Hi can anyone help.
After passing the MOT and having comments about a rusty and starting to leak power steering high pressure pipe I swapped both the high and low pressure pipes as both came in a kit.
Before swapping old for new pipes the steering was fine and light and easy to turn from lock to lock.
I swapped the pipes and then bled the system of air by turning the wheels from lock to lock about 10 times until no bubbles showed in the reservoir.
The steering was reasonably easy to turn while the wheels were in the air on the axles stands but when I lowered the car to the ground the power steering went really solid.
So I went through the bleeding procedure again and still rock solid.
I checked the high pressure one way valve was located correctly and then connected everything back to together and tried again but still the steering turned from easy to move to rock solid once lowered to the ground.
I then took the one way valve out completely and tried again and there was still no difference, ie, easy to turn with the wheel off the ground but rock solid when back on the ground.
Then I took the old bottom pipe and refitted it as I was running out of ideas by now, still the same rock solid and it seems it’s just as hard to turn the wheel with the engine not running.
I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve took the right hand side front wheel off and tried different things but the out come is alway the same, I.e easy to turn lock to lock in the air with the engine either running or not then when lowered to the ground the steering is very very heavy when trying to turn from lock to lock and it seems it’s as hard with the engine running or not.
Any suggestions please 🙏🙏🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

Anyone got any suggestions as to how to fix my power steering problem described below?

I’ve no advice but give it a bit of time people will respond.

Its possible you might have disturbed some crap in the system and it has blocked the filter in the reservoir????
only logical thing I can think of so might be worth a try renewing the reservoir as you cannot service the filter.

Did you use the correct CHF fluid? 2013 FL2 XS.
Defender 90 300 TDi.
Defender 90 300 TDi CSW.
1964 MGB Roadster.
1944 Willys MB "Jeep" with bullet holes. (gone)
17 hand Irish Drought Thoroughbred (mostly lame)
Nagging Old Boiler.

Mahatma Gandhi said if there is an Idiot in power those who elected him are well represented

Max the dog wrote:

Anyone got any suggestions as to how to fix my power steering problem described below?

Hi yes I bled it with the engine off and the reservoir stopped bubbling so then I turned the engine on and turned it lock to lock, and it seems ok while up on axle stands but lower it to the ground and it goes solid and hard to turn the wheel?

Rommel wrote:

Its possible you might have disturbed some crap in the system and it has blocked the filter in the reservoir????
only logical thing I can think of so might be worth a try renewing the reservoir as you cannot service the filter.

Did you use the correct CHF fluid?

Hi , I am using the correct fluid and as far as I can tell there is no crap in the system.
I know for sure that the pipes are clear as I’ve blown them through with an airline after taking them off several times while trying to solve this weird problem 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️.
I can’t see any crap in the end of the steering rack unions either, so I don’t think it is that?

Could the pump itself be failing? Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
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The only possible thing left is pump failure as mentioned before as there is not much else that can go wrong, 2013 FL2 XS.
Defender 90 300 TDi.
Defender 90 300 TDi CSW.
1964 MGB Roadster.
1944 Willys MB "Jeep" with bullet holes. (gone)
17 hand Irish Drought Thoroughbred (mostly lame)
Nagging Old Boiler.

Mahatma Gandhi said if there is an Idiot in power those who elected him are well represented

Hi lads
Yes that is a possibility and I could have been really lucky because I am told they don’t just fail like that, from perfect to nothing, it is usually a gradual thing, where the pump gets weaker, you then hear whining noises then graunching metal sounds then bang they pack up.
I’ve not had any of those symptoms.
I think the only thing I can do is refit both old pipes and eliminate what I’ve changed and see what happens and then work back from there.
Unless someone comes up with another option that I’m not aware of.
It’s really baffling?

You've definitely connected the pipes the correct way round?, although it's difficult to conceive how they could be wrong.

Did you replace the reservoir? it's considered a consumable as the filter clogs.

The correct fluid is normal green in colour, at least OE grade fluids are green. Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate. The family car.
2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Gone.
2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE. Gone.
Audi A5 convertible, my daily driver.
1972 Hillman Avenger GT, the project.

Two things spring to mind, you have crossed the hoses from the pump or you have a hydraulic lock, you need to check that with the engine running when you turn the steering with the return line from the rack loosened, fluid should leak from the line and the steering become light. All the indications are you have crossed lines, the system is very simple and there are numerous diagrams on the internet showing exploded diagrams. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Sound like you may have fitted the one way Valve the wrong way round, its like a disc apparently and can fall out when the pipes are removed. There is a thread on here somewhere with someone who had the same issue and that was the cause.

That makes sense, I didn't realise it was handed, that would cause a hydraulic lock. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.