9000 CSE PowerSteering foaming

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Chuck Grospitch - 01 Dec 2005 12:23 GMT

I have a 96 9000 CSE turbo 4. When I started it today, heard and felt a
grumpling from the power steering. Opened hood and found power steering
fluid foaming and being pushed out of resevouir. Allowed the fluid to
settle, refilled the container, replaced cap, and tried again, with similar
results. Help? Seems to be picking up air somewhere, yet, do not seem to
have or find a leak anywhere. Dealer suggested it was just low and to
refill, but pump seems to be generating or frothing up the fluid. Please
help, and any suggestions, opinions are welcome. New pump is 561, and 3
hoses total another 500, then theres labor, so I"m not a happy camper right
now....Thanks, in advance for all urgent help, as I can not drive the car
pushing all the PS fluid out of it.

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yaofeng - 01 Dec 2005 14:48 GMT

Can't help you on why the car foams at the reservoir. Look carefully
in the engine compartment if there is evidence of a leak. Maybe the
fluid is very old?

But a new PS pump costs $300, not $561. A used one can be had for as
little as $25. Also, there is no need to replace the entire system,
pump and hoses. The PS system is as good as the weakest link. You
only need to replace the weakest link when you find it.

If you let the dealer has his way, he'd replace the engine for a broken
belt.

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Chuck Grospitch - 03 Dec 2005 02:11 GMT

Well, the dealer parts department is quoting me 561.00 on the pump. Talked
to the certified Saab mechanic, he says those pumps never fail, and given I
see fluid being pumped back into the resevouir, that would seem the pump is
still working. He has no idea on the foaming either, since the system
should be under pressure, so any hole in a line or fitting should have oil
being pushed out at pressure, rather than sucking in air. So I'm at a loss
as to where or why the pump/oil is becoming foamed. Old oil or some type of
contamination is all I can think of.
Taking resevouir out to drain it is simple, but disconnecting hoses to it,
will end up with oil all over both the fender and more importantly the belt,
so we'll see. Only thing I can think of is if one of the hoses to the
resevouir is loose, if it could be pulling in air somehow or via the cap
somehow? Seem very strange that it just started up one day from nowhere.
Was good bit colder that day here as well?
Thanks for any help in advance.

> Can't help you on why the car foams at the reservoir. Look carefully
> in the engine compartment if there is evidence of a leak. Maybe the
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> If you let the dealer has his way, he'd replace the engine for a broken
> belt.

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yaofeng - 03 Dec 2005 04:24 GMT

> Well, the dealer parts department is quoting me 561.00 on the pump. Talked
> to the certified Saab mechanic, he says those pumps never fail, and given I
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> Was good bit colder that day here as well?
> Thanks for any help in advance.

Now you know why used PS pumps are so cheap. Because what your indy
said so you couldn't sell a used one to anyone.

Your hoses are likely good. None is under vacuum that they would suck
air. The three hoses are all under pressure. Only the one from the
reservoir to the pump is at low pressure. The other two are under
higher presure.

Maybe you can flush the system by using a syringe to suck fluid from
the reservoir to refresh with new power steering fluid. That requires
no wrenching at all.

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