Power Steering issues

My power steering is starting to act up. Occasionally my steering gets really stiff then suddenly it will work fine again. Any advise on how to figure out what is wrong?

I’m guessing that it’s the power steering pump failing or a oil valve that is jamming??? I just don’t know where or how to go about troubleshooting this.

Cheers.

Drain and refill the fluid as a first step, Dextron II or III.

Check the 'trachoid pump'....where the speedo cable goes into side of gear box.
It can dump atf on the ground.... or into the transfer box when it fails.
The tell tail sign is atf being pumped onto your left foot from behind the dash...gets sucked up the speedo cable.
It may not be your problem...but be aware thats its only a matter of time (mines a 92)
Step one...keep an eye on your atf fluid level!...+ Carry a spare bottle until resolved.

Just crawled out from underneath my van...

Nothing leaking.

I found a small bend in one of the metal tubes that goes from the trochoid pump back to the transmission (rock must of hit it). I straightened it as best as I could. I doubt that was the issue though as my steering stiffness happens regardless of speed or gear.

I’d like to replace the power steering fluid as Clive suggested but I can’t seem to find any sort of drain plug except for what looks like a really big hex (about 22mm) on the bottom of the Trochoid pump. If this is the drain plug (Clive?) then I’ll go out and find a bolt to fit in there so that I can remove it (I don’t have a hex key that big).

EDIT: Nevermind on draining the fluid... I just found this advise:
http://www.toyotadiesel.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1926&highlight=steering

I've just drained it out by the hose, refitted and refilled, a few bubbles and several top ups job done.

jack up van and undo the hose fitting on the steering rack and turn steering left and right , redo fittings and fill up with turps or prepsol and again left to right and undo fittings and now rack and pump are clean, refill with dexon 3 and should be a fix.

Problem fixed!

I drained and flushed the pump and rack with turpentine then filled it with some “power steering fluid” I had kicking around. Got the air out and went for a test drive and it was worse than before which got me thinking… Perhaps it was the wrong fluid.

Drained it again and filled it with Dextron 3 Automatic Transmission fluid and ta daaa, it works great. I guess not all power steering fluids are equal. Lesson learned.

Thanks again guys.

Hanging a bucket to catch the power steering fluid.





Undo both to and from lines of the powersteering pump.

Good piccies