[Chrysler300] Power Steering Saga

["rob kern" <robkern@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello 300'ly to all!
    Well the power steering saga has come to a successful end.  I now have FULL TIME POWER STEERING on my C!!! (never had it before).  This is one of those black holes that you poor money, time, energy, and emotion into which finally has a bottom. Here goes.  October 2003 I sent the power steering pump to be refurbished while my engine was being rebuilt to a fellow in California who I found on the web.  He charged $68 to "rebuild" my pump. He also lost the pump reservoir cap which to his credit he funded for a NOS replacement.  The reason I had the pump rebuilt was that I didn't have full time power steering.  It was intermittent and only when the engine was at a higher rpm than idle. This rebuild never really worked in that there was still a disparity between idle assistance and effort during driving speed. Many club members said this was "normal". There were many other more blatant things that needed to be adjusted after the restoration work so the power steering was low on the check-off list.  At 2500 miles the power steering was non-existent at any speed.  So I sent the pump off to be "rebuilt" again. This time to a reputable fellow who impressed me as being quite knowledgeable about these pumps. The spool valve was stuck and this was remedied and the bench test was at about 575 psi. ( not 750-900 like the service manual states as being normal) So I get intermittent power steering again. This rebuild went for $250 plus shipping.  The steering box needed flushing because metal particulte matter was causing the spool valve to stick again. After 2000 miles from the second "rebuild" the power steering is trying to retire from intermittent to non-existent. This prompted my call for help a few weeks ago via this list server.  Many responses were received from members with comments that this was the way they thought it was supposed to be, to this was to be virtually effortless steering at any rpm to there may be internal delamination of the high pressure and return hoses creating a flow problem, to adding STP to increase viscosity, to having the pump overhauled again.  My mechanic put a t-fitted pressure gauge on the high pressure line and only read 50 psi at idle (875 rpm) to 600 with great fluctuation downward at 1400 rpm. Definitely a pump problem. So on the advice of a reputable steering gear refurbisher in Ohio I send the pump to Minneapolis to a rebuilder who has all the parts necessary to rebuild a Thompson pump. He suggested I overnight the pump to facilitate an expeditious turn-around for a show that I wanted to enter Mopsy in 10 days later. OK....$178 overnight shipping and handling gets the pump to Minnesota.  It then languishes for 5 days without anybody giving it any attention.  Upon inquiring to its status I'm told that it may be ready by my deadline for the show but this can't be promised.  I said that was fine, there would be other car shows and that most importantly was to totally rebuild the pump correctly. I requested that the pump be bench tested prior to return shipping.  I was told by the corp. that they built so many Thompson pumps that they didn't bench test them unless a great amount of machining was required and if there was any doubt in their mind about its proper functioning.  I get a call the next day that the pump was done, to thoroughly flush the steering box since there was a lot of metal debris that was impeeding the spool valve's function. This was $251 for the repair and return shipping.  The pump comes back last Thursday 2 days prior to the show I wish to enter. We flush the steering box with about 2.5 gallons of transmission fluid, power steering flush and power steering fluid until the return fluid strains clear. I obtain new NAPA high pressure and return hoses and also have a power steering fluid cooler installed.  The "rebuilt" pump only will register less than 50 psi at idle and will only get to 350 psi at 1400 rpm!  We were so upset that if we were to micturate our voiding pressures would have exceeded that of the pump that had now been rebuilt a third time!  A phone call to Minneapolis the next morning resulted in a response to check the spool valve....OK, sure since the pump only ran for 10 minutes it MAY BE FILLED WITH DEBRIS!  The spool valve was clean and the fluid was clear.  Next my mechanic fully disassembles the pump.  Upon removing the cover around the sleeves there emanates an acrid burnt sulfur smell and the sleeves are chewed up, the seals are rock hard and broken, and the pump housing is being bored into by the chewed up sleeves!  I most likely had vintage '57 parts present after having the pump "rebuilt" 3 times.  So after all the labor, etc. I'm at about $900-$1000 and have a spray-painted stinkpot!  My mechanic communicates all these findings to Minneapolis and they state that it will be investigated.  I call back and state that my idea of an investigation would be conducted on the state Attorney General level unless this problem is rectified immediately.  Come to find out their "rebuilder" only cleaned the spool valve and spray-painted the canister! They agreed to pay for return shipping and while we were speaking they were assembling a new pump totally being built from a different core with new parts. When queried (grilled) now about bench testing this new pump prior to shipping the response was that in reality they did not have any capability to bench test their work!!  BELLS ARE NOW GOING OFF!!  I called JC Auto Restoration and spoke with Michael.  Jeff Carter was aware of the situation but was out for the day.  Mike stated that he could build me a new pump from core and NOS parts and would bench test it and would only ship it when it met the exact performance specifications as outlined in the sevice manual.  True to his word he worked all weekend and notified me on Monday this week that the pump was ready to be shipped.  Then the dilemma arose as to which of the two "new" pumps do I want to install?  The JC Auto pump arrived first and was a proven winner.  The pressures went to 900 psi when the wheel was turned to the stops at idle! The power steering is full time, 2 fingers at a standstill with radial tires and is quiet!  The Minnesota "new" pump is due tomorrow.   My mechanic can bench test it with a pneumatic high speed drill.  If it checks out???  well we'll see what the Minneapolis connection wants to do regarding a core charge and maybe I'll keep their pump as a spare.  So the moral of this story is to just go to JC Auto if you have a Thompson power steering pump that needs to be repaired.  Forwardlooking to seeing you all in Lake Tahoe!  Thanks to everyone for their advice and attention to helping me getting this last item on my check-off list completed.  Mopsy is now back in MY GARAGE!!   ROB KERN

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