I just got the engine in my truck running after about two 1/2 years of sitting in the shop. During that time I had the pump disconnected from the hoses but kept a sock over the hoses to keep critters out. Now my power steering isn't working right. I checked the fluid level in the pump reservoir, which is full, but it acts like it's low on fluid.
When I turn the steering wheel side to side there is a lot of resistance and I can hear the pump whine like it does when one is normally working and you turn it all the way hard to the right or left. I drove it about a mile up the road but it didn't get any better.
The when I cut the engine off, the fluid boiled out of the pump reservoir all over the floor of my shop.
What do you think? Is it the the pump? A blockage in either the high pressure hose or low pressure hose? Or something in the power steering sector? Or throw parts at it till it's fixed?