so I replaced HP steering hose, but don't need to bleed??

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330LICIOUS

New member
my high pressure steering hose had a leak, so i replaced it today. after putting the new hose on, i knew the fluid level was low (super low? maybe)... i turned the ignition on and it was whining/whistling, even louder when i turned the wheel (obviously).

i've did as much searching as i could on "how-to" bleed, and how to top off fluid level, but i couldn't find an answer for "when" it is necessary to re-bleed. so anyways, i decided to just top off the fluid and see if the whining/whistling would stop, and indeed it did stop. (btw, it took less than 1 cup of PS fluid to bring it up to the Cold line). i took the jeep for a spin to the local starbucks, got some coffee, re-checked the PS fluid level and it didn't change, then drove back home and the steering seemed to be working normally.

QUESTION: do i need to re-bleed??? if i took off the old hose and replaced it with a new one, how come there aren't any air bubbles, and also from driving it around? i was certain i needed to re-bleed.... no??
 
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8Mud

8Mud

New member
The only thing I ever do is turn the steering wheel, with the motor running, from lock to lock a dozen times. Being careful not to hold the steering in the locked position very long, it may overheat.

I repeat if it doesn't stop whining. Sometimes it takes awhile for all of the air bubbles trapped in the fluid to make it to the top, sometimes days.

I just replaced the high pressure hose on mine, it stopped making noise after maybe 5-6 cycles of steering lock to lock. I had to add a dab of fluid after a couple of days.
 
3

330LICIOUS

New member
yea that's interesting, I'm glad someone else is getting the same results. I'm just worried of damaging something because there are many threads on "needing" to bleed.
 
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Dragonslayer

New member
Lift the front wheels off of the ground. With engine off (yes, engine off), s-s-slowly turn
the steering wheel from lock-to-lock several times. Repeat several times.
 
3

330LICIOUS

New member
Dragonslayer said:
Lift the front wheels off of the ground. With engine off (yes, engine off), s-s-slowly turn
the steering wheel from lock-to-lock several times. Repeat several times.
Click to expand...
Okay, I just did this and small bubbles did form at the top. The fluid level didn't decrease though. I'll drive around today and recheck the level again.
 
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cruiser54

New member
8Mud said:
The only thing I ever do is turn the steering wheel, with the motor running, from lock to lock a dozen times. Being careful not to hold the steering in the locked position very long, it may overheat.

I repeat if it doesn't stop whining. Sometimes it takes awhile for all of the air bubbles trapped in the fluid to make it to the top, sometimes days.

I just replaced the high pressure hose on mine, it stopped making noise after maybe 5-6 cycles of steering lock to lock. I had to add a dab of fluid after a couple of days.
Click to expand...
Do this^^ and you're good to go.
 
3

330LICIOUS

New member
so what is the correct method??? engine ON or engine OFF? from all the threads I've searched, there seem to be different opinions on that.
 
souske

souske

New member
Chapter BOD
How are you going to bleed the air in the hoods with the engine off?

Op: you said you just replaced the hose, and added a cup of fluid.
When you consider the volume lost by removing the old hose, that seems about right
 
rockclimber

rockclimber

Associate
NAXJA Member
souske said:
How are you going to bleed the air in the hoods with the engine off?

Op: you said you just replaced the hose, and added a cup of fluid.
When you consider the volume lost by removing the old hose, that seems about right
Click to expand...

Turning the box will flow fluid through the system without cavitation.

You also need to bleed with the engine running, but after you bleed with it off. The absolute best thing would be to slack the Belt and turn the pulley by hand with the engine off.

Jeep(Chrysler) p/s fluid is horrible for cavitation problems. I prefer GM fluid, but you shouldn't mix them and there is no way you get all of the old fluid out of the system.
 
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cruiser54

New member
I've never had an issue with cavitation on an XJ in my life, or any other vehicle for tht matter, including 12 years as Service Manager and Shop Foreman at a Chrysler/Jeep dealer. Let alone the fact I've worked on cars since the mid 60s.

What did I do wrong?
 
CharlesS

CharlesS

New member
Several years ago I replaced the high pressure line on my '98 Jeep just added several ounces of power steering fluid, cycled the steering wheel several times and the pump was good until I checked the level a couple days later. Then I added a little and was good from then on.
 
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cruiser54

New member
CharlesS said:
Several years ago I replaced the high pressure line on my '98 Jeep just added several ounces of power steering fluid and cycled the steering wheel several times and the pump was good until I checked the level a couple days later. Then I added a little and was good from then on.
Click to expand...
Well, Charles, almost all of us are obviously doing something wrong..........
 
CharlesS

CharlesS

New member
Probably just got lucky. It happens on occasion.....
Did I forget to mention cycling with the engine running?
 
CharlesS

CharlesS

New member
Funny you should talk about dodging the bullet...
When I purchased the Jeep new from the dealership I found the power steering pulley bent. The mechanics replaced the pulley "ONLY" and said it was good.
I asked them what the chances were if the bearing for the pump might have been damaged; the mechanics said NO.... its good.
Several months later the pump bearing was howling a few days before an off roading event;I brought the Jeep to the Jeep service department and
reminded them of the pulley they changed and what was said to me then. Their response was.... "It happens".
They were playing the odds and lost... The pump was replaced under warranty.
 
8Mud

8Mud

New member
I'm thinking we are all correct, if the steering box or the pump is empty, exercise the steering components with the engine off. The only way you are going to be able to do this is with the tires off the ground, unless you are exceptional strong. You don't want to run it very long (under power) metal on metal.

The object is to get the air out, without overheating anything. The fluid not only works the system, it lubricates and cools it.

If I replace a steering box or pump I exercise it with the motor off, until I'm satisfied most of the air has moved to the top. The system can deal with some air, it has to, the fluid bouncing around in the reservoir picks up air naturally. But manually exercising it isn't going to move nearly the volume of fluid the pump is going to move with the engine running. My reasoning is it can deal with some air, but can't deal with all air and no fluid.

I've only had one steering box give me issues, this one was just noisy and I'd get constant cavitation noise. My guess is the fluid I used was defective, it was quality fluid, but it never did quiet down until I changed to a mix of regular fluid and synthetic.
 
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Digger87xj

New member
There is a fairly new (2005) procedure outlined in a TSB from chrysler to use a hand vacuum pump to purge the air from the P/S systems.

It works superbly and without fail. No Noise, No foaming and No cavitation.

19-008-05
 
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