KA24DE Power Steering Clogged? Flushing Metal Filings!

[Jissan]

So I have an 89 240sx with a KA24DE swap I bought Friday and I thought I would tackle the broken power steering today. I pulled a used pump from a yard that had nice looking fluid but when I took mine off I noticed some strange things...

Firstly, this car is set up for drift so I didn't think much would surprise me but I noticed tons of metal filings in the fluid (the fluid was red so was it ATF? dunno). Also the pulley on the pump was at least an inch smaller than the one I got in the yard. To clarify, the one on my car was about 4.5" where the one from the yard was about 5.5". I didn't have a tape measure and was using my iPhone as a measurement. I swapped the pumps and took the broken one apart and it looks like a melted impeller & surround full of so much filings it looks like Never-Seez.

So I'm flushing the system with a big jug of power steering fluid and I've read a lot of debate on which is best for 240s, ATF or Pwr Steering Fluid and wasn't able to find a conclusive post. Regardless, when the system gets topped off I think it might be clogged because the car starts to idle hard and the belt starts to squeal. WIth the power steering reservoir cap on the system overflows through it but with it off it just idles hard.

I don't want to ruin the pump I just got and put in but I have access to another one tomorrow. Any thoughts? Yes, I'm definitely a noob (first support post) but I Googled and RTFM'ed a lot before finally posting so sorry if I broke the rules but I'm just trying not to trash this pump. :confused:

[Jissan]

Well it's working at the moment.

I bought two big cans of ATF (somebody said it was the shiz so whatevs), used one can as a flush and the other as a fill and just ran it lock to lock for a while then started the engine, lock to lock a few more times then capped it and went around the block successfully. The power steering resevoir gasket is dry rotted so it's not sealing but I'll replace that and probably throw a magnet in the resevoir and check on it after some driving.

I need to post a pic of the fried pump because it's totally jacked. My hands were silver while flushing the lines and the pan had huge chunks of debris. Possibly this was from the wrong size pully that was on the pump or running it with no fluid but I spoke with the previous owner and the one before that and both said the power steering wasn't working when they got it. Oh well, it drives like a true 240 now!

[Frank_Jaeger]

So I have an 89 240sx with a KA24DE swap I bought Friday and I thought I would tackle the broken power steering today. I pulled a used pump from a yard that had nice looking fluid but when I took mine off I noticed some strange things...

Firstly, this car is set up for drift so I didn't think much would surprise me but I noticed tons of metal filings in the fluid (the fluid was red so was it ATF? dunno). Also the pulley on the pump was at least an inch smaller than the one I got in the yard. To clarify, the one on my car was about 4.5" where the one from the yard was about 5.5". I didn't have a tape measure and was using my iPhone as a measurement. I swapped the pumps and took the broken one apart and it looks like a melted impeller & surround full of so much filings it looks like Never-Seez.

So I'm flushing the system with a big jug of power steering fluid and I've read a lot of debate on which is best for 240s, ATF or Pwr Steering Fluid and wasn't able to find a conclusive post. Regardless, when the system gets topped off I think it might be clogged because the car starts to idle hard and the belt starts to squeal. WIth the power steering reservoir cap on the system overflows through it but with it off it just idles hard.

I don't want to ruin the pump I just got and put in but I have access to another one tomorrow. Any thoughts? Yes, I'm definitely a noob (first support post) but I Googled and RTFM'ed a lot before finally posting so sorry if I broke the rules but I'm just trying not to trash this pump. :confused:
Just in case someone finds this thread by search...

If I remember right, Dexron III or equivalent feels best, in my personal experience.