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1997 Chevy Tahoe Power Steering Problem
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kmullins
New User
Dec 20, 2010, 5:28 PM
Post #1 of 6
(9952 views)
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1997 Chevy Tahoe Power Steering Problem
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Hello,
My Truck
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I have a 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe 4x4 with the 5.7 Liter Engine.
History
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I had a shop replace my power steering pump approximately 2 years ago. They are not the most creditable shop so I can't guarantee the job was done properly.
Up until recently, I have had no problems with my power steering. The belt doesn't even squeek. One problem I did have that might have caused problems is that I froze my truck (no anti-freeze) and had to spend a couple of days thawing it out.
The Problem
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I was pulling into a parking spot and my truck suddenly became very difficult to steer. There were no noises or any other hints at a problem aside from the steering issue. I did not pull the turn too tightly.
I managed to drive the truck home. I checked the Power Steering fluid and it looked fine. The belt still turns the power steering pulley just fine. For some reason, the truck just isn't getting any aid from the power steering system.
Questions
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Does this sound like a typical power steering pump problem or could there be another problem? I thought it was odd for it to just go out like that, especially without the normal sounds you would hear when they go bad.
This thing looks like it's going to be a major pain to replace. From experience, do I just start from the top and taking off parts until I can get to it?
Thanks!
(This post was edited by kmullins on Dec 20, 2010, 5:30 PM)
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Dec 20, 2010, 8:33 PM
Post #2 of 6
(9935 views)
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Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe Power Steering Problem
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Those are pretty straight forward to do, just take the lines off, bolts off the pump, transfer the pulley and reverse.
Those are good for breaking the shaft. Just take the belt off and tug on the pulley, if it comes out the shaft is broken...
If the pump has been working ok for 2 years, then the shop did alright installing. I'm just curious why you would use a shop you were leary about....
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kmullins
New User
Dec 21, 2010, 1:10 AM
Post #3 of 6
(9927 views)
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Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe Power Steering Problem
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Thanks a lot! I'll give it a go and leave my results here in case someone else comes across the same situation in the future.
To answer your question about the shop: They were trusted by my grandma and family but it turns out they like to cut a lot of corners, lie about parts expense and condition, and anything else they could to save a penny.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 21, 2010, 6:15 AM
Post #4 of 6
(9923 views)
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Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe Power Steering Problem
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YOU FROZE THIS WITH NO ANTIFREEZE! You didn't say how long or cold but the weak link will be the radiator first and tanks on ends of it. If frozen solid you didn't get away with it with just water. Why in the heck was just plain water in there?
If an "R" code engine alternator is right up top. You shouldn't be able to turn it by the fins by hand but would if now antifreeze has it so lubed up nothing is turning properly from spray of antifreeze now from a broken who knows. PS take a bit of a grab to work on the belt and would suffer as it would just slip even if belt was ok.
BTW - "freeze plugs" went out with the Model-T. It's the common name but they are "core plugs." They are are NOT protection from total cracking of major engine parts but rather to clean out the block and other parts during manufacture and even if one pops out doesn't protect the engine,
T
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kmullins
New User
Dec 21, 2010, 1:19 PM
Post #5 of 6
(9902 views)
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Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe Power Steering Problem
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haha yeah, it was definitely stupid on my part. I had a bad line in my radiator hose for a while and couldn't afford to keep putting Antifreeze in it so overtime it became mostly water. And then all of the sudden I got sick and couldn't get the line changed and filled with radiator fluid before the weather changed.
Luckily I ended up getting the line and heater valve changed, the truck thawed out, and filled it with antifreeze.
As far as I know there wasn't any antifreeze spraying on the belt but I'll check it out just to be sure. Thanks for the suggestion and info!
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 21, 2010, 5:36 PM
Post #6 of 6
(9895 views)
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Re: 1997 Chevy Tahoe Power Steering Problem
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Sorry you got sick. Use of just water should be reserved for just to save your life to get home or to safe place. I don't know of an engine, radiator, coolant areas in intake manifolds that can possibly survive a real freeze.
You don't want to know it but if all this has cracks and broken stuff a whole new engine with assorted extras could be 6-7 THOUSAND bucks!
In a jam - cut the lower sprung gasket (rubber) of radiator cap or some you can just pull off. Now with zero pressure system a small leak will be real slow. I keep zero pressure caps on hand for road calls if a vehicle only need to go a bit further.
No matter - this should be pressure tested to see what damage is done. You'd be the only one I ever heard of to get away with no damage unless there was just enough antifreeze left in it such that it would still freeze but would contract, not expand. Bet with this a pressure test will show a squirt of antifreeze on belt which would still turn but slip and make no noise when steering. The cold alone shouldn't have caused a sudden pump failure alone which would be the broken shaft not related to use of just water.
You may have gotten lucky with the engine if even protection was at about 15-20F above the mix wouldn't expand but still freeze.
Test some things out - you may have gotten lucky,
T
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