve could be sticking building up to much pressure then you shut the engine off the valve releases and excessive pressure blows the fluid out? But the new pump you installed shouldn't do that, so I guess I'm stumped. Tranny shop or Ford dealer might be able to tell you what the problem is.

Try asking the auto parts store where you bought the pump to call the pump distributor and ask for customer support because the problem started when you changed the pump, so apparently the pump is the problem.

I bought a new cap and installed it. I checked the fluid with the engine running and filled to just below the dipstick. When I turned the car off, about 3 seconds later, fluid started spitting out of the vent and then the cap blew off and broke. When the cap is off, the fluid will not blow out but will rise and overflow.

Chuck, I would swing by the Ford place or a good garage and ask them what gives because at this point I am flat out of ideas.

Jack the front of car up off ground. Disable ignition or fuel system so the vehicle does not start. Crank engine over while turning steering wheel from lock to lock at a moderately slow speed. After doing this for about 10 to 15 seconds, place it on the full right stop and lock steering wheel. Leave car for a few minutes or until the fuzzy bubbles are out of the reservoir. Do same thing and leave locked to the left. Do this over and over until there is no more air in the system. If it still blows cap off after this bleed provcedure, it is sucking air in through the inner rack seal and the rack needs replced.

If it's sucking air from some place then it will leak also when the engine is off...Chuck, I think that you still have air in the system and you didn't blead it properly at installation. The bleeding procedure is very similar with what way2old said except that I will remove the return line that it's coming to reservoir and I will fill up the reservoir in the same time till the air is out in group of 10 seconds at the time. It's true that you can't do it alone, you'll need somebody to crank engine

For the fluid to blow out with such force it almost has to be a big bubble behind it pushing the fluid up and out. Way2old said, "it is sucking air in through the inner rack seal and the rack needs replced." Sounds like that is the only thing you haven't done so I'd make it priority one.

Just one question...Why you've changed the pump in the first place?

I changed mine because it was whining so loud and I got tired of hearing it. A shade tree mechanic said the pressure regulator valve had blown out making it whine, but I don't know if that is correct. Chuck didn't say why he changed his but I'd be interested in knowing to.

Also look on the drivers side frame just behind the wheel. See if there is a P/S filter there. Some models had a filter in line. Replace it and bleed again to see if it heps. If filter is plugged, it will not llow fluid to flow properly and may be causing the excessive pressure upon shut down.

see below

I changed mine because it was whining so loud and I got tired of hearing it. A shade tree mechanic said the pressure regulator valve had blown out making it whine, but I don't know if that is correct. Chuck didn't say why he changed his but I'd be interested in knowing to.

The mechanic was wrong…the pressure valve would create problems only with pressure (like stiff steering) and not noise. I’m not a certified mechanic but, hey, I’m trying to help, not to make money.
Coming back to your problem…after you shut off the engine (nothing is moving anymore in the steering system) something that has a preserved energy is pushing your fluid out through your reservoir. My explanation is that energy is coming from compressed air, compressed by 400 psi to 1300-psi pressure that you have in the system during running engine……….is working like a compressed spring!
The only thing that could verify this theory is that the steering fluid in your reservoir should be foamy, white-like from the air bubbles…if the fluid in the reservoir is clear like clear oil then I give up………..
:smokin: