Power Steering Pump Question

NickMaul

NickMaul

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2009
Location
Norfolk, VA
Today I took my 93 XJ (4.0 221k miles) for a spin on the interstate. After about 20 minutes I feel an awful whine/screech coming from the under the hood. I coast into the shoulder and it goes away after 4 or 5 seconds. It sounds like a pulley was frozen.

The power steering pump and the alternator are original. Water pump might be a year or two old. Any chance the power steering pump can freeze intermittently? Funny thing is I can't get the noise to rear its ugly head unless I am cruising +50mph. I got home and flushed the power steering system. I will give it another test ride tomorrow...

I am hesitant to just replace the steering pump since reman pumps are a gamble.

Does this make sense?

TIA :)
 
Could also be an idler pulley. I’d pull the belt, much easier to check all the pulleys with the belt off. Think I had an alternator bearing go bad, it screached like a mofo. Took that opportunity to get a bigger amperage one from pullapart, grand Cherokee or Dakota.
 
I had an Alternator bearing going bad once. Swore it was the PS pump. Glad a Shop had to change it, as they found out it was the Alt.
But lately, I've had a Lot of Squealing autos pass by me, & some Were XJs.
 
Like Tony said, pull the belt, spincheck all the pulleys. Roughness, grabbing, looseness, wobbling. IF you don't feel anything, put the belt back on run the vehicle get it hot, re-pull the belt and check for everything again. If you happen to have one of those stethoscopes for automotive application, that will tell more.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
will it do it if you rev the engine to the same RPM as 50mph?
Click to expand...

I can’t which is stumping me. Interstate RPM is about 2200. Did the same RPM on the street and can’t get it to make any noise.

I checked the fans for contact and nothing. Checked to see if the harmonic balancer is wobbling out and nothing. AC clicks on and off like usual so nothing to suspect there.

On my way home from work I will grab some brake cleaner and another belt and make sure there is no chance the belt is slipping on anything normal.


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Still have an intermittent grind/whine. Throttle doesn't seem to effect it however it goes off when at highway speeds still. I checked the pulleys when they were cold and then after the drive.

The power steering pump is by far the noisiest. I am hesitant to change it out but I am out of options here. Researching what the best reman pump/reservoir combo is :confused:
 
maulcruiser said:
Any chance that it's the auxiliary cooling fan? The electric one? I realize it's unlikely since it's spinning anyway at interstate speeds, but still.
Click to expand...

What I ended up doing was replacing the power steering pump and the small idler pulley. Those were the two “worst feeling” pulleys I could feel. A new belt and I tightened it more than I usually do. Then I drove 6 hours and I didn’t hear another peep. However the alternator is next on my hit list!


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