Cliff notes on the bottom...

A couple weeks ago I started my car (1999 GS400 w/ 107,000 miles) and it made a loud moaning noise that would change pitch with the RPMs. I pulled over after a block and stopped the car. When I opened the hood I could smell something burning while the car was running. The noise and the smell where coming from the front passenger side of the car. I took the belt off and the noise went away so I figured it had to be the alternator or the power steering pump. I started the car again and hit the pump with a wrench and the noise changed. When I opened the power steering reservoir I noticed the fluid was nasty black and had probably never been changed. I flushed the the fluid and cleaned the screen in the reservoir and the noise not only got louder but the pump was starting to whine when I would turn the wheel. I changed the pump and the noise was noticeably louder when I turned the wheel. I changed the pump again thinking that the first one was defective. The noise got louder again but now you could feel the pump struggling through the steering wheel. I did some research and ended up changing the air control valve on the pump and it made no difference. I then replaced the rack and pinion and it started leaking so I had to change it again. Made no difference. I went to two shops and they recommended changing the high pressure line so I changed it and it didn't change a thing. I even unscrewed the pressure valve and made sure it wasn't blocked but it did nothing. When I have a day off I think I am going to change the rubber hoses on the return line. I am at a loss and desperately need help. It seems the more I do to the power steering system the louder it gets.

TLDR;
Start car and it starts moaning and smells like something is burning.
Change 3 PS pumps and 3 rack and pinions, Air Control Valve, High pressure line, clean reservoir, flush system multiple times and the car still makes a moaning sound and the PS pump whines super loud while turning. Please help!

 

Hello, welcome to Club Lexus

Sorry for all the costly repairs, but have you checked your power steering switch? Always good to try the cheaper parts first

 

Thank you for the warm welcome and the quick response! have been lurking here for a little while.

I changed the vacuum switch (the black plastic switch with two vacuum hoses coming off the back of it).

I took the pressure switch off the side of the pump (the one with the 2 electrical wires attached to it) and made sure it was clean. I also unplugged it and it didn't quiet the power steering down.

 

Geez... What else is there

 

Ok laying here in bed still trying to figure things out. How about bleeding the system? After such drastic measures taken, maybe some air is trapped in there somewhere.

 

I have been driving it hoping that it is just some air that is trapped somewhere and will work its way out but I haven't had any luck yet. I tried taking the lid off the reservoir and turning the wheel lock to lock but it isn't making a difference. Is there a better way to bleed it? I am thinking that maybe one of the rubber lines is collapsing when I turn and it is causing the pump to starve which in turn is making the pump whine. I am starting to think that the moan that started the whole nightmare wasn't even steering related.?.?

 

Yea I was thinking the same thing, I kinda got tunnel vision by just going by the initial thought of the problem being the steering. Can you make a video or audio clip of the noise, may help. I was thinking maybe the transmission, but then remembered you said the noise went away when you removed the belt. A clip would help a lot to distinguish the problem. Now the noise does change while you turn the wheel back and forth right?


Here are some instructions for bleeding and other things to look for:

http://www.agrperformance.com/agr-in...structions.pdf

 

Here are a couple videos I took from inside the car when I left for work this morning. They are all from the inside. I will get some engine bay videos tomorrow. The noise is way louder in person.

This was a cold start. You can kind of hear the moaning after a few seconds.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...331_102817.mp4

This is me moving the wheel back and forth right after the video above. The car is still cold.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...331_102951.mp4

This video is after a 15 minute drive to work. Notice the noise changes. It almost seems to get louder when I move the wheel back and forth.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...331_104552.mp4

 

Wow, I'm over here thinking its a huge loud obnoxious sound. That just sounds like normal engine sounds to me. Unless its much louder outside.

Anyone else have any ideas on this one? You can only really hear it in the second video.

 

The mic on my phone didn't pick up the noises that well inside the cabin. It is much louder in person. Everyone who gets in the car with me always asks what the weird sounds are. I will try to get a video of it under the hood. When I am cruising on a straight 40mph road it is silent/normal

 

In this video I am holding my phone outside of the drivers door.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...401_110334.mp4

 

Under the hood video
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...401_210449.mp4

 

Yea, I dont think thats your power steering. Sounds more like a bad bearing on a pulley. Get yourself a long hose and put one end to your ear and the other put to each pulley one by one until you hear which one is coming from, possibly your A/C, idler or tensioner.

 

Check out this vid... Recognize the sound?

 

The noise is loud when I turn the steering wheel. I used a mechanics stethoscope and checked the pulleys and they sounded ok. I also took the belt off and spun each pulley by hand and they sounded okay also. The noise was noticeable when I put the stethoscope on the power steering pump pressure line. I am going to double check it again. I really hope it is something simple like a pulley. I am probably also going to change the trans filter and fluid because I am not sure when it was changed last. The video you posted came up with an error and wouldn't play. Thanks again for your help!