Help with power steering noise

Vince32

Hi all

So lately my power steering has been squealing like a stuck piggy, and been driving me round the twist. Deciding I've had enough of this, I go to the local parts shop and ask the fella at the counter about my problem. I explain to him that I had been "told" the noise was coming from the PS Pump, and if he anything in stock that might ease the problem. He told me about a product called "Lucas Power steering Stop Leak" http://www.lucasoil.com/products/display_products.sd?iid=28&catid=9&loc=show
and I thought hell why not, a new pump would set me back 100 bucks at least and it was worth a shot.

I pop 1/2 the bottle into the power steering reservoir, and almost instantly 95% of the squealing stopped, I work the wheel hard left to hard right a few times and the squealing lowers and then stops.

But - and this is why I'm posting - when I'm at 99% left or right everything is fine.. perfect even, but when I go the last 1% and lock left or right it still squeals quite loudly.

Determined to find the source of the squealing I noticed the pump and all the "nuts" were completely dry and actually not leaking at all !!

I start the engine and turn the wheel hard over, I can just see the PS reservoir from the drivers seat and I see it bubbling everytime I turn the wheel, bubbling a lot, not a little..
Then i decide to stop the engine and turn the wheel without power steering, and the reservoir fills to the top and loads of fluid comes spilling out the top, and drips down all over everything.

I am not a mechanic, and I don't know if this is normal or not, it doesn't seem normal to me, but then again... what do I know about any of it? nothing.

I wonder what the problem is, could it be that the top cap isn't sealing properly? should it seal properly or was the overflow I seen something normal when the reservoir is too full??

So from this, can anyone tell me if I need a new reservoir, new pump, or have I missed something.

biko

You could start by changing the PS belt. This alone will often be enough.
You forgot to say what make and year the car is.

dgt

Default question #1

What car is it???????

Vince32

I didn't think the car make would make a difference to my problem, but since you asked its a 2002 hyundai accent

Vince32

From what I can figure out, it seems when the wheel is locked left or right, one of two things is happening

1. The power steering pump is loosing power when at full load (locked / max ) and can't handle it, hence the squealing noise.
or
2. When at locked / max the pully turns but the belt does not, hence the squealing noise.

either way, with zero skills I'll need to pay a mechanic to sort it.

Avns1s

The squeal is in all probability coming from the belt slipping on the PS Pump pulley when its looking for full power. Try tightening the belt to the correct tension and if this doesn't solve it, change the belt as has already been suggested. See how you go from there.

That rubbish you got from the Motor Factors will contribute nothing to a solution and to be honest, is the kind of gunk that I'd rather not have in my own PS system.

Big Nasty

I'm no mechanic and can't diagnose your problem but there's no need to be swinging out of your steering wheel at full lock, i.e. holding it at its complete limit for more than a second or two. Secondly don't be turning the wheel to park with the car stationary, turn it as you are moving. Otherwise you are putting strain on the pump and steering linkage stuff - possibly what caused your problem in the first place.

Vince32

Yeah I don't normally turn the wheel while stationary, I just did it this morning to see if I could see where exactly the whining noise was coming from. But like I said the fluid bubbled like crazy and leaked out the top cap of the reservoir, which to my mind means a pressure loss in the top cap, because I know it's not suppose to leak under any circumstances.

I couldn't get a fix on where the noise was coming from exactly, or what might be the cause, so I'm really trying to find out if I need a new reservoir or pump... or both, just because it's not working like it used too.