Power Steering Whine?

[PCGUY112887]

Today I noticed this whine coming from under the hood, my alt has always made a bit of noise off and on but this was fairly loud, can hear it over my exhaust.

Look around and put my ear next to the power steering pump pulley. It is def coming from there.

Maybe the belt is just rubbing weird? Pump going bad? How common is it for these pumps to go bad? Note that I am using the pump that came on the 3100 that was in the car, 107k on it.

When I first got the car the fluid in the pump was low and it's fairly brown. I filled it back up to proper level and it hasn't moved.

Ideas? Don't wanna rip this pump off if I don't have to... actually I don't want to at all! Don't want to mess with bleeding the system...

[98malibu3.1]

If the fluid was brown, it's possible the pump is shot already. Especially since you said it's not leaking and the fluid hasn't dropped any.

[geoffinbc]

Its not from air. If then pump was low when you got it and it was run for any extended period of time like that then there could be some excess wear on the pump. You can try new GM fluid and see if it helps. If not replace it.

I say GM fluid because it is simply the best Power Steering fluid out there. Even the racing fluids are copies of the GM stuff. HRP world (a racing supplier) only sells GM fluid and nothing else.

[PCGUY112887]

Any chance there is a way to drain out all of the fluid and refill WITHOUT having to bleed the whole system? Or would just sucking all of the fluid out of the tank and refill be good enough? I just don't wanna have to mess with it too much since time is not on my side with school/work/and the fact it's turning winter outside.

[IsaacHayes]

Check to make sure the pulley isn't cracked either. Mine got a crack in it one time and made a loud loud whine. I replaced the pulley and all was good.

[19Cutlass94]

I know when mine was whining it was just a simple case of too much fluid. And the fluid in mine is pretty damn brown I have to get around one day to draining it out and putting fresh stuff in there.

[98malibu3.1]

Any chance there is a way to drain out all of the fluid and refill WITHOUT having to bleed the whole system? Or would just sucking all of the fluid out of the tank and refill be good enough? I just don't wanna have to mess with it too much since time is not on my side with school/work/and the fact it's turning winter outside.

I used a siphon hose w/a pump attached to it that you use for gasoline. Wait until the fluid is hot/warm so it runs easily. Took me about 15 min to do it. I sucked as much out and added new to top it off. Then I ran the car and turned the wheel a few times to mix the fluid. Sucked that mixture out and repeated several times until fluid was clean.

[geoffinbc]

You could remove the pressure hose and then attach a drill to the center of the pulley using an allen head bit. Have someone constantly fill the reservoir as you use the drill to pump fluid into a bucket. Oh and take the belt off the pulley first it makes it easier.

[RedBird]

my pump make a hell of a noise too, but it's not liek the whine from too much, or not enough, fluid. Mine sounds liek the bearing in the pump is going out, it absolutely shrieks.... and i tried spraying some silicone lubricant behind the pulley, and that was like a switch, it shut the noise off for like 10 mins.... then it just came back. Weird thing is, this is the second pump in a row to do this. the first one i had did it too. put this one on and it was quiet for liek 2 days then started doing it....
Possible that my front cover is tweaked? the van the engine was in was in a front end collision, pushed the motor back about 6-8 inches, smashed the alt and bracket, etc......

[IsaacHayes]

If it was tweaked that much it would be broke/cracked. It's just cast aluminum, I don't think it can really bend much... And if somehow it survived and the bolts bent it would be leaking like a sieve.

[RedBird]

well, i dunno. I'm gonna try one more pump, and if it squeaks then i'm bypassing the A/C compressor, the way i built my front mount bracket, i had to shim the compressor with washers so the belt lined up right, maybe it's still not right and putting side stress on the pulley/bearings on the PS pump? i have a couple pulleys laying around, so i'd just need a belt, cheap enough....

[PCGUY112887]

Well I (may) have found the issue!

Took a look at the ribs on the pulley today, and there are some chunks of plastic missing from some of the inner ribs!

I don't know how that could cause my issue but I know that shouldn't be there...

[geldartb]

the one in my grand am was whining ever since i bought the car 2yrs ago but it steered fine and didnt leak so i didnt touch it until a few months back when it to scream right around where the pulley is.

so $20 later from the yard pretty new pump and no sound anymore and its quicker turning too. i changed it and the only fluid i had to add was to fill the resivoir i didnt have to bleed it. i let it run with steering it back and forth and its been fine ever since.