Hydroboost Problems as Usual

[ForeverDriven]

Hello everyone,



I'm here with a 97 Coyote swap and my Hydroboost is killing me, specifically the PS side.



Without too much detail, I got a different intake that required me to move the PS reservoir from my custom mount spot. I wanted to see how this intake ran before I made up a whole new bracket for the reservoir so I scrunched the reservoir down and went.



Car felt great. At some point the next day, my power steering and brakes were randomly leaving until they left all together.



I know a line from the reservoir could have pinched and sucked air into the system, but I never lost power assist when I was romping on it. I only noticed in the middle of a calmer highway drive the next day. I've bled these plenty of times and I know it should flow decently in the reservoir, but barely any movement. Rather sadly, I almost think I see some shiny bits in it.



Has anyone ever broken or roasted a PS pump shaft, or experienced some sort of bad air pocket? I've bled it to the point where no bubbles appear, but I may go back in with a Allen key on an impact and spin it, see if I can force bubbles out that way.



Any ideas would be great. If I had suffocated the pump, I would've thought I would hear it!



Thanks!

 

[cobrajeff96]

I've been down this road and it was a long, bumpy one. I struggled for I'd say at least six months going through Ford pump after Ford pump to realize that Ford pumps just ain't worth a fuck. Even ones that are brand new from Lares (really nice aluminum pumps too!) just can't cut it. Doesn't matter what you do, how well you bleed the system, how you design a new custom system.... Ford pumps are all garbage.

The only thing that has proved reliable in my swap was converting to a GM Type II pump. It was worth every damned penny.

The reason you had power assist for a brief time after the failure is because the hydroboost has an accumulator valve designed for just this situation, to allow a few more panic stops even in total failure. Can't do that with a vacuum system!

People dog on hydroboost systems but in my view they are the absolute best in almost every regard of a braking system.

Anyways... since you're already in somewhat uncharted territory like me, I'd advise you with with PBH's Revolver P/S bracket for the pump and convert to the GM Type II pump. It'll involve a bit more money and some more custom work but it might be the only way outta the nightmare.

 

[ForeverDriven]

I've been down this road and it was a long, bumpy one. I struggled for I'd say at least six months going through Ford pump after Ford pump to realize that Ford pumps just ain't worth a fuck. Even ones that are brand new from Lares (really nice aluminum pumps too!) just can't cut it. Doesn't matter what you do, how well you bleed the system, how you design a new custom system.... Ford pumps are all garbage.

The only thing that has proved reliable in my swap was converting to a GM Type II pump. It was worth every damned penny.

The reason you had power assist for a brief time after the failure is because the hydroboost has an accumulator valve designed for just this situation, to allow a few more panic stops even in total failure. Can't do that with a vacuum system!

People dog on hydroboost systems but in my view they are the absolute best in almost every regard of a braking system.

Anyways... since you're already in somewhat uncharted territory like me, I'd advise you with with PBH's Revolver P/S bracket for the pump and convert to the GM Type II pump. It'll involve a bit more money and some more custom work but it might be the only way outta the nightmare.

I just took it out again for one last test drive, and my PS/PB came back intermittently twice. I've been eyeballing the whole PS/Hydraboost system and I noticed that the pump actually sends all the fluid to the Hydraboost before it goes to the rack. I'm only iffy about the pump because it's so new, relative to this Hydraboost unit with 180k on it lmao.

Thoughts on that, if it's intermittent with the original hydra unit? I ordered a new unit anyway (cause 180k) but the pump will be #2 on the list.

I'm definitely eyeballing the type II pump system as well!

 

[cobrajeff96]

I kind of doubt the hydro unit to go faulty. It's just a spool valve with an accumulator, largely just a passive device. If it's not leaking, it's kind of hard to single it out in my view. The active device in the whole system is the pump. Without the pump, there is no power piston action. The steering suffers as well as the power brakes.

I'd recommend calling Hydratech or really any outlet in the wild who specializes in these things. Get their opinions. Maximum Motorsports might also have knowledge in this regard.