snowcrash

when i turn the steering wheel a whine gets emitted from the engine bay ... sorta like a rodent.

is this the sign of a worn belt or something?

jim litten

Could be the power steering pump, just had mine replaced but it only whined when I'd driven the car hard, didn't do it all the time.



Jim

99PPPDriver

Be very careful with this sort of stuff. My car (MY99) whined when I used full lock to park and I suspected the power steering belt was slipping. A few days later low and behold the pump decided to spring at leak and spray the engine bay with fluid. Very smokey! It's in the garage at present awaiting repair

Peter

RON

If you can, always avoid holding the steering on full lock, this will help stop the seals on the rack from going, dunno about the pump though, might help that too.
Ron.

Rich Tee

Had similar problems with mine, ended up replacing rack and pump.

Check thepower steering fluid level, if it is low then it will cause the whine you are hearing.

If it is low, then you need to refill it, fill it up to visable level and turn steering wheel on full lock about 10 times, and refill and repeat until the level settles where it should be, then check the rack, there are 2 rubber boots on the steering rack, squeeze them and if you can feel fluid in them then the seals are knackereds and u will need to get a recon rack!!

Rich

[Edited by Rich Tee - 11/5/2002 11:59:26 PM]

[Edited by Rich Tee - 11/6/2002 12:00:21 AM]

ustolemyname??stevieturbo

iTrader: (1)

Also beware, as Christian found out. If you do suspect the PAS in some shape or form. PAS is very flammable. If it is leaking at all dont be driving the car.

Dyney

Mine was doing ths a while ago, someone sugested I check the level and Yes it was low! I topped it up and it's been as good as GOLD since

Iain.

MGJohn

Dont know about a rodent "whine" but the SCREECH from a slipping PAS drive belt is unmistakeable on most cars, at any time but particularly soon after cold start up when using full lock. RON's advice is good even for PAS systems in good condition ... DONT strain the system by pulling hard on full lock which if overdone, will make even a correctly set up PAS screech loudly. This level of abuse will eventually result in failure of the PAS (on any car) and replacement racks and pumps are expensive (ON ANY CAR!).

If your belt is correctly adjusted and there's no fluid loss and it's at the correct level, then your problem could be elsewhere. Continued neglect or abuse will result in over-cooked PAS fluid. If yours turns a cloudy-murky brown losing it's clear nice red or whatever colour, those are the bad signs ...