Power steering noise!! Please help...

[elwesso]

Ok...... Yesterday, I changed my PS fluid...... Sucked it out with a turkey baster, and refilled to perfect level (cold)......

Well, today, I went to go out and look at something (the place where the active suspension cooler goes, for a possible place to put a transmission cooler)...... Well anyway, I was turning the wheels back and forth to get to the screws easier...... Then, a little later, I see a big puddle of PS fluid..... Open it up, and its overflowed..... So I suck out all the excess, clean it up.......

Then I start the car, and I hear a grinding noise (probably the PS pump).... Immediatly turned the car off, and the PS fluid is foamy.......

EDIT: the PS worked just as it always had yesterday... Drove about 5 miles to and from work, with no problem......No biggie, right.... I did the air bleeding procedure once, and it still does that noise........

Should I just keep bleeding until the noise goes away...... This cant be good for the pump........

[elwesso]

I did the bleed procedure a couple more times, and its still doing it........ Occasionally, Ill get power steering, but more of the time its nothing.......

I decided not to drive it tomorrow for fear of screwing something up......

EDIT: after I shut down the car (with the res. cap on), there is a noticeable hissing noise coming from the res. cap........

[Q451990]

Turning the wheels from lock to lock without the car running will push fluid out of the res. sometimes. I'd jack the front of the car up (so you won't be fighting the wheels by grinding them on the ground while turning them) and then bleed it again. I assume you're using ATF(red) and not P/S fluid?

Heath

[maxnix]

Sounds like you introduced air into the system. When mine was evacuated using the Snap-On machine, the wheels were turned to each extreme several times during evacuation and refill. Took about 1 gallon of Mobil 1 ATF.

[elwesso]

Yep..... Ive been using ATF......

First few times I did it I didnt jack up the car (I dont think you can use the trunk-jack to do that, can you???)..... I got a jack from work today, and im on my way out to try it!!!

[elwesso]

Update-- Jacked up the car, and then I did the bleed procedure a few more times........ It bubbles a little, and the fluid rises and falls as expected........

Now, and what it did before, was when I start the car, its fine (makes the noise), but when I turn it off it overflows with foamy fluid........

Coincedentally, the bug spray guy was around (who knows something about cars), and said that it sounded like a bearing going out....... Not good, but at least I have a service appt coming soon (for shock stuff)........

Thing is, I dont think its a bearing, because wouldnt that slowly start going bad??

The only thing I can think of (the bug dude said this) is there's a hole in the return line........

[EWT]

Update-- Jacked up the car, and then I did the bleed procedure a few more times........ It bubbles a little, and the fluid rises and falls as expected........

Now, and what it did before, was when I start the car, its fine (makes the noise), but when I turn it off it overflows with foamy fluid........

Coincedentally, the bug spray guy was around (who knows something about cars), and said that it sounded like a bearing going out....... Not good, but at least I have a service appt coming soon (for shock stuff)........

Thing is, I dont think its a bearing, because wouldnt that slowly start going bad??

The only thing I can think of (the bug dude said this) is there's a hole in the return line........

You've got air in the fluid. Once it's in, it's not coming out. You need to pump the aerated fluid out (via a disconnected return line) and replace it with new fluid (keep topping off the resevoir while the old stuff is pumped out), and bleed it carefully with the wheels up in the air once you've got new fluid in there.

[elwesso]

Could you be a little more specific......

So shoudl I just unplug the return line, and keep filling the res up while it pumps out......? When no more foamy stuff is coming out??

While engine is running???

[EWT]

Could you be a little more specific......

So shoudl I just unplug the return line, and keep filling the res up while it pumps out......? When no more foamy stuff is coming out??

While engine is running???

1. Jack the front end of the car up and suck as much fluid as possible out of the resevior.

2. Disconnect the return line to the resevior from the rack and run it into some kind of container to catch the fluid that will come out when you flush the fluid. You'll need something to seal off the nipple coming off the resevoir so the resevior doesn't drain out the nipple I use a short section of hose doubled over tightly with a tie wrap. Fill the resevior up to full with fresh fluid.

3. Turn the steering wheel lock to lock many times (15+), being careful to keep the resevior filled with fresh fluid.

4. Reconnect the return hose, and fill the resevior up. Crank the wheel back and forth another 5-10 times. Disconnect the fuel injection fuse (to keep the engine from starting), crank the engine while turning the wheel lock to lock another 5-10 times.

5. Replace the fuse, start the engine, turn the wheel back and forth another 5-10 times. Lower the front of the car and you're done.

At that point, the car should be ready to go and free of air in the fluid.

[maxnix]

You don't need to raise the front end to access the PS reservoir, only to access the high pressure hydraulic lines exiting the pump.__________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t

Discover the power of the button!

[EWT]

You don't need to raise the front end to access the PS reservoir, only to access the high pressure hydraulic lines exiting the pump.

Correct, but the idea is to get the wheels up in the air so that moving them back and forth doesn't require much effort. Yanking the steering wheel back and forth 15 times without power assist gets tiring.

[VenCountyQ]

EWT's procedure is spot on. Here are a few tips/additions that I used.

1) Instead of using the steering wheel to turn the wheels from lock to lock, I used my knees on either side of the front driver-side wheel. This allowed me to watch the P/S reservior level and check for bubbles.

2) The P/S reservoir return line is the one that comes out the side vs. the bottom. I removed the air cleaner housing which gave me room to place the collection container. I also disconnected the first bracket that holds the return line which gave enough length to place the hose in the collection container.

3) Rocking the wheels from stop to stop with the return line disconnected in addition to removing air from the system can be used to replace virtually all of the P/S fluid rather than just a reservoir full. Just continue until the fluid is a dark red.

4) After bleeding/flushing the P/S fluid, initially I refilled to the indicated line on the dipstick. When I started the car I would get a buzzing sound from the P/S pump and foamy fluid. I found that the P/S pump was sucking down the fluid and then air when starting. Re-bleeding and adding fluid above the dipstick level solved this problem. Re-check level and adjust subsequent to a successful start.

[elwesso]

Well..... Im taking it into the shop right now..... To get all my shock stuff put on..... So they'll take a look at it then........

[VenCountyQ]

If the P/S pump is still buzzing, I would be hesitant about driving it. Anyone else???

[elwesso]

I drove it anyway....... It didnt seem to get any worse when I was driving it.......

[GreenQ45a]

Hay elwesso, what maid it go finally away?

[elwesso]

I ended up getting a PS fluid flush at my shop (was at the same time as my suspesion stuff)... $35.....

the pump still groans after it sits for a long time (overnight) for about 2mins...

[maxnix]

How did the fluid look? Was it an extraction and replacemnt fill, or a flush through the lines?

[elwesso]

The thing is, I was on a weekly diet of doing the extraction method, and I think I turned the wheels with the fluid too low or something like that.... SOMEHOW got air in there.

The fluid was brown and burnt when I took it out, definitely ready to be done. The new fluid was done by a flush machine, I think. The fluid is now bright red.

[maxnix]

If it was brown and burnt, it definitely needs to be mechanically flushed through the hoses. the extraction and replacement fill method is not sufficient. See if he has the Sun machine, as this is the only one I know that will connect that way.

Should use at least a gallon of ATF, 2 gallons on hand would be wiser.__________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t & 2000 Q45

Discover the power of the button!

[elwesso]

Like I said, its already been done..... Its perfect now!