Any mechanics here on the board? Having a problem with my steering.

I have a 2002 Chevy Z71 Suburban 4x4 with 120,000 miles on it and just had the power steering gearbox and pump replaced because of leaks and now the power seems very diminished. I'm used to steering it with one finger and now it actually makes may hands tired just to drive to work.
The mechanic says actuator is plugged in and everything is fine and it just may take 50k miles to break it in I'll sell it now before I drive this thing another 50k like this:-(

Any help would be appreciated.


Andrew

 

Sounds like your mechanic is an idiot trying to pull a 50K break in period. Not only is he an idiot..... he thinks you are too. Something wrong. I'm not a mechanic... but I know lines can get crimped, air bound is a real thing in physics etc etc. Someone on here has to be a mechanic.... like Priz or someone.

 

yeah and the problem is he's telling me there is no problem so he's not really interested in fixing it. Just wants me to get used to it
Taking it to another mechanic tomorrow. Just hate wasting the time.

 

The hydraulics probably aren't working in the power steering pump. You didn't pay for that did you? There's no break in period for power steering, otherwise we would all have to wait for the "break in" on our new vehicles.

 

"Break in" for power steering. Nice!

Definitely take it to another mechanic!

 

My wife drove it tonight and says it steers like one of the 25' Penske trucks we rent each year.

 

Honest to god guess would be bleeding the power steering lines. Air in the lines will cause pressure to build up.

 

I've worked on cars my whole life, ASE certs have expired since switching careers, but without hands on feel I can only guess.
To me, it sounds like he may not have properly bled the system. Sure fire way to tell, is pop the hood and remove the reservoir cap and have someone else turn the wheels left to right while engine is running, but do not go all the way to the stops(full turn). Watch the fluid inside if it shows a lot of frothy looking bubbles it still has air to bleed out. Main thing you want to do is go back and forth multiple times with the engine off if it needs bled, raise the wheels off the ground if possible. It should have been done at the shop before the motor was started with wheels elevated for ease of turning. I'd bet it was a lazy mechanic on commission and he simply tried to bleed with the pump spinning. It can be done with the engine running, but it separates one big bubble into many so it takes forever to do that way. That's probably why they tried to tell you a "break in period" lie. Eventually it will bleed out.

I'd also check under the truck for any possible leaks showing on the ground, loose fittings. Visually check the rubber hoses for any sort of binding/kinking. If you can find a diagram, check to make sure he wasn't idiotic enough to reverse the hoses, inlet to outlet...

 

Interesting you said that because it does seem to be getting a little easier steering in tonight. Maybe the air in the line is working itself out.
Thanks much.

 

The air in the lines should have been bled off as part of the fix. Your mechanic is lazy.

 

LOL, who is this mechanic you talk of ????

 

I own 2 repair shops and I can tell you everyone is 100% correct on air in the line....ure mechanic basically replaced the pump and gearbox dumped the fluid in and pulled it out....if one my guys did this they would be fired.....pure laziness.....and it could be a potential hazard in a real life driving situation if air in the line causes a temporary lock up....major no no.....there is a break in period on pumps buts its a few hundred miles if that and its the internals of the pump that need the breaking in...the most you would notice when done correctly is a ever so slight whining noise that would disappear fairly quickly

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