How to clean your Power steering resivor

Once the mesh is out it can’t go back in from what i remember. Rinse it with gasoline a few times till it rinses clean with no chuncks in it.

 

The mesh is attached to that metal ring inside the reservoir, and that ring is held in by a few dimples/indentations around the outside of the reservoir. If you can figure out how to undo those dimples you could pull the mesh assembly out. But really, you don't need to remove the mesh once you have the top off the reservoir. You just need to find the proper cleaner. I couldn't figure out the proper cleaner to use to dissolve all the crap that was caked onto the mesh. Brake cleaner didn't work for me.

 

Figured it out as best I could. Used a whole bottle of brake cleaner and then very very gently dragged a flat head screwdriver across the mesh, then wiped the crap off on a paper towel to get the crap out.
I had to be careful because the mesh was already torn around the edge (about an inch or so around the edge where it was connected).
I bled the system and possibly got it figured out. Letting the truck cool down before I let my hopes up. Tmrw morning will be the real test. There’s a chance I had just enough gunk in there to cause some cavitation (didn’t know what this was before I started doing this). I guess we’ll see if this worked. If not I will be replacing the idler pulley and of that doesn’t work it’s probably an issue with steering rack.
Second picture is after cleaning with brake cleaner alone. Third picture is after using the screw driver

 

If you are an idiot (like me), and accidentally stabbed a screwdriver through your mesh...
Remove all of it an install a Magnefine ATF filter in the return line just before the reservoir. Much better filtration and no more worrying about the mesh. I do suck out the ATF and replace with new every oil change now.

 

Well.... let the truck cool off a little, turned it on and it started whining again. Turned the wheel full left and right and it stopped. It whines until I hit the full stop, then it’s quite but like I said, after a couple turns it was quiet (same as before I cleaned the filter.) I’m going to try and bleed the system for about 45 mins in the morning with the engine running like someone suggested in my original call for help and see if it’s just because there are lingering bubbles in the system. If not, I almost wanna give up

 

Thanks for that! I might do this anyways just in case. Someone else mentioned replacing the idler pulley, so I might do that if the magnefine filter doesn’t work.

 

For anyone else finding this thread in a search:

 

Alrighty folks,
bad news. Put it up on jacks this morning after doing another flush the other day where I took the reservoir apart (found out how to on a different thread) and cleaned the crap out of the reservoir.
Left it up on the jacks for an hour and turned the wheel slowly from left lock to right lock for an hour.
Absolutely made sure there were no bubbles. Drove around just fine. Turned the truck off and back on, boom, back to whining.
I let it sit there for a while to see if the whining went away (hoping that it was the tensioner pulley or the belt), no luck. Turned the wheel all the way to the left and it whined until I hit the stop, stays quiet at the full stop. Stayed there for a second, released the pressure on the steering wheel and the whine was gone. Story of my life.

Question - Does this basically mean that I need a new steering rack? My guess is an inline filter won't help, because air has to be getting into the system somewhere...

 

When all this whining was going on, is the reservoir filled with foam/bubbles? Use a light to verify. Also do you have a vortex sucking air into the pump intake?

Answer the above, but without knowing I would aim for the pump first. I had a whining pump with similar symptoms and replacement fixed it. I’m told there is a rebuild kit but I was in a hurry so got a pretty nice replacement from NAPA. I had to reuse my reservoir (hard to find that part).

 

When it's whining, there are air bubbles. After going back and forth a few times with the wheel to the locks the whining and bubbles go away. I just replaced the power steering pump, but I think I'm going to buy an OEM rebuild kit

 

Reviving a revived thread:

Now I think I know why Toyota won't sell a pump without the reservoir. Apparently the reservoir was not designed for easy disassembly and cleaning. The local Toyota dealer quotes $475 for a new pump/reservoir. Ouch.

Mike, did you have any issues adapting the OEM reservoir to your NAPA pump?

Did the pump come with a fresh O-ring for a reservoir?
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Don’t buy parts at a brick and mortar dealer parts department. $278 here online

https://parts.conicellitoyotaofcons...meT0yMDE0JnQ9cHJlLXJ1bm5lciZlPTItN2wtbDQtZ2Fz

 

Post #27 you beat me to it. Best way to clean and service your power steering pump that I've seen.

 

if I remember correctly, it came with the o-ring and mated right up with the pump. The casting between the OEM and NAPA pump appeared to be essentially identical.

 

"Well, raise my rent!"

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/f5786361-2017-4fe4-9444-81882dd624f6

I was low on fluid. I checked it, but hadn't cleaned off the dipstick properly. It was probably only about 2 oz low. But, now it's quiet and I can spend my "Covid Relief"* check on something else. I hope I didn't shorten the life of the pump or rack.

(* Only ~15% of the 1.9 $trillion actually goes to Covid-related programs.)

 

If your pump is bad don’t replace it, rebuild it instead.

Get this rebuild kit: https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/toyota~gasket~kit~power~steering~pump~04446-04020.html

It's pretty easy to rebuild. This thread, https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/power-steering-pump-rebuild-how-to-with-photos.377002/ will show you how to do it.

 

Thanks. I'm good at such tasks, so much appreciated.

FWIW before topping up my reservoir, I plunged a white q-tip in and scraped the bottom screen. The fluid color is still red with just a hint of "tawny", and the q-tip did not pick up any dark sludge off the screen. I'm hoping the groaning I heard was cavitation from low fluid level. After topping, it's quiet again. Fingers crossed.
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