Isuzu NPR Power Steering

I finished up that pita power steering line replacement today and about had a stroke when the power steering pump didn't work. It was groaning when I parked it last Monday and expected it to have some air in it, but to not work at all?

The fluid reservoir was between Min and Max yet nothing happening and you better be a Hulk to manual steer an NPR. I tried working the steering from lock to lock in hopes of purging air and some certainly came out, but still no pump psi.

After scratching my head for minute, I decided to add fluid all the way up to the Max line and try rotating the steering wheel again. That is when the magic show started....the level in the reservoir never went up as I poured the fluid in.

So, I was crawling around checking every line to look for a leak...none. I went back to adding fluid and after a full quart was added, the level started to move upwards. The pump also started to groan again as it came back to life.

About a pint later, the pump went quiet and the reservoir showed it at the Max line. Steers with one finger again and is quiet...turns like butter.

I was minutes away from condemning that pump as needing replaced, and they are not cheap. That reservoir must be a dual chamber type or something, but if you own one of these things, KEEP THAT LEVEL AT THE MAX LINE.

You know one day sooner or later someone is going to find this thread from Google because they have issues like yours and they should be registering in here and thanking you for saving them a boat load of $$ from buying a new power steering pump

I suspect that it will be seen by many in the next few days. Those rigid lines crack and there are not a lot of dealers around to work on them, so it becomes a DIY project.

It will get lots of non-cleaner traffic as it wasn't like changing the line on your car or truck.