Steering pump has been making loud whine for past 3,000 miles. I know this is common for ford steering pumps past 30k miles (my ranger has 62k). What is a known solution other than replacing the pump, and if the pump has to be replaced, who has the best pumps and what can i do to prevent the whine in the future.

Ps. also my alternator has a whine when a screwdriver is placed to it, sounds like a bearing, however i still get full voltage, is it time to replace?

 

You can try flushing the PS sytem and replacing the old fluid, that helps in a lot of cases. Another thing that some people have had success with is dumping in a bottle of Lucas PS additive. I'm not a real big fan of additives but in this case it certainly can't hurt seeing you're to the point of considering replacing the pump.

Here is the standard way in which the average Joe can flush his own power steering system:

1. Suck out most of the fluid in the PS reservoir. (I use an old battery filler that looks a little like a turkey baster)

2. Remove the return hose from the PS reservoir, and plug it with a two inch piece of rubber hose with a bolt threaded into the end of it.

3. Place a long hose (5 feet) using a union onto the return line itself and run it into a large bucket.

4. Fill the reservoir with cheap but fresh ATF fluid and have a gallon container of the cheap fluid ready to go.

5. Assistant cranks the engine (you don't need to start it) while you pour in the gallon of fluid to flush the system. Be careful not to let the level get so low as to have the system suck air into it.

6. When the gallon is gone, start pouring in a good, name brand PS fluid. Assistant cranks engine again just long enough for you to add two quarts of the good stuff.

7. Bleed air from system after reconnecting return line by turning wheels lock to lock with engine running. You might want to increase the rpms a little bit when trying to purge the system so that the actual pumping action of the PS pump will stay firm and consistent.

8. Top off reservoir.

Any Mercon-rated ATF is fine for the PS system. I happen to use Mobil 1 synthetic in my PS systems and I think it's great for that. I use the cheap auto parts brand, 99 cent stuff for the actual flushing.

 

I had success two years ago, with a good P/S system flush on my 94 Taurus, by first adding "SeaFoam Trans Tune" & driving the vehicle some, then doing the inexpnsive fluid flush as Rockledge outlined.

With the SeaFoam flush & new fluid, the rack is no longer "sticking" & the pump is MUCH quieter, almost like when it was new.

You can check out the SeaFoam here, to see if it's for you. Most autoparts stores in my area now carry it for about $4 US funds. http://www.seafoamsales.com/transTuneTech.htm

If you don't have a helper to crank the engine & slowly turn the steering wheel lock to lock, while you pour in the inexpensive flushing fluid, which I think is the best way to do it.

You can remove the belt & drive the pump with a variable speed drill motor, while pouring in the fluid. This way you can control how fast the pump out goes.
But doing it this way, by yourself, you can't turn the steering wheel lock to lock, to help get all the old fluid out, so sometmes it's "Any Port In a Storm" LOL

BTW, disable the fuel pump, if you use the starter motor to turn the engine over, to do this.

Let us know how it went & if it quietened things down.