power steering issues

[DaveR]

Car's a 90 Spirit ES, 2.5 T1 stock original rack and pump. (close to 130k now)

Pressure line started leaking last week so I installed new lines (both) and flushed the old fluid (poured new fluid in while return line was disconnected). Also added a bottle of Lucas Power Steering restorer (really think stuff, supposed to stop leaks, quiet noise racks/pumps etc.) The rest of the fluid is either Walmart brand Supertech power steering fluid (what I poured through while return was disconnected) and the Gunk brand PS fluid which I used to top off the system after the flush and Lucas bottle.

Steering felt great afterwards, but tonight my brother tells me he noticed the PS getting alittle 'cranky' after driving the car on the highway for about 2hrs.. thought the steering actually felt alittle lighter than normal and it apparently was whining more than usual.

I know the pump get's pretty hot in it's stock location, however never seen these cars have a power steering problem other then an R/T autoX'ing once which frothed up the fluid and was loosing power assist during the run.

Any suggestions? Could the pump be going? Could the Lucas fluid not be responding well to the heat? Anybody made a decent heat shield to keep the pump a little cooler perhaps?

[DaveR]

bump

[Mike B.]

If the fluid hasn't leaked out again it's probably the pump. They are usually plentiful in the junk yards.