3.4L Power Steering Pump Whining Excessively

[brillo_76]

[MENTION=8262]badluck[/MENTION] You think I could flush the power steering by just using my transmission fluid exchanger and just hook a hose to the return line to the used oil. Then pump new fluid until the fluid comes clean. Then feel to the proper level?

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[Bad Luck]

[MENTION=8262]badluck[/MENTION] You think I could flush the power steering by just using my transmission fluid exchanger and just hook a hose to the return line to the used oil. Then pump new fluid until the fluid comes clean. Then feel to the proper level?

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I can’t remember your exact fluid exchange setup for transmissions. The problem that I ran into was the power steering pump flows fluid faster than I could fill the reservoir. That’s why I changed my method to 1 second engine running intervals.

 

[FD7683]

So I have the pump all torn apart ready for new seals/gaskets which are coming tomorrow (Gates 348376) and upon discovery when I was eyeing the Toyota service manual instructions on pump reassembly and looking at the inscribed marks, I actually found the rotor facing the wrong way. The service manual says to have the mark facing upward when I found it facing down. Weird but here are the pictures of it all apart.

 

[FD7683]

All fixed! Rebuilt the pump yesterday and discovered o-rings dry rotted and hard. Today I jacked up the front wheels and turned the steering wheel when it was turned off and running. Following the Toyota PSP bleed procedure and on the 2nd round, all air pockets are gone. Just now topped up the reservoir to hot line and the power steering on my truck never felt great in years!

HIGHLY recommend the Gates 348376 kit to rebuild the pump. Patience is key. I think the main cause of my problem was the reservoir screen being blocked of junk. 3 cans of brake cleaner got it clean enough.

 

[Sarki]

All fixed! Rebuilt the pump yesterday and discovered o-rings dry rotted and hard. Today I jacked up the front wheels and turned the steering wheel when it was turned off and running. Following the Toyota PSP bleed procedure and on the 2nd round, all air pockets are gone. Just now topped up the reservoir to hot line and the power steering on my truck never felt great in years!

HIGHLY recommend the Gates 348376 kit to rebuild the pump. Patience is key. I think the main cause of my problem was the reservoir screen being blocked of junk. 3 cans of brake cleaner got it clean enough.

Nicely done and congrats on getting to the bottom of your problem. Good call on sticking with your original pump and doing the rebuild.

 

[brillo_76]

Yup good job. Glad your gates kit worked out for you..

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[Redcat]

I



I did the flush, and while it helped, I wanted to clean the reservoir as well.

I got a used power steering pump from the local Toyota specific junkyard, and then I picked up the rebuild kit. I wanted to have a backup in case I damaged something on the pump on my truck.

The junkyard one I attempted to clean with Ballistol. Didn't really help. Had to resort to brake cleaner.

The one on the truck, I ended up using about a 1/4 to 1/2 bottle of brake cleaner. I found that if you use an air nozzle and spray air in there, you don't need to flush it with as much brake cleaner.

I'd say the flush got the power steering back to 80% and the reservoir cleaning got it the rest of the way.

 

[brillo_76]

I flushed several times and can see through the screen, but I still have pump noise. I am wondering if this has to do with the fluid being used to replace it.

As I have noticed in the colder months, my pump is more noisy than the warmer months. So my theory is that power steering pumps prefer toyota fluid vs. aftermarket synthetic.

As I had a pump that was very noisy. Cleaned the screen and flushed the old fluid all out, and put toyota ws fluid into the steering system. This one is perfectly quiet and functions perfectly again.

So, I am wondering if the fluid has any bearing on the noise level?

As the 02 pump on my 98 Daily driver, I know it is clean and is so much quieter now in the summer.

Am I on to something? Or just incorrect at all on this fluid as synthetic fluid is a lot thinner than toyota transmission fluid and wondering if it's effecting the noise level?



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[OldSilver]

My 2000 Toyota 4Runner has around 421,000 miles and also has the original Power Steering Pump. I noticed the pump moaning around 8 or 9 months ago. It has a very slow leak. I just keep adding fluid every month or so, depending on how much I drive it. So far so good, and I have been doing this consistently since discovering it.

 

[bob919]

Could Be Alternator Bearing Going Bad

Swore my whine was the PS pump going bad. Drove it for 4 years that way and finally decided to fix it.

Did all the things mentioned in this thread staring with the cheapest fix first: 1. flush/change the fluid and cleaned the screen in the reservoir; 2. rebuilt PS pump using the Gates rebuild kit; 3. replaced AC idler pulley; and finally 4. purchased a remanufactured PS from RockAuto. None of the "fixes" solved the problem. Whine was still there.

Finally took advice from an old mechanic friend of mine long gone: used long screwdriver and put it on the alternator and other end to my ear and sure enough, could hear it whining and "grinding". Bearings were bad.

Installed Denso remanufactured from RockAuto and whine is gone! Changed out all 3 belts while at it. Swear truck runs better now than it has in years.

So don't rule out the alternator bearings as the issue.

 

[Bad Luck]

Swore my whine was the PS pump going bad. Drove it for 4 years that way and finally decided to fix it.

Did all the things mentioned in this thread staring with the cheapest fix first: 1. flush/change the fluid and cleaned the screen in the reservoir; 2. rebuilt PS pump using the Gates rebuild kit; 3. replaced AC idler pulley; and finally 4. purchased a remanufactured PS from RockAuto. None of the "fixes" solved the problem. Whine was still there.

Finally took advice from an old mechanic friend of mine long gone: used long screwdriver and put it on the alternator and other end to my ear and sure enough, could hear it whining and "grinding". Bearings were bad.

Installed Denso remanufactured from RockAuto and whine is gone! Changed out all 3 belts while at it. Swear truck runs better now than it has in years.

So don't rule out the alternator bearings as the issue.

Another example why diagnosing the problem before throwing parts at it is important.

 

[mtbtim]

Another example why diagnosing the problem before throwing parts at it is important.

Also another example that guys should invest in a mechanic's stethoscope. The screwdriver trick works, but I like the stethoscope better. I had a pulley noise I had to deal with not too long ago and I was quickly able to diagnose it was the alternator pulley bearing with my stethoscope. This is a tool every DIY Mechanic should own.

Here's the one I own:
Amazon.com

 

[bob919]

Learn From Mistakes

For the record, my mechanic had said he thought the whine was coming from the PS pump after I got some other work done on it so that's why I focused on it.

I was also trying to go from the cheapest fix to the most expensive fix.
Looking back, I would not have spent my time and effort flushing and then rebuilding my old PS pump - I would have flushed and put a remanufactured pump on in one swoop. Tim's great video of flushing and cleaning the screens solved his problem so I thought I would see if I could get out that easily (and cheap) also.

Even though it wasn't the problem, replacing my old one with the remanufactured one (and a flush) did result in better handling as it seems the steering is more responsive. IMHO.

But I understand if someone wants to rebuild their own. That's their choice.

So that's why I posted, so others could learn from my mistake(s).....and my mechanic's original misdiagnosis.

 

[mtbtim]

For the record, my mechanic had said he thought the whine was coming from the PS pump after I got some other work done on it.

So that's why I posted, so others could learn from my mistake(s).....and his misdiagnosis.

Sounds like your "Mechanic" should invest in a mechanic's stethoscope as well.

 

[jhams]

me too bro idk what to do

 

[prybar]

me too bro idk what to do

you could start by reading this thread to find out how he resolved the issue..?