Power Steering Problem

[96XJTech]

So late yesterday afternoon, I started to hear a moderate to loud rattle coming from the drivers side area under the hood, and it can be heard loudly from inside the jeep. But everything was still working perfectly with my steering. However, on the drive home, my steering became very loose, and made a whining noise when I turned the wheel. This was shortlived however, and I lost all power steering a few minutes later.

After looking under the hood, it appears the pressure hose burst below the power steering pump near the bottom of the hose, and it sprayed fluid everywhere. So the reservoir is bone dry right now.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? If so, what did you end up replacing? Even though the pump is relatively cheap, I don't want to replace that if I don't have to right now. I was looking through the FSM, and the rattling noise would suggest it's the pressure hose in contact with other components. But it doesn't appear to be making contact with anything else.

The whining noise it was briefly making suggests it could be the pressure hose as well, but it could have been coming from within the pump, which would mean the pump needs replacing.

So I'm planning on purchasing a new pressure hose, and perhaps a new pulley. Since the Jeep recently hit 150,000 miles, I'm going to buy a new serpentine belt as well. This should eliminate that annoying chirp/squeal I've been hearing for awhile now. But should I replace the power steering pump as well? Advanced Auto has remanufactured ones for $81.88, but I don't want to buy something I might not need right now.

[alexrule123]

All I have to say is I let my power steering pump go dry once for a short time and it started making grinding noises after that but I just kept it filled up and kept driving for over 6 months until I finally replaced it last weekend. You can get the high pressure line from advanced as well for like $20. Just a word of caution if you get a reman pump without a pulley on it you need tp get a pulley remover and installer tool, the back of the pump is plastic and if you force the pulley on you can push the impeller shaft through the back and ruin the pump.

[MGrobe]

Generally it doesn't take all too long turn burn up a empty pump. Only way to know for sure is to fill it up and run it. Makes me wonder if when a pump fails if it gives off any metallic debris that can screw up the steering gear box if you try using it again.

[tjwalker]

You can speculate all you want about whether you'll need a new pump but the only way you will know for sure would be to put it back together with the old pump and try it........

I think if it were me though, I'd cancel Uncle Charlie and Aunt Mabel's Christmas presents (remember, the tightwads gave you soap-on-a-rope last Christmas?) and buy a reman pump and put it in while you're doing all the other stuff!