power steering

[phantom59]

has anyone else had a problem with eating power steering belts?
On my 91 Jetta Turbo Diesel if I put a belt on the power steering pump the car will shred it imeadetly. It acts like the presure relief valve in the rack is stuck and the pump is deadheading. I put a diffrent pump on but it does the same thing. I hate to have to replace the rack if there is a way to fix it.
I have been driving it without the belt for a while but when it rains the car will overheat because the belt slips.

[maxfax]

I *think* the pump has a relife valve built into it..   The rack just has the spool valve..  SHort of flushing the system there isn't much that can be done to repair the rack on these..     The pulleys do seem to be lined up okay, and are you using the proper power steering fluid??

[phantom59]

Thanks I had given up on this thread. The pullys are lined up and I have tried a diffrent pump with the same results. I didn't take the pump appart but with the design it doesn't look like there is a bypass in the pump. besides since the reservoir is seprast from the pump if the bypass was in the pump the fluid would get hotjust spinning around in the pump.

[maxfax]

Hmm yeah that's right, external resavoir..    Not what you want to hear, but it sounds like you may be looking at a rack..  Although you could get lucky and a flush might knock something loose...

[phantom59]

what would be the best thing to flush it with? something strong but won't hurt it. Also I wonder if I spin the pump with a drill rather than the engine. This seems like less presure but mabee get some flow going. Also  what if I spin the pump backwards would this reverse the flow and dislodge some junk? I also have another pump to use to back flow.