So I would have more room to work when I replaced the water pump, I emplied the power steering reservoir. After replacing the water pump, I filled the power steering reservoir back up. Then I took the car for a test drive. Everything was working just fine, but the power steering was not working. It was working fine before I replaced the water pump. The check engine light isn't on.

After the test drive, I had to top off the power steering reservoir as the level decreased. I then drove it again and the level decreased again, so I topped it off. My guess is there were some air pockets in the power steering hoses or power steering rack which filled up while I was driving it.

So what happened? Is the power steering pump dead? Or does it need some time for the air pockets to fill up with power steering fluid.

 

Steering does not work because there is no pressure in the system.
See you if you got all the hoses back to the pump (or reservoir) connected. If fluid level drops, it is getting out somewhere, look for the source of leak.

Did you remove the PS belt?, you might forgot to put it back on and the pulley is not spinning.

 

I disconnected one of the hoses to the power steering reservoir and reconnected it before filing the reservoir back up.

And I removed the alternator/AC belt. The power steering belt was not removed.

So if the power steering pump doesn't work when the system lacks pressurre, then maybe the system is lacking pressure because there is air in the lines. I'll try and turn the wheels back and forth a bit to try and get any remaining air out.

 

So I tried turning the steering wheel back and forth hoping to remove any excess air and the level didn't change.

I then drove it around and when I returned there was power steering fluid all over the reservoir and hoses. I tightened down the hose that I had disconnected when changing the water pump, cleaned it up, and drove it again. There was more fluid and it seems like it is coming from the reservoir cap. Could this be causing the decrease in pressure which it causing the power steering not to work?

The thing that doesn't make sense is that I don't see how the reservoir cap could have been damaged when I was working on the water pump. It wasn't leaking before.

Anyone have any other ideas?

 

You have the power steering hoses on wrong.

 

Thanks for the idea. I don't think that is it because I only disconnected one of the power steering hoses when I drained the reservoir.

 

what did you use for fluid

 

I reused the same fluid that I took out of the reservoir.

 

After reading some threads on power steering not working, I read that if you don't have the belt tightened enough, the power steering won't work. I tried tighening down the belt, but it didn't work.

I tightened it so much, that I think the tension adjuster started to bend. But I can still twist the belt more than 90 degrees.

Anyone have any other ideas?

 

hmmm, have you checked that the hose is in good shape and that the clip is making a good seal..... if there is fluid around that area obviously its either resivior, the hose, the clips, or an assembly error...... if you can swing a new hose..... fyi I have a 95se 5sp and its hoses have been replaced..... not that everyone needs it, but the car is 13 years old and especially if they have been fooled with....

btw congrats on the water pump.... i fear when mine goes... i dont feel like taking the front of my engine apart with so little elbow room.

 

Man I'm getting tired of driving around with no power steering. My only other idea is to drain the old power steering fluid and put fresh fluid in. Would this help?

Here's a recap:

1. After chaning the water pump my power steering died. It was working just fine before I started replacing the water upump. The only thing I did related to the power steering was to drain the reservoir and detach one of the hoses.

2. I noticed fluid was leaking and it was caused because the detached hose was not tightened down enough. I tightened it back down and the power steering is still dead. Since I tightened down the hose, there has not been any leaking fluid.

3. I've tightened down the power steering belt and that has not helped.

4. The hoses are on correctly as I only detached one of them.

5. I used the old power steering fluid to fill it back up.

Anyone have any other ideas? Is my next step to replace the power steering pump? It doesn't make sense that the pump would be out because it was working just fine before I changed the water pump.

 

I'm thinking that your pump might indeed be dead. You've checked everything else and it's the only component of the system that was tampered with.

Sometimes it only take a nudge for a component to fail, our cars are getting up there in age.