Cranked up the 951 this evening for some Christmas shopping and it decided to whine/b!tch/moan/complain as I cranked the wheel coming out of my driveway. Went away mostly after warming up but not completely. U-turns brought it back more. I'm assuming this is the power steering pump failing? Haven't checked for any hose leaks yet or anything in-depth. Looks like from Clark's that the repair if so isn't too bad on the DIY side, but $420 for the part at Paragon? Gads. I don't even have my rear half-axles replaced yet!

 

before you go too far into an R&R on the pump, check the power steering belt tension and condition. you may also want to consider a drain and refill of the power steering system. the old fluid may have moisture buildup in it or may be breaking down and in need of a change.

 

Great tip- thanks.

 

Better yet, check to ensure the fluid is filled.

 

I'm sure you probably checked the fluid level right away so I won't bring that up but there is a filter in the bottom of the reservoir that could be plugged. Also if you drain/change the fluid, you'll have to turn the wheel full left and right without the pump running until you don't see bubbles in the reservoir. That'll bleed the system. Then start the engine and do it again to make sure all the bubles are gone. It took me a few full left and right turns with the engine running till the buzzing stopped. I don't think a loose belt will cause this because when it's a belt it usually sounds like a cat with it's tail caught in the door. We've all heard that sound before on other cars at full turn on the wheel. Good luck with this.

 

onspeed is right, first check the fluid level - if low it'll moan bad especially on startup. if fluid level is okay, check the rubber hoses for kinks, if one is kinked, it won't let fluid go to the pump, and will moan too. either scenario is bad on the pump, so try to get it checked out asap. and a fluid flush can never hurt.

 

Chris, If all the above fail you,try Rennbay.com. Travis has everything you need for power steering rack and pump rebuilds

 

(sigh)

Reservoir was simply low... about half full, a good inch below the normal line. Almost positive this was full at the PPI a couple months ago so it may be leaking- will keep an eye on this but no visible signs that I can tell yet otherwise (hoses tight and dry underneath). Topped it off with general ATF fluid (Dextron II noted compatible) from O'Reilly's and problem solved. Pretty murky concoction in there now so I'll be flushing this out ASAP. Couldn't find any straight Dextron II at either AutoZone or O'Reilly's though, dealer or online only for this stuff? Thanks, guys...

*embarassed/thankful n00b*

 

glad to see that that you got the issue solved.

 

ownership is validated with your first trip to buy ps fluid. don't ever use the regular crap they sell at the gas station as ps fluid. i use dextron 3 transmission fluid. and don't ever run the reservior get low. you'll burn out the pump.

 

Yeah when I started it this morning, it became pretty obvious that it was fluid- I could tell the pump was probably fine and just trying it's hardest to function properly. Luckily it was only driven a couple times before I could get the fluid in there, and the reservoir was still half-full, so the pump was just giving a 'warning' before things got bad. Glad it does that...

So Dextron III is OK? Where do I ideally get either at?

 

For the record, a PS pump rebuild on these cars is probably one of the easiest DIY projects there is. If you suspect it is a problem, or if you have leaks, it's a quick job.

 

Thanks, Matt! Good news. I'll check the level in a week and see what's up.

 

Yeah I was working outside earlier and I was going to run in and post up to not use PS fluid in the reservoir and to flush it when you can. I knew you had been over at Clarks from the first post and had probably known what to do. Never let the oil change guys do the fluids without you watching them as they WILL put the PS fluid in it and toast it for you.

 

Great Youtube rebuild tech article from Rennbay: