2nd Power steering pump smoking and leaking.
 

I was able to get 1 weekend out in my boat then the power steering pump burned out. Steering felt funny from day 1 while running on the hose however so I kinda figured something was not right. So Sunday evening I had to idle back home with no power steering, I smelled smoke heard a winding noise and my bilge was full of oil. Then it would take 10 turns in either direction to get it to turn slightly or straighten back out even (in the east river I went under about 10 bridges).

I pulled my pump took it to the local auto parts and got a new (rebuilt) one and installed it. Fired it up on the hose and within minutes it was smoking and leaking, I opened the cap and the fluid looks like its boiling in there. Did they give me the wrong or a defective pump? Or is there something else wrong thats burning out the pumps? I had already installed a brand new Char-Lynn helm pump and all the fluid had leaked out of the lines over the winter while the engines were out and I prepped the bilge so there was about half a gallon of new ATF in there. Any ideas? Maybe the cooler is effed up and the oil is getting too hot and burning the seals on the pump?

I'm gonna change the pump again today but don't want to burn another pump if that is whats happening? And of course my bilge was sparkly clean and now its a mess since the pulley was spinning all the oil everywhere I don't want another mess.

Are you sure all the air is out of the system and your not running the pump dry. Are all the lines connected correctly, sounds to me like its low on fluid when running or its nor circulating the fluid correctly. Maybe the filter is clogged

I don't think I was able to get all the air out before it started smoking and leaking. Its def not dry as i can see the fluid in the pump rising like it wants to boil over. as for the filter being clogged or the lines crossed I'm not 100% sure but I think I connected them the same as they were since I marked them at the helm when I pulled that pump. I can remove the filter and bypass it to check but for now Id have to change this pump cuz its leaking.

Here's an easy way to bleed the system............. disconnect the belt fill the reservoir with fluid, spin the pump with a cordless drill ( in the correct direction ) while doing this have someone turning the wheel lock to lock, ( all the way to the right then all the way back to the left ) continue till all the air is removed from the system, top off reservoir ( do not over fill ) and replace cap. Remember this can take a bit, the fluid has to travel through both external rams and return to the pump, good luck

awesome thanks! how about the filter and cooler should I bypass them to see if they're clogged?

don't bypass them just check them

Blow through them

Full hyd steering???? What brand???

Do you have an external reservoir??? You prob need one.

Oil is boiling over for sure. Dam thing was melting my brand new cables... my fault for running it behind the filter and letting it touch the line. Anyway the filter is clogged so I need to get a hold of Ron at imco. I have imco full hydraulic no reservoir except the pump itself.

http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/...psuxgef555.jpg

I would get an external reservoir. The res on the pump doesn't hold enough fluid.