Discovery 2 PAS Problem (SOLVED)

Hi all,

I'm new in Forum and I first wrote my PAS problem description to new member introduction forum... I realized that that was totally wrong place.

I've been reading a lot threats about PAS problems and tried many things during couple of weeks. But only to bang my head against the wall again and again. Hope you guys can give me some hints what to do next. Here is my problem:

It was very cold (-25 celsius) one month ago here in Finland and PAS pump started keeping noise. After work day I found out that there was PAS fluid pond under car. OK, I knew that there was Dextron II or III in system and it might get thick in those temperatures and push some sealing out. So I took pump out, clean it and put it back... just to see that is it really the pump what is leaking. After refitting pump power steering worked normally without any bleeding or anything and there was no any visible leaks... but the sound was the same when turning wheel (air getting into system).

Next morning all fluid was in the bucked under car and reservoir was empty. Now the pump was clean and I saw that leak was in the pump. So I bought the new (cheap) one.

Refitted the new one and there was no power steering at all

I tried to bleed the system in many ways I found from RAVE and from YouTube and forums.

From some forum i found that these cheap pumps might have inside parts the other way around. So I open up the new pump and yep, everything was mirror according original pump... but the can be turned around (I can add pictures if some one is interested). Only one part is not symmetrical so I took that one from old pump. Refitted pump again and no result. Steering was totally stiff. Again I tried bleeding and everything.

So I disassembled the new pump again and took all the sealing from it and fitted them to old pump (because this old pump was working, only leaking). No result.

I'm starting to suspect that something else is happened during the repair... e.g the new pump was pumping in wrong direction first.. could the result some issues.. have I kept the steering wheel too long time in totally turned while bleeding first time (just noticed that RAVE says that do not keep it more than 10 sec turned... what this might cause?).

Is there something in steering box? Do anyone have any idea what I could check next? I don't want to by new pump (OEM) before I get it working with old one which was only leaking...

Maybe my short question is that should the power steering work even little without successful bleeding process or is steering totally stiff if bleeding is not done correctly?

A little update.

Today I took reservoir off and found that there was a lot metal chips at the bottom. I was pretty sure that the cheap pump in which internal parts was in a wrong way round was sucked those chips in the system and now it's stuck.

- So I cleaned the reservoir and but it back.
- Connected pump inlet side to reservoir.
- Plugged reservoir return connection and added extra pipe to return hose.
- Placed extra pipe to reservoir through the opening of the cap.

When I started a car I there was pretty good stream of fluid in returning hose... but the steering is sill stiff (no PAS at all).

I guess the pump did not made vacuum to returning side even the parts was wrong cause pump still runs in to specific direction...

Hi, IMO you can't rely on a pump which was wong from factory nor on any bodge you made there cos it's possible that if those who made it were so dumb to mix it up maybe that pump is not delivering enough pressure anyway... you'll have to check the pressure as per RAVE to go further or bite the bullet and buy a branded pump and if the pressure is confirmed as being OK and still no joy then the box can be fubar as well especially if it ran low on oil and not with the proper cold climate fluid at -25*C

There is no real need to bleed the PAS system on a D2. You just fill it up and turn the wheel full lock both ways a few times. I would bin your cheap pump and start again with a new decent one. Metal in the fluid is not good, and I would hazard a guess it’s t from the pump running with no oil. I would find a way to flush out the steering box and pipes as well before fitting a new pump. You need to make 100% sure there are no metal particles in the system before fitting the new pump, or you are chasing your tail.

I would also try and find the correct spec oil for your PAS system.

meego said:

There is no real need to bleed the PAS system on a D2.

Click to expand...

If you say that i think that maybe on RHD the whole setup is a bit different cos on mine(LHD) when the box was replaced it didnt work well untill it was properly bled no matter how much and how many times i turned it both ways

sierrafery said:

If you say that i think that maybe on RHD the whole setup is a bit different cos on mine(LHD) when the box was replaced it didnt work well untill it was properly bled no matter how much and how many times i turned it both ways

Click to expand...

I don’t know why it would be different on a LHD to be honest, but I don’t doubt what you say. I have removed my steering box quite a few times for various reasons. I have fully drained the fluid and refilled and never had an issue with airlocks etc. Cars can be fickle things eh !!

Thanks for your advises!

So at the moment there is old pump from were the sealing failed (now with new sealing).

According @sierrafery thinking (pump just not create enough pressure) I just made a test: With engine idling, car not moving, I started turn wheel with equal force. Right away after I raised revs (2500-3000rpm) steering wheel started turning easier.

But as you both said; I just need to go with new decent pump with decent fluid (flush the system first).

If you are having trouble (bleeding) don't forget there is a bleed valve on the steering box as well but as @meego says never had to use it.

Yep, in RAVE bleeding procedure valve is used but what I have also understood this shold bleed it self.

I’ll let you when new pump arrives.

I know it's a different vehicle, but similar in design, the only way I could get my son's to bleed through was with the front wheels off the ground.
It was a Defender by the way.

New pump and fluids came today... Steering has not been so light ever before.

So what I learned. Never buy cheapest staff, use always recommend fluids... Simple is that