[MarvinVR]

Wheel has been giving me a little soft grinding or binding feel only at a few daegrees on either side if going slow. Usually just as I start to trun from a stop.Last week it started to make a strange screaming or whining sound---like a turbo really winding up as I mwould step on and off the pedal at a stop or just barely moving, and a vibrating, huffing sound if I stepped on the brake. Took it to Ford garage and they said I needed fluid but only put in about an eighth of a cup! Noise almost stopped and then did after about 2 miles. Mechanic told me it only has to drop a tiny bit to make it stop working well. So, I went about a week and the other day got a little more strange grinding/binding feel. Put in fluid---only about 5 tablespoons and took it to overfill. Right at the top of the cap. Noise went away . Today the grinding/binding feel is back worse than ever when turning, especially when brakes applied at same time. Fluid has not gone down at all! There are no leaks, drips, anything. There were no leaks when it first took fluid at the ford place either.

What the hades is going wrong? Is the power sterering pump bad? By the way if it matters---the ball joints are fairly bad and I get a clunking when stopping. Could the wiggle in the tie rods be screwing with the pump at low speed? Is this whole thing called a hydro boost unit or a steering pump? How do I check to see whats up w/o paying the ford guys a million bucks?

 

[lance1955]

What type of power steering fluid did you put in there?
You are ONLY suppose to put transmission fluid in that pump. The exact same fluid your trans calls for.

 

[MarvinVR]

OHOH

Well, I went to Autozone and they looked it up. They gave me a bottle of dot 3 ?? power steering fluid that is for Fords. I only put in about 5 or 6 tablespoons though---would that be enough to do this? Today the growling is MUCH worse when I turn the wheel in either direction, and stepping on the brakes doesnt seem to change it like on the first day. I see the pump in the internet for about 70 bucks but would this just be the pump? Is the 'hydro boost' a separate unit and would it growl? Im not sure what the Ford guy first put in when it was squealing. God, I love/hate these trucks, lol

 

[lance1955]

Ok so if im follow you. You put DOT 3 which is BREAK FLUID in the power steering pump? Me thinks that may have finished it off. I whim you could drain all the power steering pump of it fluid. Refill with transmission fluid and see if your "wining goes away" It may just be a bad pump.
Also, the noise may also be a bad idler pulley. When the bearings go bad that can make this horrendous screching noise. So what I would do, 1st is change the fluid and put Transmission fluid in there. 2nd. I would remove the serp belt and free spin by hand the idler pulley. If it stiff it bad, if you hear and noise or and wobble bearing is shot. Someone on here put up the bearing number which can be replaced. Bearing was said to be around 10 bucks vs 30+ something for a new pulley. Thats where I would start if it were me. Maybe someone else will chime in.

 

[MarvinVR]

Ok so if im follow you. You put DOT 3 which is BREAK FLUID in the power steering pump? Also, the noise may also be a bad idler pulley. When the bearings go bad that can make this horrendous screching noise. So what I would do, 1st is change the fluid and put Transmission fluid in there. 2nd. I would remove the serp belt and free spin by hand the idler pulley. If it stiff it bad, if you hear and noise or and wobble bearing is shot. Someone on here put up the bearing number which can be replaced. Bearing was said to be around 10 bucks vs 30+ something for a new pulley. Thats where I would start if it were me. Maybe someone else will chime in.

I was incorrect about the Dot 3. It was ford power steering fluid, synthetic, a generic brand from the auto store. Yesterday the noise was slight. Today it became very loud and grinding. I puled the belt off and its got a lot of length wise cracks showing the inner steel wires. The idler seems fine. It spins with no wobble and seems to not mopve as it would with a bad bearing like Ive had bad water pumps do. The fluid in the steering pump was very foamed. The large pully on the front of the steering pump doesnt wobbleif you grab the edges and pull in different directions BUT---the entire pully will pull foreward and push backward about 3/16 to 1/4 inch. No fluid is leaking. And today pushing on the brakes made the groan extra loud. Are these pumps easy to change?