Power steering fluid bubbling

Could be low fluid level due to a leak somewhere. As a result of low fuild level air is introduced into the system, hence, the bubbling effect.

Let the bubbles settle to fuild again by resting the system, engine off.

Check the level, engine off, correct as necessary, if you had to top up, then any leak found will need rectifying.

Humm,

Hi Jeff, I will need more information please, does the noise start immediately or after warm up, or only when the steering wheel is turned or loaded or other conditon?

If you have no leaks, then, I would suspect retricted follow in the system for some reason, is the amount of power steering assistance afffected?

Check for any kinks in any of the hoses in the system.

If nothing else is apparent, I would turn my attentions to the pump, there is a filter in the pump reservoir, remove this filter which is secured by a 10 mm nut, do not drop the nut in the reservoir. Fish out the filter by using a hooked pick and lift it straight out. With a syringe, suck out the fluid visible and top up with afresh oil. I would go onto then purhaps start the car up and see if the complaint is cured without the filter, in which case renew the filter. The exercise was to eleminate the filter or the oil, but because, by changing the oil you are changing the condition for the test in so far oil is also changed, it is not possible to say if it was the filter or the small oil change that remedyed the situation. The reason for the oil change is that none of the contaminated oil will travel further into the system when the filter is removed.

I suppose one can say change the filter and oil any way and see what happens. I can not envisage the steering box to be the problem.

Jeff

I think you are keeping something from me. Did you recently, top up your system?, if so, has your complaint developed since then? In which case perhaps it is the oil to blame.

In answer to your other question, ordinarily, the fuild does not bubble to a froth.

It may mean that the pump has developed a fault, but before it is condemend, I suggest renewal of fuild.

To flush the whole system, you will need to introduce into the loop of the hydraulic sytem something as basic as a bucket. Disconnect the return hose from the pump. With additional hosing connect the hose to the disconnected hose and let the attached hose drain into the bucket. When, I say connect, I mean you to use an oversize hose you can slip over the pump hose that has been disconnected from the pump.

With assistance, start your engine, get your helper to turn the steering lock to lock, this will drain fliud into your bucket. I am thinking now, that you should have two return hoses, in which case you need to do the same to the second hose and feed that into the bucket as well.

As the oil depleats in the reservoir, you will need to replenish fresh oil into it. Repeat this several times so that you have fresh oil running in the whole of the system. Reconnect the two disconnected hoses, correct the oil level in the reservoir, and try again. Results could be, no difference, in which case you are looking at a new or reconditioning your pump. If, the noise goes away, then go ahead and change the filter.

I should cover my self, here, the noise you describe is from the pump, is assuming it is the pump and not something silly as a loose PAS belt!