My P/S pump was a little noisy when I got everythig back together a few weeks ago, but has gradually gotten louder in the last few days. It is full of fluid and none of the hoses leak. There is a slight leak from the housing though.

The pump is original to the car, so it has 260k miles on it...........

Should I worry about this or? Are these things prone to lock-up?

 

The noise does not change when you turn the wheel and it is loudest when the engine is cold. After warm-up it quiets down some.

 

Thanks for any advice on this

See if your low on fluid first if not, then replace. The pumps are noisey when low on fluid.

 

Mark

I topped it off today, but it didn't help much. Still noisy............like a Ford P/S pump.........you can try, but they always "cavitate"; plus they are in a plastic housing...............

 

That's what I have to deal with at my work..........newer Ford stuff.....:temper:

repalce the seals on the pump.

I have a spare P/S pump that came with my "Japanese pull-out" engine 6 years ago. I have kept it indoors and sealed up. I checked it out today and there apears to be a magnet? in the fluid reservoir, along with metal particles............ .

I checked the noisy one on my car and I didn't see a magnet, but there was a little water bubble at the bottom of the inlet screen........this can't be good............would that cause all this noise? What is the best way to flush it out and with what? ATF? Denatured alcohol?

ATF is the fluid it usues. I would fluch the whole system, with the front of the car in the air, that way if there is any air in it after the fluch, you can easily work it out by turning the steering wheel, but there will be no load on it.

 

I think the air is causing the noise. cavitation. air in the system. Ive had that before.

if you do replace the pump try and find a 90 or newer loyale so you wouldn't need a puller to get the pulley off

just rip the PS pump off.

its a soobaru.. use a lil muscle to turn the wheel

I'll see if it makes a difference............no change so far.

 

Torxxx, you mean P/S by "armstrong"? Been there, done that.

I had a '68 Chevelle w/power steering........kept throwing the belt at the racetrack, so I drove it around with the pump off the car.......Not bad, but a real PITA in parking lots with a 3600 lb. car.....

 

JYG, I'll look at a newer car for a replacement, if it's necessary........thanks for the tip!

When they make a lot of noise like that - they will last a LONG time before complete failure generally. I had an 83 turbo wagon with a pump like that - guy told me it was like that the whole 2 years he owned it.....

 

GD

For some reason, it's a LOT loader when it's cold (the pump, that is).

Thanks for the reassurance GD.

 

I have a few road trips planned in the near future, so I need to get this car dialed-in for reliability.

its not a soob, but my girlfriends Mercury Sable's P/S pump had been makin pretty messed up noises for about 3 1/2 years now and it still works fine.. just keep fluid in it and drive it til the pump goes out.

Also - I had my PS idler pulley lose it's bearing, and didn't get it put back for about 1,000 miles - no worse off for it. I just took the belt off. Put it back recently and it's just fine - no change at all. So if you pump does go while on a road trip - I don't think you'll be stranded - if you must, get a shorter belt and put it on - bypassing the PS pump. On my 84 I have the bennifit of a seperate PS belt so this was no problem for me....

 

Also - it wasn't hard to steer at all without the PS - basically like my Brat that doesn't have it in the first place - I was surprised that it was still so easy - definately noticeably harder - but nothing to worry about if it should fail.

 

GD