2000 Silverado - Power steering works poorly at slow speeds...

[mvbighead]

I am sure this is an easy question, so here goes.

Pretty much since I have had the vehicle, my power steering has been pretty poor. Especially in parking lots, drive throughs, etc. where the speed is slow. When I bump the RPMs up, the assistance improves, but sometimes I just need it to turn before I give it any gas.

I've heard it could be a speed sensor, or the pump. The fluid doesn't look pretty, and I've exchanged some (but not enough yet), but the situation doesn't seem to be improving.

Am I looking at a speed sensor? I am getting no noise from the pump, all seems normal there. Just not enough assistance at slow speeds.

 

[phucheneh]

What speed sensor? VSS?

You don't have variable power assist. The P/S pump doesn't care how fast you're going. What you're seeing is simply some mix of:

a) the wheels being easier to pivot when the car is rolling (analogous example: manual steering at speed = fine, manual steering in parking lot = broken arms).

b) the pump being able to provide more hydraulic pressure at higher RPM.

The problem is most likely the pump. But it's rare for them to not have noisy operation accompany their failure.

Off the top of my head, I would do two things- First, remove the belt and turn the pump pulley by hand and see if it spins smoothly. If that checks out, lift the front wheels up to eliminate all drag from the tires, and see if you still feel some binding or excessive resistance (key needs to be inserted and forward a notch to unlock the column). If it's not the pump, it's probably in the steering box.

No rack and pinion on that truck, right? IIRC in 2000 GM trucks were still using regular worm gear boxes and traditional (pitman arm/idler arm/drag link) steering setups.

edit: also check for general front end play. A really wrecked idler arm can cause binding.

 

[Sluggo]

No rack and pinion on that truck, right? IIRC in 2000 GM trucks were still using regular worm gear boxes and traditional (pitman arm/idler arm/drag link) steering setups.

2000 MY 2WD will have the rack & pinion, and supposed to have variable assist. 4WD still had the ball.

 

[phucheneh]

Ah. Thanks for that.

OP needs to specify, then.

I didn't know GM was using variable assist that early. If that's what he has, then it's probably an issue with the solenoid that controls pressure.