85 5KT hydraulic issues

[Kneale Brownson]

Test for pump performance is to check its output pressure with gauges 
inserted at the point the high pressure line to the rack goes.  It's 
described in the Bentley, along with the appropriate readings.

Is the high pressure hose wet beyond the metal end?  Or is there just oil 
around the fitting as though the leak was at the crush washer?   Is it OEM 
hoses?

You CAN have the steering portion of the pump going bad while the brake 
portion operates normally.



At 12:26 PM 04/24/2001 -0400, DGraber460 at aol.com wrote:

>I'm still wrestling with the diagnosis and repair of the steering problem on
>this car.
>The power steering has been leaking and is sporadic in it's power assist, but
>is not as prominent at higher RPM.
>The belt is tight for the pump, and the pump is not making any unusual
>noises, but is wet under the pressure hose. It's difficult to determine if
>it's the pump or the hose leaking (it looks like the hose).
>The Pentosin is now full, and the bomb gives 22 pumps to solid.
>When I pulled it into the garage I noticed an unusual noise. Thinking it must
>be the pump, I left it running and got under the hood only to find the rack
>humming. It stopped before I could get my stethoscope on it. That lead me to
>believe the valving in the rack was faulty?
>Is there a method to determine if the rack or the pump is at fault. The rack
>does not appear to be leaking, and therefore I'm not sure which component to
>replace. The expense of each (and degree of difficulty for the rack) is at a
>level that I don't want to replace a good unit.
>I would hate to go through the pain of replacing the rack only to find out it
>was the pump (or vice versa).
>TIA
>
>Dennis