Is it me or do all fords power steering pump's whine. My old 77 whined my 86 whined and I replaced with reman and still whines.

currently it buzzes at idle and turning at slow speeds and if I go to far in either direction(it makes a sound like a starter when engine is already running)

Is there a pump out there that doesn't whine and is not going to cost me an arm and a leg?


I have been told never get one from a junkyard it will probably be worse or just as bad

 

Could always just bypass it. Pick up some needed ponies while not having another thing to cause noise.

 

I worked as a GM dealer mechanic for 20 years and on GM cars, were what we called saginaw pumps and they were very quiet. If a saginaw pump would make noise like a ford pump it was bad and it would get replaced. On a Ford its normal, I have an 88 f150 and it whines all the time but mostly at idle and turning the wheel like getting into a parking spot. If the steering wheel turns smoothly with one hand on the wheel, no jerking or tight spots I wouldnt worry about it. I remember heaing that if you put some STP engine oil treatment (Do they still make that stuff ???) it would quiet down the pump but I never tried it and I dont know if its safe for the pump or the steering box.

 

Hey I have a 1996 F-150 and went through 3 pumps and they all made noise. I did find out though that when you buy another pump you dont get the pully with it. It seams they make a few different size pullies. I finally bought an old pump from a merc marquee and got the pullly. Guess what quiet as a church mouse now. I think the key is the pully size!!! The old merc pump was identical to mine with the exception of the pully was a different size!!!

 

The E-series vans ran Siagnaw pumps for quite some time... You'll need the pump, it's brakets, and new hoses to swap one on...

 

Most Fords make the noise. I can always tell when there is a Ford near by!

-Matt

 

It is NOT normal for the power steering pump to whine. The Ford pump seems to be more prone to damage by contaminants than the saginaw pumps. If you can find an OEM pump in the junkyard you have found a jewel. I have seen many junk reman pumps. The A1 or Cardone are the worst. If you can find an ATSCO reman pump they are the best I have found. It takes special processes to reman a pump and most remanufacturers just clean the pump, replace the bearings and seals, paint it, then slap it in a box.

The best thing you can do for your PS system is install a filter in the return line. Ford had a TSB on putting filters in the system if any PS system part was replaced. This includes hoses. If you have a good pump protect it now with a filter.

Wix transmission/PS filter #58964
200 psi working, pressure relieved, magnetic
change yearly or 12000 miles
Ford equivalent filter kit #XC3Z-7B155-AA
filter alone #XC3P-7B155-BA

 

[QUOTE=Torque1st]It is NOT normal for the power steering pump to whine. The Ford pump seems to be more prone to damage by contaminants than the saginaw pumps. If you can find an OEM pump in the junkyard you have found a jewel. I have seen many junk reman pumps. The A1 or Cardone are the worst. If you can find an ATSCO reman pump they are the best I have found. It takes special processes to reman a pump and most remanufacturers just clean the pump, replace the bearings and seals, paint it, then slap it in a box.

The best thing you can do for your PS system is install a filter in the return line. Ford had a TSB on putting filters in the system if any PS system part was replaced. This includes hoses. If you have a good pump protect it now with a filter.


Technical speaking, your right its not normal but when every older ford vehicle has a whining pump on it becomes accepted as a normal condtion.
The 80's GM front wheel drive cars with power rack and pinion steering developed morning sickness, in the morning when the car was first started the steering would bind until the car warmed up and then the binding would go away, most people would live with the problem until it got so bad that they had no chioce but to replace the rack. Pretty much normal condtion for those cars. Basically poor engineering. If Ford knows that their pumps are prone to damage easily then P/S filters should be standard equipment on all their vehicles.

 

I'd change the fluid unless it is relatively fresh. I once abandoned the power steering on a '71 ford full sized car and it was a bear to stear. The ratio apparently is easier on cars intended to be manual steering. My wifes Aerostar ('92) steering pump whines. It had run low about 8 oz for a while, the fluid was a brown color. I changed it with the turkey baster method until I couldn't tell the fluid in the pump from fresh fluid when dripped on a white rag. It still whines, maybe not quite so bad, but works fine so that's the way we run it. But if it is really very loud I suppose it could drive you crazy.

 

what size was the merc's pully?

 

Know something funny? Listen to the PS pump on a really old Ford--from the '60s or early '70s--and there will be no whine. Ford definitely cut some costs in the late '70s-'90s. Even funnier? Ford pumps caused so much trouble that Ford now subcontracts another car company for its PS pumps. Funnier still? That company is named General Motors.

So there is a whole saga behind the whining Ford power steering pumps.
I learned all this during my hunt for a quiet pump for my Volvo wagon/Ford Mustang 5.0 sleeper conversion. The motor came with a pump that made some noise. We changed it for a reman that made WAY more noise. Returned that one under warranty, got another free...and that one is perfectly quiet. Bizarre.