Power steering pump

[wooly350i]

We fitted new power steering pump today(I use the term 'we' loosely,I passed a couple of spanners), started the wedge up and after turning lock to lock a few times and letting the car run for ten minutes we noticed how hot the pump reservoir had got, is this normal, has anyone else noticed this with theirs? its a v8 version, John.

[Wedg1e]

Have you got the hoses connected the right way around?

Mine gets warm after a couple of hours driving but not in ten minutes...

[mrzigazaga]

Hi mate..The only time i noticed power steering fluid getting hot was when my PAS pump bearings were failing..(V6)..Has the pump been run dry at all?...Was there any residue of previous fluids inside and if did you flush it out?...Im sure it should not get too hot...Ziga

[ElvisWedgely]

I am guessing that after fitting this new pump it was hot to touch but not steaming hot. Just about everything under the bonnet of a V8 gets hot after running for ten minutes, and the pump being new, the bearings and everything would still be tight combined with the heat of the engine. Providing you connected the pipes the correct way and filled it with the correct type of fluid, and its working ok, I wouldn't worry about it unless its actually steaming. I take it there are no leaks. You may just be worrying about it too much because you are conscious of a newly fitted component and fearing there may be a problem. Just keep an eye on it for a while. To be honest I've never checked how hot mine gets and I was working on mine just recently when I replaced one of the leaking pipes. My guess is though, it would be fairly hot after the engine running for ten minutes.

Tony. TCB.

[taz turbo]

wooly350i said:

after turning lock to lock a few times and letting the car run for ten minutes

How long did you hold it on full lock?

Oil in a system, going from high pressure to low pressure (possibly in this case going over the relief valve at full lock) increases in temperature by 0.7 degrees per 10 bar pressure drop, don't forget this is cumulative each time the oil passes through the system.

Chris

[wooly350i]

Ok thanks for quick replies, pipes are correct way round,fresh power steering fluid up to the mark, held on full lock for a matter of seconds each time causing loose belt to squeal which we then tightened, suppose yes could be tight bearings. Will try it out tonight after work on the road. I remember somebody saying to me about the new power pumps from a certain supplier that they were using cheap crap Chinese bearings and wonder if that Is gonna haunt me!

[Wedg1e]

wooly350i said:

Ok thanks for quick replies, pipes are correct way round,fresh power steering fluid up to the mark, held on full lock for a matter of seconds each time causing loose belt to squeal which we then tightened, suppose yes could be tight bearings. Will try it out tonight after work on the road. I remember somebody saying to me about the new power pumps from a certain supplier that they were using cheap crap Chinese bearings and wonder if that Is gonna haunt me!

Might be the belt's now too tight? I'd rather have a bit of belt slip at full lock (how long do you stay on full lock in normal driving anyway?) than risk shaggiong the pump.
The pump internals should in theory last forever, they're running in an ideal environment after all

[wooly350i]

Wedg1e said:

Might be the belt's now too tight? I'd rather have a bit of belt slip at full lock (how long do you stay on full lock in normal driving anyway?) than risk shaggiong the pump.
The pump internals should in theory last frever, they're running in an ideal environment after all

Yeh Ian I hear but the noise of that sqeeling belt is bloody awfull