So, I've been working on the '63 Suburban. I finally stopped trying to
figure out how to get a stock-looking hose for the power steering, and
instead figured out what's available from industrial hose places and how
to make it work.

It works.

Well, the hose works.

This is a 1963 Chevy Suburban, with a Saginaw power steering box from a
69-72 1/2-ton. So it's the nice herky box, with 'merican threads on the
fittings. Pump is approximately the same vintage, but it's very much
'mystery meat'. I've shot my wad as far as hobby dollars for December
and part of January on this, so there's no buying parts until I save up a
bit.

I got the thing put together and fired up the engine (which is not a
trivial operation, given the gas in the tank). Since both the pump and
the box were bone dry, I expected some drama when the thing first ran --
and got some, with the power steering fluid foaming out of the pump and
generally resembling whipped cream.

But that's not why I'm writing. There are two troublesome things I've
noted, and that's why I'm asking:

Troublesome thing one is minor -- the thing makes excessive pump noise
when it's "powering". I assume that this is because the fluid is foamy,
but if it means a trashed pump I'd like to know.

Troublesome thing two is more, well, troublesome. Going to the left I
have power steering (and lots of pump noise). Going to the right the
steering effort is much higher, although perhaps not as much as fully
"not there" power steering.

I assume that either the steering box was bad from le yarde du junque
from which I picked it up, or that sitting dry in the truck for the last
five years has let some delicate little valve stick open or closed. I'm
wondering if continued efforts to free it up (by running the truck moving
the steering from lock to lock) are going to do any good, or if I should
just plan on pundling up a ton-o-cash for a new box.

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com

On 12/07/2011 07:16 PM, Tim Wescott wrote:

I assume that either the steering box was bad from le yarde du junque
from which I picked it up, or that sitting dry in the truck for the last
five years has let some delicate little valve stick open or closed. I'm
wondering if continued efforts to free it up (by running the truck moving
the steering from lock to lock) are going to do any good, or if I should
just plan on pundling up a ton-o-cash for a new box.


First thing to do is get it full. Cycle left-center-right, top off
reservoir, repeat until full.

Now you can assess the performance.


technomaNge
--
Psalm 109:8

In article ,
Tim Wescott wrote:

So, I've been working on the '63 Suburban. I finally stopped trying to
figure out how to get a stock-looking hose for the power steering, and
instead figured out what's available from industrial hose places and how
to make it work.

It works.

Well, the hose works.

This is a 1963 Chevy Suburban, with a Saginaw power steering box from a
69-72 1/2-ton. So it's the nice herky box, with 'merican threads on the
fittings. Pump is approximately the same vintage, but it's very much
'mystery meat'. I've shot my wad as far as hobby dollars for December
and part of January on this, so there's no buying parts until I save up a
bit.

I got the thing put together and fired up the engine (which is not a
trivial operation, given the gas in the tank). Since both the pump and
the box were bone dry, I expected some drama when the thing first ran --
and got some, with the power steering fluid foaming out of the pump and
generally resembling whipped cream.

But that's not why I'm writing. There are two troublesome things I've
noted, and that's why I'm asking:

Troublesome thing one is minor -- the thing makes excessive pump noise
when it's "powering". I assume that this is because the fluid is foamy,
but if it means a trashed pump I'd like to know.

Troublesome thing two is more, well, troublesome. Going to the left I
have power steering (and lots of pump noise). Going to the right the
steering effort is much higher, although perhaps not as much as fully
"not there" power steering.

I assume that either the steering box was bad from le yarde du junque
from which I picked it up, or that sitting dry in the truck for the last
five years has let some delicate little valve stick open or closed. I'm
wondering if continued efforts to free it up (by running the truck moving
the steering from lock to lock) are going to do any good, or if I should
just plan on pundling up a ton-o-cash for a new box.

Excessive fluid foam is usually air leaking into the return side
somewhere. Look closely at the low pressure return hose.

If the pump is that noisy, I suspect you may be in the market for both a
gear and pump.

Good Luck!

Erik

On Dec 7, 8:16*pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
Troublesome thing two is more, well, troublesome. *Going to the left I
have power steering (and lots of pump noise). *Going to the right the
steering effort is much higher, although perhaps not as much as fully
"not there" power steering.

I assume that either the steering box was bad from le yarde du junque
from which I picked it up, or that sitting dry in the truck for the last
five years has let some delicate little valve stick open or closed. *I'm
wondering if continued efforts to free it up (by running the truck moving
the steering from lock to lock) are going to do any good, or if I should
just plan on pundling up a ton-o-cash for a new box.

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consultingwww.wescottdesign.com

Is the steering linkage connected?
The problem might be a dry ball joint or rod end.

On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:38:42 -0600, technomaNge wrote:

On 12/07/2011 07:16 PM, Tim Wescott wrote:

I assume that either the steering box was bad from le yarde du junque
from which I picked it up, or that sitting dry in the truck for the last
five years has let some delicate little valve stick open or closed. I'm
wondering if continued efforts to free it up (by running the truck moving
the steering from lock to lock) are going to do any good, or if I should
just plan on pundling up a ton-o-cash for a new box.


First thing to do is get it full. Cycle left-center-right, top off
reservoir, repeat until full.

Now you can assess the performance.



