Another power steering pump / steering box failure question

[ximy]

I have a Saginaw box and Eaton pump. My pump failed (no sound or pressure) and the steering just stopped, no power at all.

I replaced it with a rebuilt pump and the rebuilt pump would not pressurize the box at all.

I figured it was a bad pump so I took it back for another.

The second rebuilt pump ran for about 1/2 hour before it failed and there was no power to the box again at all.

The box was resealed (because of leaks) about a year ago and ran fine up till this fiasco, so I know the fluid has been pretty clean.

So, before I replace the pump again is there any way the steering box is causing the pumps to fail?

Thank you

[ximy]

nobody has any ideas huh?

I'm going to remove it again this weekend. First I guess I'll try to rig up some hoses to see if there is pressure from the pump If there is, I'll check the return line pressure from the box.

[BobbyFord]

You may likely have a sticking control valve inside the steering gear.
I doubt that more than one pump went bad.

[ximy]

You may likely have a sticking control valve inside the steering gear.
I doubt that more than one pump went bad.

yeah, it's not looking good for the box.

[Kurt Combs]

I highly recommend a Red Head replacement. Spendy yes, but better than Napa or O'Reilly's parts. The Red Head will have new bearings in the bottom of the box where the shaft goes through, the other rebuilt boxes don't bother they just change the seals from what I experienced.

[ximy]

I highly recommend a Red Head replacement. Spendy yes, but better than Napa or O'Reilly's parts. The Red Head will have new bearings in the bottom of the box where the shaft goes through, the other rebuilt boxes don't bother they just change the seals from what I experienced.

Thanks, I bookmarked redhead.

On Saturday I started it up and the steering was working. This leads me to believe the headers are overheating the steering box.
This steering, lock-up symptom, never happened before I installed the headers.

I noticed the headers tubes, all four run parallel (see red lines) with the sector shaft housing for about 12 inches.

box.jpg

Could the headers be causing the box to seize??

I made a head shield and I'm going to look for a cooler and maybe add a filter too.

any thoughts?

Here is the heat shield

heatsheild.jpg

[ximy]

Heat shield installed. Seems to help, the box hasn't seized yet with it in.

TRUCK02.jpg

I just attached it to that existing bracket at the top.

It is totally shielding the box from the header tubes.

TRUCK01.jpg

[AZf100]

So Was this The Problem Heat? Or?

[ximy]

Yes, I believe it was the heat seizing the box. It has not seized since I made the shield and I have not had to put on a cooler. So far so good.

[AZf100]

Good Deal, sounds like you got it figured out.