Cold start power teering loss, whining, foamed fluid

[biz999]

Starting my jeep today in the single digits fahrenheit I experienced a loud whine and I had no power steering until the Jeep warmed up. Looking under the hood I found a house that seems to be coated in fluid, and looking inside the power steering reservoir it was all brown and foamed. The foam height was at the required level but not sure where it'll be once settled.

Here's a picture of the hose.

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Ideas? Obviously I may need to top up the fluid but is it just the cold I need to worry about?

Thanks!

 

[ltd02]

Might need to replace that hose. Mine weeps a bit but not anything like that. Foam means it either got real low or the hose is allowing air in. Remember if topping off, the 02s had Mopar power steering fluid from the factory. Newer KJs use ATF+4. Shouldn't mix them. Brown and foamy may be the reg PS fluid. Would have been clear but Amber originally.

 

[biz999]

After the foam settled it was above, but close to the min cold line so I'm going to top it up a little see if that helps.

I very cold started it again today and I had no power steering to start. However, I tapped the gas a little while in park and then all of a sudden the whining started up (which normally starts on start up) and the power steering returned. I looked around the engine while it idled and didn't spot any active, obvious leaks.

 

[John3seventeen]

They like to leak where the resevoir attaches to the pump. Mine started with the whining and foaming - it did that for two years when it was cold out. This year it started leaking signifigantly. Changed the pump and flushed the old fluid out and switched to ATF4 - problem solved, although the hoses still weep a little bit but thats a project for another day.

 

[Cardhu]

If that is your high pressure hose in the photo; start the jeep and get out and look where its weeping. Its either the hose itself or at the crimped fitting.

either way, the solution is likely a new hp hose.

You'll need an 18 mm crowsfoot to loosen it at the steering rack.

If that is your 2002 original hose, i'd say it doesn't owe you anything as i've replaced mine every year until i had a custom hose made to use the fittings when you cut them above the crimp.

If you want this to be the last time you fix it cut off the hose at the fittings and bring the fittings to any industrial hose supplier to crimp you a new hose ~4 feet long and route it in roughly the same direction as the existing HP hose provided your end fittings are in good shape and have the orings in good shape.

Otherwise spend 40 bucks on rock auto and buy a gates one to last you a few years.

 

[biz999]

I haven't had a chance to crawl around and look from the bottom as it's still snow on the ground and in my parking lot here.

Looking at a post for how to replace the high pressure steering line, I think the hose I've identified may be a different one. I've circled in red in the image below the same hose as I took the picture of. I got the screenshot from the post here: http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f202/how-change-power-steering-high-pressure-return-hoses-47877/

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Now that it's about freezing there's maybe a little whine at start up that goes away quickly. I didn't notice any fluid drops on the snow but it would be hard to tell. Harder now that everything thaws.

Basically is this a red alert fix now issue? or a monitor things, check the fluid level consistently kind of thing? Is there a risk of the pump or hose going while driving and loosing steering?

 

[Cardhu]

your steering will be hard but you will not loose it.

The pump can take some abuse (original pump and lost ps hose every winter for last 5, still going but makes some noise). It will go eventually but you will not be killed immediately like a lbj failure.

The dialog you will experiences is
1. whats that noise
2 why is it hard to steer
3 is that atf+4?
4 why didn't i fix this
5 a mopar ps pump is how much?


the HP hose is the one that goes from the pump to a U shape with bracket behind the Driver headlight

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down to the rack. I think its the top one circled in yellow and likely the other end circled in red. My fix with the HD hose removes the bracket just make the hose a similar length or longer.

My last ps hose failure was the hose not the crimp which was pretty suprising.

You also don't need to remove half of what is removed in that faq. as noted you can use extensions or a small ratchet wrench and go in through the gap near the ps cooler fog light once you remove the grill.

Once your done wiht all of this power wash all the atf off of your rack bushings that below the pump so it doesn't eat out over time and you left buying a new R&P. They don't sell replacement bushings.