I put a buick pump on my 1963 Food 4000 Tractor and I can tell you it
takes awhile to get the air out and the pump to quiet down. I stuck a
1.5" dia clear (tygon maybe) hose abut 6" long on top of the
reservoirto add volume. The reservoir is so small you are always
sucking the returned air back in. Start car, turn lock to lock, shut
off, wait 1 hour , repeat. Each time you purge some air then you have
to let the bubbles surface.

Untill it is full and purged, you don't really know what if anything
is wrong. I'm guessing the factory vacuum fills them to avoid the air
problem.

Remove 333 to reply.
Randy

On Dec 7, 6:16*pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I've been working on the '63 Suburban. *I finally stopped trying to
figure out how to get a stock-looking hose for the power steering, and
instead figured out what's available from industrial hose places and how
to make it work.

It works.

Well, the hose works.

This is a 1963 Chevy Suburban, with a Saginaw power steering box from a
69-72 1/2-ton. *So it's the nice herky box, with 'merican threads on the
fittings. *Pump is approximately the same vintage, but it's very much
'mystery meat'. *I've shot my wad as far as hobby dollars for December
and part of January on this, so there's no buying parts until I save up a
bit.

I got the thing put together and fired up the engine (which is not a
trivial operation, given the gas in the tank). *Since both the pump and
the box were bone dry, I expected some drama when the thing first ran --
and got some, with the power steering fluid foaming out of the pump and
generally resembling whipped cream.

But that's not why I'm writing. *There are two troublesome things I've
noted, and that's why I'm asking:

Troublesome thing one is minor -- the thing makes excessive pump noise
when it's "powering". *I assume that this is because the fluid is foamy,
but if it means a trashed pump I'd like to know.

Troublesome thing two is more, well, troublesome. *Going to the left I
have power steering (and lots of pump noise). *Going to the right the
steering effort is much higher, although perhaps not as much as fully
"not there" power steering.

I assume that either the steering box was bad from le yarde du junque
from which I picked it up, or that sitting dry in the truck for the last
five years has let some delicate little valve stick open or closed. *I'm
wondering if continued efforts to free it up (by running the truck moving
the steering from lock to lock) are going to do any good, or if I should
just plan on pundling up a ton-o-cash for a new box.

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consultingwww.wescottdesign.com

Having rebuilt the whole front-end on the Ford van this summer, it
took a very long time to purge air on the PS, like several weeks.
Until that happened, it was like no PS at all. The factory method is
to get a mongo vacuum pump with an adapter to seal onto the reservoir
and pump the hell out of it while running the engine and racking the
steering back and forth. In my case, a 200 mile round trip at 75 did
the trick, when I got back to town after the trip, it was working as I
left the exit ramp. And the fluid resembled cherry whip until all the
air was gone. Since then, it's behaved itself. With used parts, it's
hard saying what the condition is, you might have grit or something in
one of the servo valves. Without disassembly, you can't know. If
fluid was leaking out, it's easy, stick some UV dye in and track
things down. Air leaking IN is harder.

Stan

On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:16:08 -0600
Tim Wescott wrote:

Major snip
I got the thing put together and fired up the engine (which is not a
trivial operation, given the gas in the tank).

I used my 3/8 inch electric drill motor to spin the pump when I
replaced the power steering unit on my 82 Chevy truck. Chucked up an old
inline-skate wheel with a home-brew arbor and held it up against the
pump pulley. That gave me a lot of control in how fast/hard the pump
spun. The front end was on jack-stands so it didn't take much oomph to
run it back and forth between the stops. Had to have a helper turn the
steering wheel back and forth though while manipulating the drill.

Thought this might give you some ideas, not have to start/run the
truck...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email


..

On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:16:08 -0600, Tim Wescott
wrote:

So, I've been working on the '63 Suburban. I finally stopped trying to
figure out how to get a stock-looking hose for the power steering, and
instead figured out what's available from industrial hose places and how
to make it work.

It works.

Well, the hose works.

This is a 1963 Chevy Suburban, with a Saginaw power steering box from a
69-72 1/2-ton. So it's the nice herky box, with 'merican threads on the
fittings. Pump is approximately the same vintage, but it's very much
'mystery meat'. I've shot my wad as far as hobby dollars for December
and part of January on this, so there's no buying parts until I save up a
bit.

I got the thing put together and fired up the engine (which is not a
trivial operation, given the gas in the tank). Since both the pump and
the box were bone dry, I expected some drama when the thing first ran --
and got some, with the power steering fluid foaming out of the pump and
generally resembling whipped cream.

But that's not why I'm writing. There are two troublesome things I've
noted, and that's why I'm asking:

Troublesome thing one is minor -- the thing makes excessive pump noise
when it's "powering". I assume that this is because the fluid is foamy,
but if it means a trashed pump I'd like to know.

Troublesome thing two is more, well, troublesome. Going to the left I
have power steering (and lots of pump noise). Going to the right the
steering effort is much higher, although perhaps not as much as fully
"not there" power steering.

I assume that either the steering box was bad from le yarde du junque
from which I picked it up, or that sitting dry in the truck for the last
five years has let some delicate little valve stick open or closed. I'm
wondering if continued efforts to free it up (by running the truck moving
the steering from lock to lock) are going to do any good, or if I should
just plan on pundling up a ton-o-cash for a new box.

Are you sure the pump is turning in the proper direction??

Gunner

One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch