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By K_Watson, October 28, 2007

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My power steering pump started making a new to my car squeeking type noise a couple of years ago. It was cleary the PS pump because the noise started and stopped based on steering wheel position. If I recall correctly, it made the noise when steering wheel was in the centered position and went away when you turned right or left.

I found out the price of the pump (ouch) and did the turkey baster thing to replace the fluid with fresh ATF. Noise went away. I had never replaced the fluid prior to this. The original fluid was very dark and the viscosity seemed very low: very thin, almost water-like.

I have since replaced the fluid using turkey baster several times when I change the oil or ATF. I just pile rags around the reservoir to catch any spills. I have probably put three or four quarts through the system now.

I know that you can disconnect lines and all that, but since rubber lines sometimes develop leaks after detach/attach, I've stuck with the baster. I have one with a needle, which allows me to get deeper in the reservoir.

It also gives me something to do while I'm waiting for the oil to drain out during oil change. It also gives me something to do with the half quart of ATF left over after a AT fluid change.

jim

K_Watson

I used an inexpensive siphon pump to empty the reservoir on my car and filled it back up with Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF. But the noise is still there. Also the noise on my car is constant, and is there no matter what the position of the wheel is. Maybe if I do it a few more times over the course of a month I can get most of the old fluid out.

I know on some older Mopars - the power steering pumps themselves were OK - but the hoses running to and from the pumps had the inner diameter necked down due to physical damage, corrosion, or heavy deposits. Just a possibility - as I found out the hard way some years ago on a Mopar B-body - the replacement hoses were a hair smaller in diameter, the sound it made sounded exactly like a bad pump, constant whining noise. Went through three powersteering boxes until I figured out it was the hose.

Your car is fine, normal cold engine noise, circa 1998. Whinning noise generated by air intake pipes. Read somewhere that those pipes where sound tuned

Bad steering pump will create the same noise on warm engine as well.

K_Watson

Your car is fine, normal cold engine noise, circa 1998. Whinning noise generated by air intake pipes. Read somewhere that those pipes where sound tuned

Bad steering pump will create the same noise on warm engine as well.

 

I know what noise you are referring to, the one you hear if you open the air box with the engine running. The noise you hear int the video is not the same noise. the noise in the video is coming from the power steering pump, which makes that noise regardless of engine temperature.

Your car is fine, normal cold engine noise, circa 1998. Whinning noise generated by air intake pipes. Read somewhere that those pipes where sound tuned

Bad steering pump will create the same noise on warm engine as well.

 

I know what noise you are referring to, the one you hear if you open the air box with the engine running. The noise you hear int the video is not the same noise. the noise in the video is coming from the power steering pump, which makes that noise regardless of engine temperature.

Why guess? Take the belt off and run the car for a minute and see if the noise is still there.

Bikeman982

It's pretty easy to take the power steering belt off.

Loosen the mounting bolt and pull the pump closer.

Remove the belt.

Run the car and see if you still have the noise (or the same noise).

If not - it was the power steering belt - if you do, it was not the belt - it's something else.

K_Watson

It's pretty easy to take the power steering belt off.Loosen the mounting bolt and pull the pump closer.

 

Remove the belt.

Run the car and see if you still have the noise (or the same noise).

If not - it was the power steering belt - if you do, it was not the belt - it's something else.

I have a 98 with a serpentine belt. default_wink I'll take the belt off Thursday and see what she sounds like. Since I already know the pump is the source of the noise I will be listening for the knocking sound to see if maybe it is the tensioner.

Bikeman982

It's pretty easy to take the power steering belt off.Loosen the mounting bolt and pull the pump closer.

 

Remove the belt.

Run the car and see if you still have the noise (or the same noise).

If not - it was the power steering belt - if you do, it was not the belt - it's something else.

I have a 98 with a serpentine belt. default_wink I'll take the belt off Thursday and see what she sounds like. Since I already know the pump is the source of the noise I will be listening for the knocking sound to see if maybe it is the tensioner.

Let us know if that is actually the source of your noise. It may help others with a similar problem.

 

 



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