power steering fluid eruption

[mr.mxzman]

I am just working a few bugs out on my mountianeer 5.0L swap also did the astro hydroboost and a 4x4x2 steering gear. I pulled the pitman arm to bleed the air out of the box.pumped the brakes a few times every thing seemed good. I am using the stock mountianeer power steering pump and reservoir return lines connected with a tee. the problem is the fluid over flows alot when I turn the motor off it dumps about 3/4 of a quart. I have refilled it and taken it for a ride and steering and brakes work good just can't keep the fluid in. any one seen this before or ideas on what could be wrong

 

[Broncobowsher]

You have air in the system. When the pump runs, it compresses. Turn it off, it expands back and pushes the fluid out. Careful bleeding needed.

Start them turn off the engine in less then 2 seconds. This will push some foam back to the resivior but not cycle it back into the pump. Let the foam seperate, top off. (only top off with engine off) Repeat often. Once you get the fluid turning through the system without foam, slowly turn the steering side to side with the engine off. If the fluid starts rising rapidly you still have a lot of air, stop. Start the engine and try the steering again. Good chance the resivior will go dry again and suck air. Engine off, add fluid, de-foam, repeat. Since you have hydroboost, you will need to play with that as well. eventually you will work the air out of the system.

Biggest things, only add fluid with the engine off.
Try and get the foam to the resivior so it can seperate.
Sucking foamy fluid is as bad as sucking air.

It will work out. Just this can be a royal pain to do. I do know of another way. A trick they use at the plant to fill a car every 60 seconds and never have issues. Involves using a good vacuum pump and some assorted plumbing stuff to suck a vacuum into the system to get all the air out then fill with solid fluid. Trouble is with a mostly filled system it tends to suck a lot of fluid into the vacuum pump.

 

[mr.mxzman]

You have air in the system. When the pump runs, it compresses. Turn it off, it expands back and pushes the fluid out. Careful bleeding needed.

Start them turn off the engine in less then 2 seconds. This will push some foam back to the resivior but not cycle it back into the pump. Let the foam seperate, top off. (only top off with engine off) Repeat often. Once you get the fluid turning through the system without foam, slowly turn the steering side to side with the engine off. If the fluid starts rising rapidly you still have a lot of air, stop. Start the engine and try the steering again. Good chance the resivior will go dry again and suck air. Engine off, add fluid, de-foam, repeat. Since you have hydroboost, you will need to play with that as well. eventually you will work the air out of the system.

Biggest things, only add fluid with the engine off.
Try and get the foam to the resivior so it can seperate.
Sucking foamy fluid is as bad as sucking air.

It will work out. Just this can be a royal pain to do. I do know of another way. A trick they use at the plant to fill a car every 60 seconds and never have issues. Involves using a good vacuum pump and some assorted plumbing stuff to suck a vacuum into the system to get all the air out then fill with solid fluid. Trouble is with a mostly filled system it tends to suck a lot of fluid into the vacuum pump.

air is what i was thinking. could have done the vacume pump trick I have a nice deep vacume pump but didnt think it would be an issue
will try again tommorow. thanks

 

[mr.mxzman]

well I finaly got allm the air out . I ended up rigging up a system to do it quick.
I had a rubber coupling it the shed for a sink drain that fit the top of the reservoir perfect then cut the bottom off of a gateraid bottle then attached it upside down to the top of the coupling this added a good quart and a half of fluid, then i pulled the return line off of the bottom of the reservoir and put a vacume cap on it.then routed the hose just below the new fluid level inside the top of the gateraid bottle.fired it up and i could see the air coming out of the return hose ;Dit was comming out hard it would shoot almost into the reservoir but then turn and come out the top. the way that explorer reservoir is set up the air shooting into the reservoir is aimed right at the suction port.but the seperation gotter dun fast one start pulled the pitman arm again no air.the only down fall was the taste of the fluid when i started the sipon to empty the gateraid bottle for removel. the whole prosess took less than 10 min and the fluid stays in now.