Help Bleeding Power Steering System 97 mazda 626

[DaddyBlogger]

Need some bobistheoilguy advice on this one. Parts changed on power steering system and air was introduced into the p/s system. Confident the noise my system is making is not the p/s pump going bad but air in the system.

Tried bleeding it by turning steering wheel back and forth. Saw some air plus p/s fluid bubble up out of the power steering reservoir. Thought this would fix it but the sound persists. No indication at this point that the pump is bad.

I researched further and apparently this particular car is one of several that tend to REALLY trap air once in the system. I was told I need a pump which can be attached to the reservior, somehow you get it completely sealed and pump away. This draws all the air out along with a small amount of fluid which I would obviously replace.

I found several pumps on Amazon.com that state they do this type of job but I see no way on how it can be sealed air tight to allow me to properly remove the air. Any suggestions on the correct pump to buy and how to get it sealed before I start pumping. Thanks for any advice because I am worried that if I leave the air in the system too long it may actually kill the p/s pump over time.

 

[unDummy]

Did you use the correct PSF?

Try burping the PS with the vehicle off by cranking the wheel all the way right and then all the way left. Top off as needed.

Vacuum will assist pulling air out of the system. But, usually all you need is a little time while driving.

 

[DaddyBlogger]

unDummy

Thanks for your response. Yes...I made sure I used the correct fluid and I did as you state and also have driven it for some time now and the noise persists. This lead me to research my problem and this vehicle and others from what I read REALLY need to be bled by a pump because the usual method does not work in most cases.

Thank you for your response and to any one else willing to help.

 

[MaximaGuy]

How can air get trapped? It is a hydraulic open loop system, open the reservior cap, remove 3/4ths of the fluid in the reservior barely enough fluid in there to force the air out of the return line, raise front wheels, start engine and do steering locks (extreme right and extreme left). Lower vehicle and top it off.

That should take care of the sucker.

 

[scott37300]

How many times did you turn the wheels back and forth? I've read it takes quit a few sometimes.

As to make a vacuum bleeder adaptor you can either get another cap and modify it to accept a vacuum or you can rig something up like a rubber plug or cork with a hole drilled in it for the vacuum hose.

Here is a video from youtube of a guy that made an adaptor,

 

[JOD]

My Ford (and many others) does the exact same thing. No, it's not the wrong PS fluid, flushing procedure or not turning the wheel enough...it's simply a function of the design.

After about 4 weeks of dealing with it, I finally just fixed it. Here's what you'll need to do:

-go to the hardware store and buy a rubber stopper, sized slightly bigger than the reservoir cap, so it will squeeze in there. Also, get a barbed fitting which will accept a small diameter piece of tubing

-Drill a small hole in the rubber stopper and insert the barbed brass fitting. I smeared some gasket sealant on it as well.

-install the rubber stopper, and put a vacuum hose on the fitting, then pull some vacuum. Re-install cap, drive, and do it one more time.

You need a Mityvac or Mityvac-type hand pump to pull the vacuum. If you don't own one, it's good to have anyway.

This was the only way to get all of the air out of my PS system. Ford has a specific tool to do this, but the home-made tool works fine. You could also get a PS cap, drill it out and install the barbed fitting in that.

 

[JOD]

That's a pretty cool video--basically what I did. One thing I'd suggest though is to to use clear tubing on the vacuum pump, so you can make sure not to draw up any fluid. If you do that, you really don't need to empty the reservoir (at least I didn't).

 

[Kaie]

When i flush/drain p/s fluid i unhook the reservoir return line while zip-tieing a little baggy to the part of the reservoir the hose hooked to wouldn't leak. Drop the end of the return line into a catch basin of some sort. or zip tie a bike tire tube that has been cut to the end of the hose, if the hose isn't long enough.

I then fill the reservoir to the top. then turn the wheel with the car about 3 full locks each direction [left, right, left]. Pour some more fluid into the reservoir. Rinse and repeat.

I've never had an issues doing it this way. To be fair i've never worked on a Mazda so....