Power steering leak. Lost all fluid. Pump still making noise

Loss of all fluid would damage the pump. Is it hard to turn? To get the air out of the lines turn the steering wheel all the way from side to side several times, that will get the air out.

 

I don't remember if it was my Astro or my 9670 this happened with. I suppose the systems are different now then in my earlier trucks.

 

Quick answer: Probably.

 

After you purge air if needed like has been stated. Add some lucas power steering fluid in it. See if that helps. Unless it is an older belt driven pump the drive gear is lubed by the engine oil and bearings are usually sealed. Those Vickers style pumps can run a little while without oil. Some industrial application's use them for pumping fuel and water with no oil lubrication at all.

 

Here's a happy O/O P/S story. On my '82 WS, BC Cummins, driving a long,,, BAM, what the hell was that? Got off at next exit, oil pouring on the ground, open the hood, oil all over and no P/S dipstick. Added some ATF, and got to a truck stop, called my "service guy" as to what happened. He said, what color is the oil? I said, looks a lot like engine oil. He said, the seal on the pump went and the motor pumped engine oil into the P/S resv. and BAM!!

 

There was one system I know of that White had with aluminum Gemmer boxes that used motor oil and had a small overflow hose plumbed into the top level of the reserve can that went down into the engine crankcase to avoid that. Many White-Western Stars had those.