Flush/cleaning a CII power steering pump?

[DerekTheGreat]

Howdy folks,

A week ago I pulled a power steering pump & A/C bracket from another 351 equipped Ford truck for our truck. I didn't have a puller to remove the power steering pump from it, so the treasure yard charged us for the bracket and the pump. Pump seems like it's junk to me, as it was left with the cap off and was mostly empty with some water in it. But, lazy me thinks perhaps it is OK and could be flushed out, cleaned & reused. What could I flush it with and would you guys even reuse it?

I'm considering using that pump as either our existing bracket is bent or the power steering pump and/or A/C compressor is causing a belt alignment issue. Hoping to fix the alignment issue by installing the "new" bracket along with an A/C compressor I've had sitting sealed on the shelf for a few years.

[friskyfrankie]

Could you use Type F fluid to flush it? Might be difficult to find but should be safe for the pump and seals.

[sly]

If you can't find type F, dex/merc will work too. That's what I'm running in my 93 since I've had to replace that pump and the only part that's ever failed on it was the seals on the variable assist solenoid.

[kishy]

I bought a junkyard p/s pump that was full of water, left it upside down to fully drain into a pan for a few hours, then installed it on a vehicle and just gave it fresh fluid, no flush required. I believe that's the pump on the Town Car presently which is quiet and works properly.

If you feel so inclined you could put a plug on the return line port, fill the pump, spin it by hand with the outlet port facing a drain pan, refill it, and repeat until you're satisfied with what you see coming out into the pan. I would just use whatever ATF honestly. Type F if you have it since it's the spec, but if you happen to have a gallon of DexIII/Mercon and don't otherwise need it in the near future, it'll do fine.

Once the pump is cleaned out to your satisfaction, do the steering gear on the target vehicle as well. Connect pressure line but leave return line from the gear hanging into a pan, either turn by hand or spin the engine, whichever you prefer, again until you're satisfied with what comes out of the gear.

[DerekTheGreat]

Thank you for the responses, fellas!

Kishy, I do feel so inclined. Great news to hear about the pump you salvaged. I was just in my garage, I've got plenty of Type F, so I'll run it. Maybe I'll sacrifice some DexIII/Mercon for the initial flush of the pump to conserve my stash of F. The whole housing of that pump beneath the neck where the cap attaches is grimy, here's hoping it doesn't leak.

[gadget73]

I might pull the reservoir to clean and re-seal it and make sure all of the water and sludge is cleaned out but it shouldn't need anything more than just transmission fluid. Maybe if you want to be absolutely sure, fill it with the drain line capped off and turn it by hand to make sure what comes out is fluid and not watery crap.

seals on the reservoir end of things are an O ring under the outlet fitting and a big O ring where the reservoir goes onto the pump itself.