Just got my power steering pump replaced, and now the power steering only works when my foot is pressed on the gas. when just rolling or parked, theres no power steering?
Thoughts?

 

My first thought would be to check the fluid level.

 

was the pump new or refurbished?

 

any whining?

The JK's dont often have air trapped in the system, but give it a good wide open throttle at idle for a few seconds to be sure. put the front end on jackstands and steer left to right quickly.

 

If the fluid level is OK, working only with higher rpm usually indicates the vanes in the pump are bad.

 

Yea it does sound like the pumps bad.

My old stock pump, before I got a PSC, one day I was wheeling and lost power steering. Was about to say screw it and drive back to the trailer and go home. I gave it some hard throttle and it came back and never gave me an issue since. I ended up replacing it because the stock pump sucks with an 8" ram.


you werent the guy that I shipped my old pump to were you? hahaha

 

I recently replaced a power steering pump on a customers mid 90's Chevy pickup. He had recently had it replaced by another shop and it never worked right from the get go, and by the time he brought it to me it wasn't working at all. Power steering pumps are very sensitive and if they aren't bleed properly than they can very easily be damaged. The correct way to bleed a power steering systems is time consuming and very repetitive but it ensures proper function of the entire system.
Once the new pump is installed, fill with atf. With the front wheels off the ground turn the wheel lock to lock(not to fast, or you'll have a big mess to clean up) about 20 times. Then check the fluid. If it's gone down top it off and continue to turn the wheel lock to lock until the fluid level stops dropping.
Once you feel that it is no longer dropping you can start the Jeep, but only for a few seconds. Shut it down and check the fluid. If it has gone down top it off. Either way, you should once again turn the wheel lock to lock and check the fluid again.
So you do that a few times and then you can start it and see how it feels. You should not hear any whining from the pump.

 

So the steering directly correlates with engine RPM while driving. Rolling rpm around 600-700 its stiff as if theres no power steering. As the rpm's slightly goes up, it gets easier until normal around 1000-1100. So I put the front end on jack stands, top off the power steering canister, and key turned, but engine off. Wheel turn as normal. You can turn it with one finger. The fluid level in the canister did not drop.
So it seems the power steering pump cannot turn the wheels with weight on it at idle. And there is a slight whine when turning.

 

pumps probably bad. exchange it.