I can relate to that, find it a challenge too.
You might be able to get a machine shop to grind any taper off of the drive tang of the steering pump but it is likely gouged out like the trans pump. If you got the side plates ground the gear is worn too. The only sure fix is to replace both pumps and turn the drive gear over. Have you noticed any trans oil going into the steering clutch case? Trans going down and steering clutches overfilling? Reguardless on the back housing beside the place the large steering pump line/suction line is a round cover with the sides cut off held on by 4 3/8 bolts. Take cover off and clean the screen. If the brake bands start breaking up the screen gets full and blows up like a pumpkin. If that happens the steering pump will draw oil from the trans pump. You need two seals for that. I think you should check the seals on the pipe supplieing oil to the trans valve too. It goes in from the piece on the side of the trans where the filter hose comes back. Where the old filter was mounted before they remote mounted it on the 13X machines. Will need to take trans cover plate off to do this. Unless your pump is gouged out more than I think from what you say the seals might be leaking too from the pressure drop you have.
Later Bob

I do remember the guy that my friend bought the machine from told me, when I asked him if he ever noticed anything wrong with the machine when he operated it. (he only had a short time,bought it to sell) He said when he was pushing some brush , the machine acted like it cavitated and wouldn't pull at all. He said he let it set overnight, and then it worked fine after that. He said he hadn't operated it much, and maybe he didn't know that when it got warmed up , it wouldn't pull. Maybe he did. LOL Anyway ,I'll check out everything that you said. I noticed that It does have a leaking hose/metal line joint going up to the oil cooler ?(metal line going up towards radiator). This had leaked a fair amount of oil into the belly pan, and I originally suspected this may have had something to do with the problem. I hadn't noticed the steering clutch compartment overfilled, I believe it is right on the line.The pump is really only "scored" on the plates on the ends of the one gear, not real deep, but I did notice some wear in the gears, where I could feel a little burr at the edge, from where the other gear meshed with it.I will get another pump never the less.Once again, Thanks for all the valuable info!

I just checked out the sreen in rear compartment and it was o.k., However upon re-inspection of the pump, I have to say that I missed some damage upon my initial assessment.After I washed everything off, and COMPLETELY disassembled, it does have quite a bit of wear, not scoring like I thought, and it is on 3 surfaces, not the two I originally thought. The gears are also showing some wear as is the shafts. I ran a bent nail inside of the drive gear on the splines (both ends of the nail, cause I couldn't find my )to see if I could detect wear, which I couldn't. I removed the splined shaft from the pump, and slid it back and forth in the drive gear, and I could detect a minute wear ridge, albiet very little.I guess I'll go ahead and swap the gear around to be on the safe side. Do I have to remove all the hoses to get the pump out of the way? And I take it I'll have to remove the plate behind the pump to get to the gear also.I'm going to try and get a manual fot this machine today, but I'm confident that everything you have been sharing with me the manual wouldn't have helped anyway. LOL I still haven't checked the seals to the pipe supplying the trans yet. When you say trans cover plate , you're talking about the plate bolted on top of tranny, not the floor plate above the tranny, correct? Thanks

Yes the square plate on the top. You will need a gasket for that too. Work carefully inside and don't drop anything. You will need a clean container or 5 empty 5 gal oil pails to drain hyd oil into, then take lines off hyd pump. Lift pump out and take front cover off take gear out, inspect that it hasn't been turned over before(doubt anyone knows to do this) and then put it back in. You need seald for hyd pump lines and mounting seal plus seal for cover and all the trans and steering pump mounting seals. When you get it together re check the pressures as before, should hold 90% of high idle pressure at low idle with warm oil. If it's okay in all gears, change the trans oil use Cat TDTO4 and also replace the temp gauge if it isn't working.
Later Bob

Put new pump on and it has 375/400 psi, however needle on guage fluctuates back and forth real fast .It did this before I put new pump on, but I thought it was just the guage set up I had on there, and I was thinking that it got better as machine warmed up. Now I think It might be sucking air, and to me it sounds as though it is.I didn't run the machine very long because I was afraid I might damage the new pump. I haven't put all the new seals in yet on manifold on side of transmission, cause cat didn't have top gasket, but will do that next. What do you think? Could an oil cooler suction line cause the problem if it was leaking? Also it appears that the seals could be replaced without havind to remove top plate of tranny, is there another bolt inside?

Sounds like you are getting someplace with it now. I like the pressure you are getting. Go after the pump suction line, might have a hardened up piece of rubber hose that needs replacing. Fix the cooler leak too, it's not causing your problem just making a mess. If you can get the tube out the side and fine but I think it's okay with the pressure you are getting now. Work on the suction line and stop the gauge vibrating. Then get it warm and see what the pressures do at low idle.
Later Bob

"bob" wrote:

Sounds like you are getting someplace with it now. I like the pressure you are getting. Go after the pump suction line, might have a hardened up piece of rubber hose that needs replacing. Fix the cooler leak too, it's not causing your problem just making a mess. If you can get the tube out the side and fine but I think it's okay with the pressure you are getting now. Work on the suction line and stop the gauge vibrating. Then get it warm and see what the pressures do at low idle.
Later Bob

Pump suction line? I was thinking the suction was coming from internal on the transmission pump. where is the line you are referring to?

Your Taxing my memory here now.
I think there is a smaller housing beside the trans filter with the magnetic screen in it. That is in the suction side and there should be a steel line coming to it. Check that line out good for hose and clamps, seals, worn or dammaged spots. Anything that could let air in. Also the magnetic screen cover seal too.
When you get it working right change the oil. Use TDTO4 in it.
Later Bob

Please read post below

I havent had a chance to check on it yet, but I got to thinking, if it sucking air shouldn't it also be leaking oil? Thanks