Heavy Steering - Tyre Advice - Possibly pump?

Hi All.

Picked up a 90 TD5 yesterday. 2003.
Quite a long journey - 200 odd miles - but stopped frequently as it was hot day.
All ok on the drive - all seemed absolutely fine.

Started it up today - and terrible noise coming when trying to turn it alongside heavy steering.
Managed to swing past local garage. Checked fluid reservoir - and not much ATF in there at all.
Garage filled it up so that's all nice and full - noise seems to have disappeared but steering still heavy.

I'm running through possible causes - that it may be the power steering pump - but this was replaced on it a couple of years ago.

I do have a couple of questions of things I can do before i can get it booked in.

1. Could the pump be the main cause of this - and that the longer journey perhaps finished it off?
2. After filling it up with ATF this morning, how long should it take to get back into the system - and for it to work itself back through?
3. I'm thinking more along the lines of tyres on this question - on a set of 18'' BF Goodrich KO tyres - what should the tyres pressures be all over?
4. Could it also be to do with tracking? Or would this have shown itself on the 200 mile odd trip I did yesterday?

Appreciate any thoughts and suggestions!

The steering pump is self bleeding.
With the engine running, turn from lock to lock a couple of times, check level, fill if required, repeat until it all feels good.
If it fails to feel OK the pump maybe the culprit, it could be the steering box but much more likely to be the pump.
Steering boxes leak. Steering fluid is a pink, light oil.
Look underneath the leak will be pretty obvious.

Tyre pressured should be around 40psi, maybe 35, deffo over 30.
Heavy steering is around 15psi.

Tracking on a Defender is neutral, if it was wildly off you would have noticed on a 200 mile drive.

miktdish said:

The steering pump is self bleeding.
With the engine running, turn from lock to lock a couple of times, check level, fill if required, repeat until it all feels good.
If it fails to feel OK the pump maybe the culprit, it could be the steering box but much more likely to be the pump.
Steering boxes leak. Steering fluid is a pink, light oil.
Look underneath the leak will be pretty obvious.

Tyre pressured should be around 40psi, maybe 35, deffo over 30.
Heavy steering is around 15psi.

Tracking on a Defender is neutral, if it was wildly off you would have noticed on a 200 mile drive.

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Thank you so much for the advice! Will give that a go shortly and post back with how I get on! Even though they filled the level to the top earlier - I hadn’t checked it again since!

Hoping it’s not the pump so will try these first and check tire pressures this evening! Great advice thank you so much - will let you know how it goes! Fingers crossed

Update :

Went out and checked the ATF tank - and its probably gone down by half! I think I only drove it for about an hour after the guy at the garage topped it up!

Going to order some ATF pronto and keep checking those levels in the meantime until I can have the pump and box looked over by the workshop just to make sure all is OK.

Should that little tank where the ATF goes always be full? If it’s gone down by about half, could it just suggest there was none in the system or a leak?

Have been underneath it since - and I’ve got my normal oil spots where she’s happy to see me lol - but no pink liquid at all on the ground! From what I know of the previous owner, it doubtful they even lifted the hood in their ownership apart from it being serviced last summer!

I’m hoping it could be just that it was running low - but won’t no more until I get some more ATF, and run the steps you suggested above - and then full lock once topped up and check!

How much liquid should be in there most of the time if all is working well?
I think it’s a sign somethings definitely going on if it’s down to nearly half since this morning!

No it shouldn't be full, there are some marks on the dipstick.
That sort of leak should be obvious
Roughly half is about right so maybe nothing has leaked out.

Anaconda said:

No it shouldn't be full, there are some marks on the dipstick.
That sort of leak should be obvious
Roughly half is about right so maybe nothing has leaked out.

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I can see two marks on the dipstick - and it’s gone down just underneath the lowest one.

It’s been sat on the drive now for a few hours and nothing appears to be leaking that’s pink!

I did the full lock left and full lock right again - and since the garage topped it up, that god awful noise and groan has gone away so that’s good. Steering feels better than this morning but still not quite right.

Just feels heavier and tighter.

I think I should probably top it up again to reach the second marker - and do the full locks again and see if that pushes it through.

Failing that, I think it’s worth getting the pump and box checked over just to be safe - but I don’t think i’l be able to get it in for a few weeks as everywhere is so booked up at the moment.

Is it ok to drive like this?
I mean - would I be causing any major harm or would you leave it safely parked up just to be on the safe side till they can check on it?

Also wanted to ask if ATF is pretty standard across the board - so for instance it my local garage did it - it won’t matter that I’m mixing different brands up etc - is it all pretty much the same?

Thanks for all the amazing advice today everyone btw - really grateful!

