Steering Pump or Rack

[gradedgraydad]

My '96 Pathfinder steering is not working right. When you turn the wheel, it's like the power steering turns on and off. The fluid is full, and is not leaking anywhere.

How do you know whether it's the pump or the rack? I think it's the pump because the action is erratic at all wheel positions. I would think a bad rack would be a constant loss of action due to bad seals. Or it would feel really bad due to bad rack/pinion.

[nissandoms47]

My guess would be the pump. The impellers inside wear out over time and the pump loses its effeciency. Mine is doing the same thing you are discribing. But I have a leak in the line. Just no time to replace it ever.

[gradedgraydad]

Okay, well I replaced the pump with a used one, and the steering feels the same. So now I am thinking the rack. I find two racks for 1996 - one for 15", one for 16" rims. I have 15" rims, so that's not my question. My question is what is different on the racks? There's a reman rack I can pick up for 100 bux, but the PN doesn't help me. All I have is a photo showing the rack. I don't want to buy the wrong rack. Is the difference easy to see, or is it the length of the tie rods?

Thanks, Jim

[nissandoms47]

You shouldnt have replaced it with a used one. You dont know the condition of it before you bought it. As for the difference in the racks, the turning radius on one is bigger then the other. Will it really matter, no. So buy that one for 100 bucks. If you still have problems, that the used pump you bought is gone. Its bad when there is no fluid in the pump, and if its been sitting on the shelf for awhile that'll happen.

[gradedgraydad]

Thanks for the reply. I know the used one was a risk, but it was lower mileage and more recent year. Plus it came w/ 30 day guarantee.

What do bad seals in the rack feel and sound like?

[nissandoms47]

Depends on which seal. Pretty much any hard turning i suppose. But i have the same problem and i know its my pump.