Greetings from northern Canada

My 94 F150’s power steering pump whines a lot when it is cold. It’s cold here most of the time. (–40 is common)

Looking for input on, synthetic power steering fluid.

Have you tried it? Any good? What brand?

Thanks
Tony

 

i'm thinking a new pump is in order


BTW ford PS systems call for ford type "F" trans fluid only

 

Thanks for the quick reply,

The pump only whines a lot when it is COLD –35 C
It quiets down once it has been running and is warmed up. So I was wondering about trying a synthetic fluid.

Thanks
Tony

 

The pumps just make noise anyways, kinda pisses me off, haha, The only thing I have heard to do is get a pump from a E series and put it in.

 

Kiksomme, you said a power steering pump from a E series will work and not whine? My 1994 has whined since it was new. Please repone to this, more than one person on this web site will love you for it!!!

 

Ford used a Saginaw (GM!!) pump on a lot of the E-series vans. They are quieter. All Ford pumps are noisy. If it's not leaking, it's probably OK.

 

Okay, you guys get me to admit to doing some pretty stupid stuff around here...

Well, just like any fluid, PS fluid gets dirty, gets contminated, and doesn't lube as well over time.

I didn't want to disconnect a PS hose and drain it all out as I wasn't ready for the mess. So what I would do would be to run the engine for a minute, turning the steering each way once, to get the 'bad' particles in suspention, then shut the truck off and I used a hand-held suction pump to pull PS fluid out from the PS pump.

Then I would add synthtetic PS fluid.

I did this, um, about two times.

Finally, I got brave (i.e. stupid) and carefully inserted the hose of the suction pump into the PS pump and pulled dirty PS fluid out while it was running. Now I didn't even empty half of the resevior out mind you, but that thing started whining really bad as it was sitting there.

I shut the truck down, topped off the PS fluid again with synthetic (actually I believe it was a semi-synthetic according to the bottle), and started her up again.

It continued to whine worse than I had ever heard it whine before - and this was without even turning the wheels.

In a few days, though, that whine went completely away.

So did the synthetic help the whine? I don't know. Is it good to have a half-changed PS fluid system ? Yes it is - or at least its better than nothing.

I have 96,000 miles on my truck right now and the PS pump doesn't seem to whine any more than it should.

I know that doesn't help much, but that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Best,

GammaDriver

 

ingore - dual post

 

I have a 93 that howls like a banshee too. It sounds like a supercharger to the uninitiated. I have always wondered why Ford pumps howl and most every one elses don't. After all, it's just a pump. I also wondered if a Gm pump could be adapted to work. I haven't bought a new Ford pump as I am leery of it doing the same thing as the old one. Thoughts anyone?