Power Steering Noise
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2004
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I've had the same problem with mine in the past and can't figure out what it was. Sorry I couldn't help, but mine just worked it's way out by way of filling to spec with PS fluid then turning wheel left-right-left until there was no more whining. Give it a shot, couldn't hurt.
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Freshman User
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Yeah, that's where I was headed first as I have no clue how old this fluid is that's in there. I did do the wheel turning already to see if there was any air to come out but did not notice any.
Were you able to suck out the old stuff sufficiently the first try or did you do it a couple of times? I'll get a couple of quarts of the "f" AFT...that's what my book says it takes.
Thanks!
Were you able to suck out the old stuff sufficiently the first try or did you do it a couple of times? I'll get a couple of quarts of the "f" AFT...that's what my book says it takes.
Thanks!
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2004
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I didn't bother trying to siphon the old fluid out, I just added as necessary while driving the air out of the system. However, at any local auto parts store(O'Reily's) they should carry a couple of different types of siphoning devices. If so, due to the viscosity of the fluid you are going to pull out, I would recommend the plunger type. Just ask those guys and they will point you in the right direction. Hope everything goes well man!!
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It's still making quite a noise as the wheels are turned tonight so here's what I did:
1. Used a turkey baster and sucked out all the old fluid in the reservoir and what I could reach into the pump. It was as dirty as I've ever seen... yeah, I shoulda' caught it sooner.
2. Then I put in fresh fluid and moved the steering wheel a quarter of turn or so in both directions numerous times and the fluid was once again brown and sludge.
3. Repeated that flushing three times and the noise is almost all gone but my intentions are to
4. drive the car a couple of days and do the same flushing a coulple of more times. I believe that will pretty much get it.
I'll post back.
1. Used a turkey baster and sucked out all the old fluid in the reservoir and what I could reach into the pump. It was as dirty as I've ever seen... yeah, I shoulda' caught it sooner.
2. Then I put in fresh fluid and moved the steering wheel a quarter of turn or so in both directions numerous times and the fluid was once again brown and sludge.
3. Repeated that flushing three times and the noise is almost all gone but my intentions are to
4. drive the car a couple of days and do the same flushing a coulple of more times. I believe that will pretty much get it.
I'll post back.
Last edited by Bronco Bob; Dec 13, 2004 at 05:27 PM.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
If I may make a recommendation, try a dedicated power steering fluid, rather than ATF, even though the book may say that's what the factory used. In the past, I've tried ATF myself, and found that it smells burnt, even after only a few days of use. ATF, by nature, is high in detergents, and tends to foam a lot more than power steering fluid does, thus causing the pump to cavitate (suck air). I've recently become a huge fan of Lucas power steering leak sealer. It's thicker than normal, and I don't recommend just filling your pump with it, but to top it off afterwards with regular power steering fluid. I simply pulled the return line off the pump, and rotated the pulley by hand with the belt removed, to flush my system. You'll need to plug off the return line hole on the pump housing so the fresh fluid can run through the steering box as well, and not just drain out the return line hole.
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thanks rr4e...been hoping for such a post talking about the diff in PS and ATF. I can do what you suggest.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
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Freshman User
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Reporting back as promised. The BII has been driven every day the last 6 days and the fluid change as I described seems to have done the job. For the heck of it, I did suck all that fluid out of it this am and put in the rest of the "F" ATF that was in the bottle. It's nice and clean now.
I'll probably switch to the power steering fluid at some point as suggested by RR4E.
Cheers All!
I'll probably switch to the power steering fluid at some point as suggested by RR4E.
Cheers All!
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Macomb, IL
Originally Posted by RR4E
If I may make a recommendation, try a dedicated power steering fluid, rather than ATF, even though the book may say that's what the factory used. In the past, I've tried ATF myself, and found that it smells burnt, even after only a few days of use. ATF, by nature, is high in detergents, and tends to foam a lot more than power steering fluid does, thus causing the pump to cavitate (suck air). I've recently become a huge fan of Lucas power steering leak sealer. It's thicker than normal, and I don't recommend just filling your pump with it, but to top it off afterwards with regular power steering fluid. I simply pulled the return line off the pump, and rotated the pulley by hand with the belt removed, to flush my system. You'll need to plug off the return line hole on the pump housing so the fresh fluid can run through the steering box as well, and not just drain out the return line hole.
From a Ford tech that I know:
"ATF (automatic transmission fluid) will cure that anoying whine that Ford P/S systems are so well known for. You will need to drain the system and fill with ATF, run for 10 minutes, then drain and fill again with ATF.
TIP: After the last fill with ATF, jack up the front end and manualy move the wheels from lock to lock with the engine off, then refill the resivior with ATF and start the engine WITH THE FRONT WHEELS STILL OFF THE GROUND! Turn the wheel from lock to lock a few times and recheck the fluid.
Top off the P/S with ATF, lower the car to the ground and you are done...nice and quiet!"
Check the level again after a few days of driving.
I have used this method after replacing pumps, lines and steering boxes. It works very well.
Last edited by kc0rey; Dec 21, 2004 at 08:08 PM.
