1967 Cadillac Eldorado - Power Steering Issue

[oldeldo]

I recently had the power steering pump and gear box replaced on this vehicle due to serious leaks (car has 130k miles). The issue is the rebuilt components drive like a truck, not the pinky finger boost the vehicle use to have. My mechanic says he can try to adjust or reinstall the original components and refund my money. Any suggestions???

[TJ Hopland]

I would not go the adjust route with the box.  Its not an adjust to taste sort of thing on those.  If its not right its got issues and there are ways things can go wrong and lock up.  About the only possible adjustment I can think of is the outlet fitting on the pump is sort of the pressure regulator and there may be different options there so maybe its got the wrong one?

I also wonder if you got the same ratio again?  The ratio isn't connected to the amount of assist you get but can really affect the feel.  The ratio is how many turns of the wheel vs how much the tires move so more turns would be easier but takes more turns to get the car to turn vs fewer turns will be more effort but you don't have to turn as far to make the car move. Manual steering was usually more because it was easier and power is less because its more responsive that way and the power takes care of the effort.  Thats why a typical Cadillac is practically undrivable if the power steering goes out but farmer Ted's grain truck drives fine without PS its just it takes like 4 full turns of the wheel to do a 90 in the truck when the cad would do that in 2. 

Have you put enough miles on that its bled out?  When you check the fluid after driving is it foamy at all or just nice solid fluid?  Sometimes systems can really be a pain to bleed but getting the wheels off the ground to decrease the resistance then steering will help.  If the fluid is foamy there may be a leak and its sucking some air or the pump isn't right and just not generating the pressure or adding air in all the time. 

If it was me and you have the old parts I think I would compare the ratios. It may be more tricky in the car since the wheels may stop the travel before the box maxes out compared to the out of the car one but you should be able to get an idea if they are close or not.  Make a pitman arm out of cardboard the same length as the real one and see how far it goes per wheel turn.  I may also be tempted to swap in the old pump to see if that changes things.  Your new one just may be a dud.

[Poncholover]

Watching this thread. Always preferable in this crap-shoot age to have your pieces rebuilt.

[Chopper1942]

Was there any metal debris in the drained P/S fluid?  If not I would get the seal kits for the pump and gear and reseal them. I never have replace a steering gear or pump for a fluid leak unless the housing was damaged. In the past we always disassembled and rebuilt/sealed them. Sometimes the hardest par is just getting them off the vehicle.

It is not that difficult to do and you still have the OE parts that came on the vehicle and they will work like before.

If you need more info or help let me know.