dying PS pump?

[Sleeper]

Wow! I sure like working on trucks a lot more than working on cars! Anyhoo, I just finished replacing my timing belt, front and rear mains, VC gaskets, plugs, wires, thermostat, clutch, TOB and passenger axle. When I started it up, I had failed to tighten the PS belt idler nut. I heard a grinding and saw that the idler was sitting on the stud at an angle and the bottom of the pulley was scraping against the bracket. The nut and washer had fallen off. Does that make sense? Anyway, I tightened the nut and started her up again, and now the PS pump sounds like it's out of fluid. It doesn't noticeably change sound when I move the wheel. I've put 140 miles on it, no changes. PS works great. WTF? Does this make sense to anyone? There is plenty of fluid in the reservoir, and I can see it "flowing" in the reservoir. I'm puzzled. I am about to drive the car 900 miles across country and give it to my dad, so I need to have it reliable. Any ideas? Should I just replace the pump and hope it goes away? Since it works great, I'd like to figure out what's going on. Could I have pinched some hose when I reinstalled the subframe? Grrrrr. Let the ideas flow.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Did you forget to tighten the P/S pulley itself, or the idler pulley next to the P/S pump???

 

[Sleeper]

The idler. And I'm almost certain that before the nut worked itself off, the pump was making no noise. I never touched the pump pulley. WTF?

 

[91taurisho]

your idler pully might be bad since that happened to it. Take off the belt and see if you hear the sound while spinning the idler pully. if you hear it then that is your problem. Replace it and you're done if it's not comeback for more info!

 

[SHO--ripper]

check ebay, there is a set of idler pullies up right now. thumb

 

[Sleeper]

It is quite possible the idler pulley is shot, but the sound is that of a PS pump that doesn't have fluid. I will try to spin the pulley, but I won't be able to get the RPM's to reproduce the noise, and I suspect that the idler is not the source of the noise. I thought I must be losing it, since this makes no sense whatsoever, so I had my neighbor(who is a diesel mechanic) listen to it, and he said "it's your PS pump." I'm just trying to figure out what to do. It still works perfectly, but it sounds like it's starved for fluid... I was hoping that this would ring a bell in someones head. Thanks!

 

[projectSHO89]

A mechanic's stethoscope is on sale at Harbor Freight for only $2.50.

It will eliminate guesswork as to the source of the noise.

If the noise is indeed coming from the pump, only two possibilities come to mind: 1) Air in the pump - perform a vacuum assisted purge to correct or 2) the input shaft bearing on the pump was damaged when the idler skewed and the belt may have put lateral tension on the pulley.

Steve

 

[Sleeper]

How do you perform the vacuum assissted purge?

 

[projectSHO89]

Sleeper:
How do you perform the vacuum assissted purge?

It is in the service manual.

Steve

 

[Sleeper]

Indeed. How do you do it?

 

[MOSHO92]

One other thing you can check is the tension of the belt. If it is too tight then it may be putting strain on the bearings causing a noise.

 

[ckinart]

Sleeper:
Indeed. How do you do it?

As per the Ford Service Manual:

Purging Power Steering System of Air

A whine noise heard from the power steering pump may be caused by air in the system. The following "Purge the Power Steering System of Air" service procedure must be performed whenever any of the following services are performed:

- All power steering noise complaints with evidence of aerated fluid on pre-delivery vehicles only, prior to any component service.

- Any power steering system component (gear, hose, etc.).

NOTE: If the air is not purged from the power steering system correctly, a second customer concern or pump failure could result. This condition can only occur on pre-delivery vehicles with evidence of aerated fluid or vehicles that have had steering component service.

Fluid Level Top-Off Procedure

1. Check and fill pump reservoir to dipstick full cold or remote reservoir center mark.
2. Disable ignition by disconnecting the EDIS/DIS/TFI module or for remote TFI disconnect CMP/HALL EFFECT/PIP sensor. Shutoff solenoid (on the injection pump) must be disconnected to prevent starting.
3. Crank engine 30 seconds, check fluid level and add if required.
4. Crank engine 30 seconds while cycling lock to lock.

NOTE: Do not hold steering wheel on stops.

5. Check fluid level and add fluid if required.

Air Purge with Vacuum External Source Procedure

1. Tightly insert the rubber stopper of the air evacuator assembly into pump reservoir.
2. Reconnect connection used to disable ignition. Start vehicle.
3. Apply 68-85 kPa (20-25 in-Hg) maximum vacuum for minimum of three minutes at idle; maintain maximum vacuum with vacuum source.
4. Release vacuum and remove vacuum source.
5. Add fluid to full warm or reservoir center mark.
6. Reinstall vacuum source and apply 68-85 kPa (20-25 in-Hg) vacuum.
7. Cycle steering wheel from lock to lock every 30 seconds for approximately 5 minutes.

NOTE: Do not hold steering wheel on stops.

8. Shut engine off, release vacuum, remove vacuum source and lower front end.
9. Add fluid if necessary, install dipstick or reservoir cap.
10. Start engine and cycle steering wheel from lock to lock every 30 seconds for approximately 5 minutes.

NOTE: Do not hold steering wheel on stops.

11. Check for oil leaks at all connections.

NOTE: In severe cases it may be necessary to repeat air purge with vacuum source procedure.

Hope this helps! thumb