Power steering issues

[bds0688 10+ year member]

My mom has a 97 Plymouth Voyager with the 3L V6. Lately it has been feeling underpowered for the p/s at idle. Soon as you bring it above idle, even without the car in motion, it can be turned with one hand, using your thumb against the wheel. It drives fine, no groaning or grinding. I don't hear any whining with the hood up, all through the engine range.

Fluid is topped off, checked at different engine temps after different durations of driving. I just repaired a leak on the return line down near the exhaust. I checked that over a few times for leaks as a double check, with different temps and engine speeds. No leak.

Serpentine belt seems pretty tight, but I did see what I can best describe as a belt slapping? when I looked at it underneath. I couldn't check that a whole lot, with the angle.

Any ideas would be appreciated. She's looking to sell it so I'm trying to get it as road worthy as I can.

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[PaulThompson229 10+ year member]

Crap/air in the lines?

 

[ThatChevyGuy 5,000+ posts]

lucas power steering fix.

 

[bds0688 10+ year member]

Crap/air in the lines?

What's the easiest way to flush the system then? I have the space and what have you, so I could give this a shot.

lucas power steering fix.

What's it supposed to do, specifically? What components could cause this if it's not gunk in the lines?

 

[audioatg 10+ year member]

What's the easiest way to flush the system then? I have the space and what have you, so I could give this a shot.

On the fill bottle take the return line off plug the line off at the bottle make a line fitting and rubber hose put that into a water jug. Crank the wheel all the way to the left. Start the car up and shut it off while you listen to when you hear the fluid go out of the fill bottle and into the water jug. You are putting new fluid in the fill bottle as you do this. Keep doing this engine on off a few times till you see good fluid pooring into the water jug. Then you know that you have flushed the system

Also note that you might have air in the lines. If any way you could get a old cap for the fill bottle make a small hole in it for a fitting and connect a vacum pump to it. Pull a vacum to it. It works alot of the times Ford vehilces get towed into the shop. You wanna let it sit and come back check here and there and see if the fuild has dropped if it has air was in the system.