Hi guys,

I've got a 94 with close to 160k on it. A couple of years ago I was getting the dredded screeching noise when making right hand turns that is an early sign of failing PS pump I believe, or maybe just low on fluid. There has been a minor PS leak since I got the car 3+ years ago so I would top off once a month or so and it would just take maybe 1/2" at the most out of a quart bottle of ATF Dexron III. So when it started screeching I had a shop flush and fill the PS which immediately stopped the noise, but of course not the slow leak. Then, I used the old turkey baster to get 1/2 quart of ATF out of the reservoir and topped off with Lucas PS stop leak against my better judgement. It actually slowed down the leak and the screeching noise never came back to this day. But, now I notice at idle a not so pleasant noise that appears to be coming from the PS reservoir area. It's not too noticeable but you can definitely hear it over the engine idle. Kind of sounds like a wheel that is spinning on bearings that don't have enough grease so there is noise and vibration. If I apply some pressure to the PS reservoir it tames down the noise and the vibration it's giving off. I also wonder if it is the tensioner pulley that sits right below the PS. The PS still works fine and doesn't screech so I'm stumped. Has anybody else experienced this and came across a solution?
Thanks in advance, Mike

 

lol i got the same exact thing goin on. got a pump sitting on the table in front of me. they are expensive! ill be waiting to see what everyone says.

 

bump......

 

you need a new power steering pump, i think i might have a spare laying around, i was gonna change mine, but car got totaled recently. Its only gonna get worst, especially when its cold.

 

Thanks for the reply, I thought that was the case but trying to explore any options before dumping money into it. There is a pretty good indy shop locally here that I will have take a look and provide a quote for the parts & labor, not excited to hear the $$$ amount but oh well. I know I'm not the only one but every time I take it in to a shop for one thing, they have a list a full page long of 'suggested' maintenance items. It's 15 years old and paid off but I sure have dropped a lot of money in to it this last year to keep her going strong, it does beat a car payment.

 

i have the same kind of noise a while back ,after i did a power streeing flush on mine. if you havent known there is a screen inside that resevoir it acts like a filter to prevent debris from goind thru the pump, the resevoir is like a dual chamber. it has the upper part then the screen filter then the bottom .since our care is old that screen tends to get clogged after time. what i did it is ( i've done this before on a supra with the same kind of resevoir) . ive poked a couple of hole at the screen. now the fluid is circulating thru and my noise is gone. oh yeah! save me a couple of hundred bucks for a new pump. try it! might just work.

 

Thanks Monki, I'll give that a shot I suppose. Worst case is it was gonna get replaced anyways if it doesn't help anything.

 

i have a noice coming from one of the pumps as well. someone told me it's my brake pump?? i'm not very car-savy...so let me know if this is the same thing that you guys are talking about or if the noice i'm getting is the ps pump. it only makes noise at little to no speed, when i turn the wheel. sounds like a low "womp" sound that lasts litteral a second long. but comes back after another few seconds. i'm not sure what the heck it is. my TRAC light stays on, but i removed the bulb because it was bugging the crap outta me.

 

put fluid though the resvoir, but turn the can upside down and have it off the car the junk will clear out and come out and it it maybe fine.

 

zazzn, Can you be more specific please? Are you referring to removing the PS reservoir and giving it a bath? If you have done this before, I'd really appreciate a quick break down of what to do. Car is in the shop right now getting an oil change and I've asked them take a look at my PS problem, I'm sure I'll get a worst case scenaro quotation.

 

Yeah so they recommend a new pump, reservoir & hoses totaling $1,600 parts & labor. I'll obviously be exploring other options.

 

Ignoring the TRAC problem wont fix anything. Have you had it diagnosed? When I had just the TRAC light on, everyone else I talked to had the TRAC off/ CEL. I ended up needing a new ABS accumulator pump

 

Guys,

A quick update and request for advice. I wasn't quite convinced that this issue had anything to do with my power steering pump, ultimately because my fluid level is fine, and my steering feels fine. The noise is not affected when I steer, but more so when the idle is changed or when the RPM change during driving. I took it to another shop for a second opinion and here is what they think might be the problem...... this mechanic says that the sound appears to be coming from underneath the plastic cover at the top/front of the engine itself. His initial thought is that it's the timing belt tensioner or idler pulley showing signs of failure. So, all of a sudden I'm looking at a Timing belt job which would include the tensioner/pulley and of course a water pump while they are in there. Anybode experienced failure on these components and had the same symptoms I described in post #1 of this thread?
Thanks for reading, Mike

 

Can anybody chime in on what I should expect to pay for a timing belt job, which would include a water pump, timing belt, tensioner/idler pulley & serpentine belt? Total parts & labor?

 

wow bro. i tried it and it worked!!! good lookin' out!!!