Power steering bother
 

I've been fighting with a power steering system on a '68 Camaro build for awhile now with no luck. I'm running out of ideas. The system involves a Vintage Air front runner serpentine system for a big block, DSE rack, remote reservoir & braided stainless lines with steel hydraulic AN fittings. 275/18" BFG Rival tires.

The system bleeds out fine, has correct pressure & no leaks that I can find. Once the car is on the ground & warm the power steering pump starts to get noisy & fluid begins to get foamy. The steering performance is ok just don't like the noise etc. The customer plains to do a little light autocross every once in awhile & I don't want problems.

Idea's for a fix?

Which reservoir are you using?

and which pump? Vintage air uses the Mavel pump and in our experience with big tires the pump cant handle it

It's a KRC reservoir & a GM type II pump, tough stuff brand maybe? I've herd the big tires can be an issue with pumps.

How big is the hose from tank to pump inlet? It needs to be -10 minimum, AND have no restrictions or sharp edges or you can get cavitation & foaming.
In the photo, it looks small.

You're just a problems solver aren't ya. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

It's hard to see from the picture but it's a -10 from the reservoir to the pump.

The return line should allow the fluid to upwell slightly/gently inside, and allow any bubbles to burst. I had trouble with a cheap tank that had an abrupt 90 deg "cap" welded inside of the return fitting, I guess to turn the flow and spin it around. This foamed the fluid like crazy! I welded in a new return fitting angled upwards 10 degrees and it was shaped with a tapered ID small to large to slow the flow gently. It was the opposite of a nozzle shape. If the return line flow can travel down and right out of the outlet to the pump, it won't help the fluid to defoam. Even a simple baffle can help, that's all the stock pumps have. The tank return fitting to the pump must not restrict the flow or force the flow to turn abruptly or it will foam the fluid.

The outlet fitting to the pump should have a radiused edge inside the tank. There is a lot of suction in the line at higher rpm's and it can cause cavitation foaming if the oil flows over sharp edges. -10 fittings and hose should work, but all edges should be smoothed. My tank had a screw in outlet fitting, male on each end, it had an ID that looked too small so I drilled it out. The idea was to allow the oil speed to increase gradually as it goes from tank to hose.

also make sure your pressure and return lines are not swapped.

Anyone recommend a direct replacement high performance pump for this setup? Vintage Air Front Runner.