power steering making locking and whinning

[denebutant]

1991 XLT 250,000 miles the power steering pump is locking up and barely working at an idle. Is it the pump or the rack??? How do I check them???

 

[BExplorer]

No rack

Welcome to the board, you'll find almost all the info you need to maintain and modifie your Ex here. Try the search tool, it can reveal some past post that could answer many question.

For your question, there is no rack and pinion on Ex, it is a pitman arm system. Check the steering linkage from under the truck, see if they are bend or loose, there is 2 bar that attach to another arm, this arm is connected to a round box. The box is what makes turning possible, also check fluid level, leaks in system. For the whinning it is almost normal for Ford pumps, some do and some dont, but there could be some air in the system making that noise, would have to bleed it, but I dont know how. Make a search on PS pump or power steering pump, some answer should come.

 

[denebutant]

The pump barely works even when Im on the gas. I can feel the steering locking while on the x-way in a curve, that cant be good. Im going to install a used pump hope that fixes it

 

[BExplorer]

Fluid

Have you check the fluid level? Because it sound like if the pump was starving, but then again it could be defective!

 

[denebutant]

Fluid is up and pump only whins when I put a load on it, the noise and problems only recently started to happen so Im not sure if the pump is just wearing out since I have 250,000 miles on it
Jim