power steering pump is loud

[ZAID*512]

My pump never whined untill I let my truck sit for about two months and now it's getting louder by the day. I have like 300,000 miles on my 96 5.0 XLT, I guess I can't really complain.

Today I drained it down by the cooler fins and flushed my fluid. I put some PS fluid and some Lucas stop leak, not the additive and it was hell getting all the air out of the line. I had to shell out some cash for a hand operated vaccum pump and it really help cut the time down. I wish I had the rubber stopper though, I had to rig up something to get enough vaccum to get all the air out.

My pump still whines, it might be a bit quiter may be after driving it around for a bit it will improve. If not I will flush it again and put in the Lucas additive and the Motorcraft Merc PS fluid.

I really get annoyed by the noise after having a quiet pump for almost 11 years.

 

[Khaelbee]

Is it good when someone finds their transmission oil a color other than red?

I heard some strange rumor that brake fluid is supposed to be clear. Not sure if that's true because last time I changed my clutch fluid it came out BLACKKKK and chunky. Clear? Nahhhh... coffee.

 

[ZAID*512]

Update: The loud whining that I thought was my PS pump turned out to be the Lower Idler pulley. I wish I new that before I flushed my fluid and spent all day getting the air out. I had read about the pulley in a thread but I thought it was the PS pump. First noise issue solved.

Word to the wise if you hear a loud whining noise get a good listen to see what direction it's coming from for a better clue. The only reason I heard it better because I was fixing my exhaust leak on that side (crack exhaust manifold) and was able to isolate the noise better. From up top it seemed to be the notorious whinny PS pump.

 

[Hevyg]

Yep, I did the same d@mned thing. I replaced the pump, which revealed the tensioner idler was bad,,,, which reavealed the lower idler was bad..... which led to... which led to....