Power steering woes, on a time crunch. Need advice urgently

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rwc265

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So my high pressure line rotted out near the sensor and started leaking, so I decided I'd just do ALL the lines and a new pressure sensor. Went fairly easily, until I start refilling and topping. When I thought I was good, I started it up and I have no power steering. When I start to go from lock to lock, the reservoir overflows but no air bubbles comes out. Figuring it had a nasty air lock or something, I consulted with some others and tried capping the return on the reservoir and piping the return into a bucket so air can escape. I used clear tubing and no air really came out. But after I tried that, I got power steering back but with a very loud pump that sounded like a weedwacker. I shut it down and restarted it a few minutes later, and the pump was quiet but power steering was also gone again.

The only thing I can think of that might've done something though I doubt it, was the way I bled it I bled it with the car off but on the garage floor since I didn't have lifting equipment with me. Other than that, I'm out of ideas. I used the Edelmann pressure line with that one way fitting that comes with it, so if I need a new pump I don't know how I'd even get that out of there. As usual... 2009 SSV
 
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rwc265

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What it sounded like... when I got to to come back

My research so far points to bad pump, hopefully nothing with the rack. Before I left the shop I started it just one more time and it made that same sound for a split second, but no power steering still.
 
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rwc265

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Mystery solved... Turns out there were debris caps on the new reservoir line. It just so happens they were too small to not go inside the line, and they got shoved in where I couldn't see them out of the box. I start popping the lines off and get to the pump inlet, and I find a yellow debris cap perfectly seated in the inlet. Took that out then blew out the reservoir line out of the car... Out pops another cap! Idk how the pump isn't dead from not getting fluid, but with 3 turns lock to lock with the car still off, it bled and even running and turning lock to lock at least 10 times the fluid didn't move so it seems to be bled
 

DeafBringer

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Wow! That was a great, easy solution. Good catch! I was watching the thread and thought for sure your PS pump was dead.
 
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rwc265

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So did I. Never in a million years would I have guessed there were debris caps in the line. I thought I broke something turning the wheels unpowered while they were on the ground or somehow did it when I flushed the fluid via the return line. But nope, it was the factory putting caps inside of a line for protection, meanwhile it's already sealed in an oversized bag.

The cap in question. For anyone who happens to come across this post, this was a Sunsong reservoir line off RockAuto. Be weary. Seeing as how the reservoir line has no hydraulic crimps to rust out and mine wasn't damaged, should've just let it be.

cap.jpg
 
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