Power steering fluid rushing out of the return line

Hey all,

I just replaced my steering rack. While I was doing it, I made a mistake and accidentally turned the vehicle on without the lines hooked up to the rack and the power steering fluid came spraying out of the pressure line. I installed the new rack and hooked up both the pressure and return lines. When I went to bleed the fluid into the new rack, as soon as I turn the vehicle on, power steering fluid comes rushing out of the return line.(I'm not even turning the wheel at this point). Would this mean I have a bad power steering pressure line? thanks

 

No. And welcome to TW

 

Do you know what it could be?

 

Do you have all the lines hooked up?

 

Normal operation of your steering rack. Without steering input both sides have equal pressure and the fluid pushes into the rack from the pump basically just flows through it. This is admittedly and oversimplification. If you really wanna know the details maybe go on YouTube and watch some videos of how this all works

 

Welcome to TW!

 

I ‘m a bit confused here … how does fluid come rushing out if you hooked up both lines? Do you mean fluid rushing into the reservoir? That would be normal. As son as the engine starts, the PS pump starts pushing PS fluid through the system.

 

You got the reservoir connected?

 

Hey all thanks for your replies. I figured it out. Basically, there was air in the feeder line from the reservoir to the pump. When this happens, it isn't primed fully and just shoots the fluid through the system. I resolved the issue by leaving the truck off, filling the reservoir with fluid and turning the wheel back and forth about 30 times. Once the bubbles had stopped coming out of the return line into the reservoir, I turn the vehicle on and keep repeating adding fluid as needed. it is fully primed and working well. Thanks again for your help