I have a '91 S10 Blazer 4x4 with a bad steering leak. Currently I'm going through a bottle of fluid per week. Also, I have to hold the wheel 45 deg. to the right just for the car to go straight. The wheel also shakes at high speeds like 70+. Where should i look for problems? I've recently had a control arm bushing replaced, which came with an aligment.

Also, sometimes the car "jerks" at certain speeds, like 25mph and 45mph. Could that be a misfire or a fuel or intake issue? Or timing? Not sure where to start. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

steering issue: Look underneath, see if you can spot any caked-on fluid or crap down there. That'll give you a starting point. Also, check the power steering pump.

Jerking: It could be anything you've suggested. Does it do it all the time? Do you have a tachometer? What RPMs is it doing it at? Have you tested your fuel pump? I don't remember if yours is CPI or TBI, but if it's TBI it should have 9-10psi of pressure coming off it while the key's on. It has an autobleed feature so it may go to 0 pretty quickly after it's off. CPI gets 55-60psi. Check your fuel filter. If it hasn't been replaced, do so. I had a problem with mine doing something similar which was related to the amount of crud in the bottom of the gas tank. Cleaned it out, problem gone.

But I'd fix the steering issue before you deal with whatever problem's causing the jerkiness. It's a safety issue, the other's just drivability.

 

The leaking steering is most likely a hose problem. It could be a bad pump but from my experience the hoses are first to go.


The steering is a whole other ball game. You say you had a control arm bushing replaced, most good shops will not do an alignment if there are other noticeable parts bad. The easiest way to track this down is to lay under the front while somebody turns the wheel back and forth. Anything loose will be easy to see. Another area that is commonly overlooked is the rag joint. Pop the hood while somebody is jerking the wheel back and forth and look at the rubber circle that attaches the steering shaft to the steering box. That rubber gets worn and it also feels like the steering it sloppy and sometimes goes unnoticed by not so good shops.

 

i found a leak, it was coming from my pump seal, so i bought a new pump. im gonna replace it myself, i was wondering if anyone knows whether a '91 needs a special puller to get the pulley off or if i can do it any other way?

Also, when I was checking for leaks, i noticed a hose (that runs kinda underneath/in front of the steering pump) was cracked open. I'm not sure where it goes to, but it runs back up towards where my oil filter is, and its just capped off. What is this hose?

 

I had that problem. Wish they came with a U-joint instead

 

Yes you need a puller to get the pulley off the pump in order to get to all the bolts. Most parts stores like oreillys, autozone, and advanced auto will rent it to you pretty cheap. That line leaking sounds like an oil line and pretty common on 4.3s to leak.

Go get the steering shaft off a box style jeep cherokee. U joints on both ends and bolts right in where the factory first gen steering shaft is. I been running one for over a year now. Also helps if you have headers cause it gives more clearance than the factory steering shaft. A jeep wrangler (yj) shaft will also work but will need to be trimmed to fit. I personally went with the YJ shaft cause I have a 3 inch body lift, wound up trimming 6 inches off it. I think the cherokee shaft would have been fine but I didn't want to take the chance of it being short.