Date:         Wed, 13 Jun 2001 09:02:00 -0700
Reply-To:     STEPHENS Colin <cstephens@CI.SPRINGFIELD.OR.US>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         STEPHENS Colin <cstephens@CI.SPRINGFIELD.OR.US>
Subject:      steering woes
Content-Type: text/plain

I posted a question to the list last week concerning the leaky high-pressure
hose coming out of the top of the power steering pump in my 86 GL.  Thanks
to
advice from a couple of listservees, I was able to have it repaired very
affordably at a hydraulic hose shop.  However, my problem continues.  Now
that
I've put the repaired hose back, the steering makes an unsettling noise.  It
wines all the time,  increasing and decreasing in pitch with the engine rpms
when the steering wheel is straight and really squeals when I turn the
wheel.
It sounds kinda like when I have low fluid in the system (I also have a slow
leak in the rack) but the reservoir is now full.  Its hard to tell where its
coming from, but it doesn't sound like the pump itself.

Any ideas?  Do I need to bleed the system?  My old hose had a metal coupling
in between the two end fittings that was not replaced - was this some type
of
back-flow prevention valve?  Why did they ever put power steering in
Vanagons?
 My 77 bus rode great without!

Colin
86 GL