It does sound like the system just ran low, probably just loosing a small amount over time, steering box output most likely.
Check and some damp may be seen, not a major problem in itself as long as level is checked regular.
Once empty though the groaning noise you hear is air mixing with the fluid. It can take a couple of goes to remove it all doing the lock to lock thing then opening the bleed nipple on the steering box.
The fluid should be of the same specification but it does not matter what make.

tottot said:

It does sound like the system just ran low, probably just loosing a small amount over time, steering box output most likely.
Check and some damp may be seen, not a major problem in itself as long as level is checked regular.
Once empty though the groaning noise you hear is air mixing with the fluid. It can take a couple of goes to remove it all doing the lock to lock thing then opening the bleed nipple on the steering box.
The fluid should be of the same specification but it does not matter what make.

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Thank you so much for the reply back and your advice! Very new to all of this! Could you tell me a little bit on how to open the bleed nipple on the steering box?

I’m so sorry - bit of a newbie on this bit so any advice or help would be gratefully received and appreciated.

I’ve done the lock to lock thing a few times and ordered ATF for Monday. If you could give me the steps of what I’d need to do - to do that, I’d be so grateful.

I can’t top up anymore tonight as the garage filled it full today and it’s gone below the lower marker already as I mentioned. So will top that up when it arrives in a couple of days -

If you can give me the steps of exactly what I can do that would be fab! You’re the best!

LandySurf said:

Thank you so much for the reply back and your advice! Very new to all of this! Could you tell me a little bit on how to open the bleed nipple on the steering box?

I’m so sorry - bit of a newbie on this bit so any advice or help would be gratefully received and appreciated.

I’ve done the lock to lock thing a few times and ordered ATF for Monday. If you could give me the steps of what I’d need to do - to do that, I’d be so grateful.

I can’t top up anymore tonight as the garage filled it full today and it’s gone below the lower marker already as I mentioned. So will top that up when it arrives in a couple of days -

If you can give me the steps of exactly what I can do that would be fab! You’re the best!

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I never open the nipple.
Just fill the reservoir with ATF, start the engine, go lock to lock a few times, switch off, leave it for a bit, and then repeat.
The first few times, you will find lots of froth in the reservoir, and maybe not much fluid.
But keep going, and you will find the froth clears, and there is just clean fluid.
Take your time, just like brake bleeding.

I found the only way to bleed the box om my son's Ninety was with the wheels of the ground, don't know why.

Turboman said:

I never open the nipple.
Just fill the reservoir with ATF, start the engine, go lock to lock a few times, switch off, leave it for a bit, and then repeat.
The first few times, you will find lots of froth in the reservoir, and maybe not much fluid.
But keep going, and you will find the froth clears, and there is just clean fluid.
Take your time, just like brake bleeding.

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Hey Turboman!
Thanks so much for the reply - this is great to know!

I just didn’t want to take it somewhere and for someone to tell me that something needs to be done / changed when it doesn’t - and if I can do it myself then great.

I’ve only done the lock to lock right now after that chap at the garage filled it. When the new ATF arrives I’ll do exactly what you said.

Is the best thing to just do the lock to lock a few times - walk away - then come back and fill to the second marker on the dipstick, and check the level every time - just repeating the process?

Hopefully this solves it as I believe it had a new power steering pump 2 years ago - and as others have mentioned - I can’t find any red ATF leaking under the vehicle and it’s been out there for most of the afternoon now!

I’m just about to order ATF - ( good old Amazon Prime ) - does anyone have any recommendations? Have attached some pictures of the ones I’ve found!

Opening the nipple on the top of the box is usually just a last tad of air out job. As said my post above the loss of fluid is likely very small, enough for the odd drop to blow away in the wind when driving.

tottot said:

Opening the nipple on the top of the box is usually just a last tad of air out job. As said my post above the loss of fluid is likely very small, enough for the odd drop to blow away in the wind when driving.

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Understood - thank you! How do you get it to just allow that last bit of air out? Is it easily accessible so I know what I’m looking for?

Is it accessible from the engine bay or underneath? So sorry as very much a beginner on this!

The steering pump is self bleeding.
With the engine running, turn from lock to lock a couple of times, check level, fill if required, repeat until it all feels good.

Dextron III ATF (Steering fluid) - it's a pink, light oil.

Anaconda said:

I found the only way to bleed the box om my son's Ninety was with the wheels of the ground, don't know why.

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Just puts a bit more load on the steering, I should think.

If the pump is shagged (they do wear out) then here'e a link to a TD5 remanufactured one.
A new pump will offer a more linear pressure and greater flow than a worn one.

And the fitting thereof ...