2006 F150 4x4 w/ 5.4l Steering Issues
 

Hello, I am new around here, and this might have been asked a million times before, and if it has I do apologize, but I have have kind of a odd one here with this truck. Its not mine, but a co-workers and they asked if I can do a power steering pump in the truck for them. Having worked on my fair share of Fords, and a crap ton of other things over the years, and having held a few ASE and CAT certifications in the past, I figured while not a cake walk it wouldn't be that bad of a job.

So I pulled it into my shop and started tearing into it, and the first thing i noticed is that i could actually steer the thing with one had and some effort but not the two arm struggle you usually have to do with a bad PS pump, though it felt real notchy, is the best way I can explain it, also the pump wasn't screaming like I am used to, but as it wasn't easy to steer i figured that yes the pump was bad. So I pulled the radiator and fan shroud, pulled the belt and spun the ps pulley and was able to pull it in and out like a 1/4 inch. The was also evidence of it leaking so I pulled the supply lines off pulled the pulley and got a good look at the line that goes from the pump to the rack and pinion and it looked ok, they had it replaced a few months back, and once i got it to the last few threads it got tighter, and once I was able to get the line off it actually snapped to what i am assuming was it natural position. Kinda odd as lines usually will stay where they go and aren't under pressure and I got to looking and the 90 degree bend the line has in it looked wrong, and the only thing i can assume is the person who did the lines didn't know what they were doing and some how bent the line putting it back on, collapsing the line in the process.

So I had the lady get a new line from autozone, though the bag said it was from carquest (I personally don't care for aftermarket parts like that but it being a Saturday and the closest Ford being closed we had to get what we could) and the line came with some sort of fitting that you install the fitting on the pump then snap the fitting into it, interesting idea and does make life a tad simpler, so get the old pump off, put the reman pump on, installed the new quick connect line and pressed the pulley on and put the truck back together.

Started doing the lock to lock bleeding procedure and twice it got stuck on the right lock and would pop as I turned the wheel, but the steering did seem to get a little better but i could still feel it was nochy, but there was no leaks and all seemed well. So had the lady get in and she said it felt some what better still a little stiff. So thinking maybe it might of had some air still in it I asked her to drive it up and down the road and see if it got any better. Right as she put it in reverse to back out, the new line popped out of the fitting, so I told her to shut it off and popped the line back in, and watched when she started it again and low and behold the line pushed back out, not all the way off but enough to let fluid pass by it.

So my questions are, One if I get a line from Ford, will it have the same quick coupler fitting thing on it? Or is this some thing carquest has engineered?
and Two, does the notchy steering sound like it is the pump or could it be the rack and pinion going bad? I know about the steering shaft U-Joint binding issue and soaked hers in some Kroil (like wd-40 but better) and it didn't help. Also even though the lines were replaced not 2 months ago, the fluid came out black as sin, what would that seem to indicate? The reason I am asking is because I know there is a chance we could have gotten a bad PS pump, Like the line, and I wanted to ask y'all what you thought before I tore into this thing again.

Thank you for you help
Zippo

I'm leaning to it possibly being a bad rack, but of course that's just a guess.