Drove it on a couple more 50 mile trips on the same route. First time it didn't vibrate at all, second time it did. Less severely than the last time I felt it but it still vibrated. All the while I'm still feeling that same variation in assist when the power assist is operating.

Oh, and it still whines too. I'm half tempted to go get some of that lucas stop leak or whatever it is that I've heard about on here and see if that fixes the whine anyway.
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Well, took it on yet another 50 mile trip. This time as an experiment I turned the radio on so I couldn't hear the pump. Just to see if I was being paranoid about it. Either that or the pump worked great because I had no problems. Didn't even seem that "twitchy". Also on my trip to work this morning after my truck broke down it did well. Everything seems okay, so I'll keep it as is for now. I suppose the ultimate test will be on the long trip to Talledega. If it makes it there and back fine it has my seal of approval.
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Good luck.

you'll want to change both end links. i had the exact same issue when i got my 96. i was told it'* easier to do it with ramps, so weight is on the front wheels. i did it on a hoist, and i had to have a friend hold my sway bar in place so i could get the end link bolt through it. altogether it took about 20-25 minutes, and the links were only $6.50 each. it wasn't that hard.

Thanks Bill.

On ramps you say? I wouldn't have thought of that. Last time I changed them was on a hydraulic lift also. As long as I can easily tap out the old end link with a hammer or something and get the new one in without clearance issues, I'll be set. It would be kind of hard to have a friend help down that close to the floor, so hopefully I can do it myself.
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After a relatively short in town drive I began to experience the noise and vibrations again. Yesterday afternoon I exchanged the fluid in the reservoir for new fluid just to see if that would fix anything. I drove it around and it seemed to help somewhat but by the end of the trip it was making noise and vibrating again. The fluid is discolored, a tan opaque color (even after the fluid exchange) which according to my FSM is bad. I did not see any bubbles or foaming in the fluid.

I'm in somewhat of a problem here. The one thing I can be relatively positive of (I hope) is that my rack is ok and not leaking, seeing as how I did not have any problems before the pump change. I am also not leaking any fluid.

However, I'm not sure how to fix this. This pump is pretty noisy. It always has some sort of a whine, pretty quiet at initial startup (unless the wheel is turned) but it gets louder the longer it is driven. By the end of the trip it growls.

I'm not sure if the connections at the pump are leaking air, and by simply taking it to a shop to get a fluid drain and flush (I would ask them to check my connections too) would fix the problem, or if by not bleeding the system properly has damaged my pump to the point where it is always going to do this. Any ideas? I don't want to waste my money getting a fluid flush if it won't fix the problem, but I don't want to waste the money getting a new pump if it can be fixed by a simple flush either.
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You have been patient with this problem. And, considering you have a lifetime warranty on the pump, it may be time to cash in on it. It would only cost you the labor to try a replacement. Did the reman pump come with instructions on how to bleed the system? When I have changed out pumps and/or racks, I usually just put the front of the car on two jackstands high enough to get the wheels off the ground, top up the reservoir, start the engine and slowly turn the steering wheel from lock to lock about 10-20 times. I have never had to do more than that. Other times, when just disconnecting the pump lines, the system has bled air out on its own by just driving the car. You have certainly done that.

I wonder if your system had so many abrasive particles in it from the failure of the last pump that the new pump was quickly damaged. That can certainly happen. You can buy an in-line filter and install it in the line from the rack to the pump to catch any particles and protect your new or reman pump. One local trans shop will not guarantee their rebuilds unless such an in-line filter is installed to protect the rebuilt trans from chips that had been distributed throughout the lines and cooler. Any trans shop should be able to provide you with an appropriately sized, in-line filter for not too much $$.

I think you're right. Whatever that scraping noise was definitely indicated something was wrong, even if it hasn't come back yet. For a while the pump did work perfectly ok, that is the strange thing. Fortunately for me, there is a car I can borrow until I get this problem sorted out.

The pump didn't come with any instructions other than the "make sure all seals are tight and the system has been bled properly" warranty failsafe sheet.

I'll see about going to pick one up this afternoon if I can make time. While I'm there (or maybe at another store) I'll pick up a bottle of Lucas Powersteering Stop Leak to top off the reservoir with. Hopefully AutoZone would stock that.

Well, we'll see how that goes. If they refuse to cash in on my warranty, I'll use the old one as a core to get a NAPA pump instead. Though I don't see how they wouldn't, seeing as how it performed flawlessly (nearly) for a while before it started acting up. That seems to me to indicate a problem other than just an improper pump bleed.

Anyway, I'll try that this afternoon and see how it goes. Then there will be other things to fix.
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You read this part that I added to my reply, I hope:

No, I didn't catch that. I think I saw a similar filter at NAPA, or maybe Advance has one, for that specific purpose.

I'm assuming that the low pressure line (the one with the clamp, not the nut) is the one that returns fluid from the rack to the pump, right? Do I just push it into the line from the PS pump end?

I think I'll stop by NAPA first to pick up this filter and the Lucas fluid, if they have it.
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