Hi Redfox. Here's the bit I'm struggling with. When the engine is off and it looks like all the air is bubbling out, I'm confused that the level of fluid never drops in the reservoir. Surely if air is actually coming out, that should then be replaced with fluid thus dropping the level and needing a top up? On top of that, why would the air then not come out when the engine is running? I've locked to locked both with the engine running and not running well over a hundred times so feel like I'm chasing my tail a bit.  https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

Assume that when rack was replaced it got a full fluid change then?
It would hardly have needed changing again so soon?
Curious to hear what has happened here, it may be pump related given your previous issue. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

this problem has been seen before ,im sure it will be in the search function somewhere.

Dean1234 wrote:

Hi Redfox. Here's the bit I'm struggling with. When the engine is off and it looks like all the air is bubbling out, I'm confused that the level of fluid never drops in the reservoir. Surely if air is actually coming out, that should then be replaced with fluid thus dropping the level and needing a top up? On top of that, why would the air then not come out when the engine is running? I've locked to locked both with the engine running and not running well over a hundred times so feel like I'm chasing my tail a bit.

Bobupndown wrote:

Assume that when rack was replaced it got a full fluid change then?
It would hardly have needed changing again so soon?
Curious to hear what has happened here, it may be pump related given your previous issue.

I would assume that it did have a full fluid flush. Here is the colour of the fluid that come out.

Click image to enlarge

I wouldn't of thought it is rack related but obviously cannot discount it fully.

Redfox: Ah I see what you mean. I'll probably pop out again tomorrow seeing as the weather isn't looking too great today and give it a more gentle bleed to see if that makes any difference.

I think my plan of action at the moment is the following:

- Try and bleed it again but more gently to see if that has any effect.
- If it doesn't. brake cleaner the old reservoir and refit.
- If that doesn't work then look to order a new pump I guess. https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

What’s going on in the reservoir with the engine idling? (Now Sold). 2008 Freelander 2 (Nazca Sand) SE TD4 Auto. Statutory write off & on WOVR for hail damage but still road legal.
171037Km as of 09/05/22
Superchips Bluefin Flash
Nanocom Evo II (also sold)

Absolutely nothing. It's sat in there like it's on a Caribbean holiday with a pina colada in it's hand. There's no froffing, bubbling or air of any kind when the engine is on. There isn't even any sign of fluid being pulled in or returned back with the engine running and steering being turned. But maybe that's normal as I've never studied the fluid before when it was working. The only time there is movement is when the steering gets to either lock-stop and it drops about 1 mm and then pops back up when it's off the lock-stop.  https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

sid wrote:

this problem has been seen before ,im sure it will be in the search function somewhere.

Dean1234 wrote:

Absolutely nothing. It's sat in there like it's on a Caribbean holiday with a pina colada in it's hand. There's no froffing, bubbling or air of any kind when the engine is on. There isn't even any sign of fluid being pulled in or returned back with the engine running and steering being turned. But maybe that's normal as I've never studied the fluid before when it was working. The only time there is movement is when the steering gets to either lock-stop and it drops about 1 mm and then pops back up when it's off the lock-stop.

My concern is where did all the air come from - sounds like there was a lot. Yet you didnt allow much , if any, to enter the system whilst changing the reservoirs and bleeding the system.

If there a leak that is pulling air in from when you do a manual/engine-off bleed - creating a negative pressure somewhere in the system ?

I guess when the engine is driving the PAS pump the system has a positive pressure with only a very slight negative pressure in the feed from the reservoir - everything beyond the pump would have a positive pressure. Jules

jules wrote:

Ive just been out to check mine. With the engine running you cannot see any PAS fluid movement inside the reservoir - the surface is like a mill pond.

Thanks Jules for taking a look and confirming that.

From what I've understood from reading other threads, the only place there can be a hidden air leak if there was to be one, would be in the section from the reservoir to the pump. From there-on-in, it's high pressured which means if there is an air leak, there would also be fluid, even on the return side. I think I read in one of the many threads that someone was concerned that the quick connector could be leaking air in. But with the pressure it's under, it would also leak out fluid was the outcome I believe.

I was going through some video of when me and Alana fitted the aux/serpentine belt, idler and tensioner. This is the first start up after doing the job. Alana was filming and I was in the car so hadn't seen this video until now. You can see some small flecks of something falling down when the engine is starting and then when it's revved. I'm hoping it's just dirt from when Alana give the faces a wipe before fitting the idler and tensioner. I know I've seen this flecks fly upwards on another occasion when Alana was revving the car and I was under the bonnet but didn't think much of it.

https://youtu.be/9iO9nrneQsA

When I'm out tomorrow, I'll run a magnet over to see if it's just dirt or something more sinister which I'm sure it's not because I'm not sure how it could be.

Just to avoid any confusion, nothing had been touched with the power steering side at that point. https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

Watched the video again. Didn't see anything to be concerned about except at one stage it sounded like :-



Thought that doesn't sound good, then realised it was in slow motion 🤣 Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Hahahaha that properly made me and Alana laugh Bob .

Right todays video update and it's a long one (26 minutes) but contains as much info as I could fit in. There should be chapters in it, so if you want to skip through any of it then go for it. I basically do a re-cap of what has been done and tried up to this point. Take you on a trip around the car and use Redfoxes method to bleed the steering.

https://youtu.be/eh6ommGTsRY (Quality should get better in an hour or so from this post)

Very confusing and interesting outcome so far! I had the most steering that I have had to date...until I tried to turn around and the steering went solid again. Has anyone touched their power steering reservoir or motor after a drive and noticed if it gets warm, hot or stays cool?

I guess today tells me that the pump works and isn't broken and it's getting fluid around but the build-up of heat could show the flow is maybe restricted? Yup, I'm clutching at straws again.

I do have an Hitachi pump on order, some Fuchs CHF 202 oil and a new Britpart reservoir in the vein hope this can be put to bed once and for all. If you cannot help me with the problem, maybe you can give me some tips on what to do/look out for/words of advice when it comes to changing the pump over. I've got the service manual with all the steps in it so hopefully it shouldn't go too wrong...right!?  https://www.youtube.com/@scottandalana4x4

No expert but i would not expect the fluid to get hot otherwise surly the viscosity of the fluid would change.

Keep up the good work and hopefully you can identify the fault and let us all know the problem part.

In use the fluid does get hot very hot. would you like me to run the infra red thermometer on it tomorrow