OK, so here's the deal. My SC300 is a 1992 with 128,xxx miles on it. All of the sudden, my power steering is making a weird, almost straining like noise when i take turns etc. It usually happens in the morning or when I first start teh car up, but since I'm in FL right now, i don't think its b/c of cold weather. It has been in much colder weather before and hasn't made this noise. It goes out after a little driving around, but sometimes it comes back. I'm not sure what is wrong with it. I have looked, not too closely, in the engine and can't see any leakage from the power steering pump onto the alternator. Any ideas, or should I have a mechanic look at it?

 

Chunk it. .................it's gone.

PS's are cheap as dirt. get a new one and be happy

 

Sounds exactly like the problem I had with mine. It turned out NOT to be the power steering pump itself, but rather the metal filter that goes on the bottom of the PS pump reservoir. Try removing the metal filter from the bottom of the reservoir before doing anything else.

The filter gets clogged over time, which prevents fluid from getting to the pump. You should replace it with a new filter, although I did not do this. I've run mine without the filter for over a year now. If that's not the problem, I paid $90 for a rebuilt pump at Auto Zone.

 

The filter isn't to protect the pump, it's to protect the rack.... a much pricier item. After a year i'd say you have enough shavings in your steering rack to see problems within this year... a $1000 or better repair. Thats the reason why it get's clogged "so easily" is the debris coming off the rack, now all that debris is in your rack and not the filter

 

RPH, thanks for the response. I had a feeling that it was a alck of fliuid getting to the unit, but I don't know much about the construction of power steering pumps and reservoirs. Anyways, I will take the filter out this weekend and get a new one. How hard of a job was it? Any special tools needed? I am at college, so I don't have a garage, etc. that I can work in like at home and my tools are limited to basic tool boxes, etc. Do you have any pictures that could help me? Thanks.

 

It is not necessary to remove the reservoir from the power steering pump to remove the filter. You should be able to get it out with just a long screwdriver. The filter sits at the bottom of the reservoir. It'll take a little patience, since the hole you're working with is pretty small.

If you do decide to remove the reservoir from the pump, it's an easy job. Take off the rubber hose connected to the pump. Also remove the bolts holding the reservoir. I circled the bolt on the front side. You don't have to take the drivebelt off to get to it, but the hole in the pulley will have to be in the correct spot. Just turn the ignition a few times until it happens to stop in the right spot. There's also a bolt on the back side of the reservoir. You may want to drain some ps fluid out if you don't want fluid to go everywhere when pulling the reservoir out.

 

I certainly don't advocate anyone else not using a filter like I did. However, my filter didn't have any metal shavings at all, it was just some dirt that accumulated over 10 years time! I tried cleaning the filter and putting it back in, but it wouldn't go in properly, it folded up like a taco, and wouldn't lay flat on the bottom. I was tired after spending a little too much time in the cold replacing the pump and didn't feel like going back to the store for another filter.

Now you're making me worry-I think I'll get myself a new filter and put it in!

 

My pump also went out on my SC3 the other week 1/16/04 to be exact on my way up to the frisco. I didn't really have any warning except for some slight noise when turning and then pretty much I've been driving without power steering for a week which is a pain. I can live with it until I save up some money for another pump.

 

my power steering pump also started leaking last week (finally ) gotta fix it soon

 

Don't forget the filter beneath the solenoid on your steering rack. Drain your power steering fluid, pull the reservoir and the solenoid, hose both filters with carb cleaner, make sure everything is clean, and replace. If it persists, to whine, jack up the front end and turn the steering wheel a few times with the cap off the reservoir and let some air out.

 

Also, check the hoses that go from the PS cannister to the PS (There are two)

 

yea, mines does that too , im goign to release air as soon as it warms up around here

 

Same boat here, except that mine gets worse with driving, especially high-speed driving

What is the approved method of getting air out of the system? I tried turning the wheel lock to lock repeatedly (car running, cap off), but all that seemed to do was froth the fluid. If I turned the wheel hard at the end, fluid actually spurted up about 6" out of the resevoir.

Any pics of the lower solenoid/filter combo? It's really getting time that I do something about this...

 

Don't wait too long!! My SC400 PSpump seal went out spilling fluid on the alternator and shorting it out. The leak was in the rear and I couldn't see it. I had to rebuild the pump AND replace the alternator. Had it done at the dealer... VERY pricey. I don't know if SC300's are set up the same way (pump directly over alternator) but I'd at least get it checked. A side note is that the pump went out again a couple of weeks later, the dealership did a poor job of rebuilding and replaced the pump with a new one under the repair warranty. My original pump casing was badly pitted, I'd recommend opting for the new pump if you have a choice.

 

why would you get this repair done at the stealership?