The Ford Power Steering Whine Of Death

[Siraco]

I'm sure everybody knows what I am talking about.. The terrible whine I constantly hear from any Ford power steering pumps. I've heard it in old and new Stang steering pumps, new and old Mountaineer/Explorer steering pumps, Lincoln Mark VII, Taurus... you get the picture. My 3.8's power steering pump is no exception. With my Flowmaster Delta Flow 40 series flowmaster and my CAI, i must admit I like the mellow yet agressive sound of my car... but the power steering whine just kills it for me!

I have heard a tactic where you'd jack the car off the ground, pull the tube at the bottom of the pump, have someone turn the wheels while you keep adding PS fluid to the resovoir. In turn this would, according to them, clean out your PS pump and, subsequently, remove air bubbles and such from your power steering lines, thus eliminating that terrible sound. It was basically compared to bleeding your brakes......Is this effective at all? Are there any other ways? Is this way incorrect to get rid of the whine? Just wondering. As everyone can figure it out by now I am taking it very slow and keeping it very basic with my Stang, hahaha.. All of the help is definately appreciated!


P.S- I've heard newly replaced PS pumps that STILL whine? What the hell?

[Drewskie]

hahaha GOOOD LUCK... ive had trouble with my pump forever and its reallyyy annoying i know... that jacking the car off the ground sounds like a decent idea to me lol try it and lemme know if it works or not, then ill base my decision to do it on how good yours works lol

[Brent]

Mine works perfect When I put my new engine in I drained it and refilled it with new fluid and it doesn't make a sound. Over 120,000 miles on it.

[Drewskie]

so do you think draining and refilling it would help??

[Siraco]

well i think if we completely just drained it.. that wouldnt be good... that would mean two things. you would be running your pump completely dry, and also... your just introducing more air into the PS system, so itd still sound like shit haha

[Kiljosh]

Completely drain it, then buy a whole bunch of the fluid to run through. All you have to do is keep the reservoir full while someone turns the steering wheel to almost lock side to side, over and over, waiting for 10 seconds each lock. Once the fluid coming out seems clean,(same color as when it came out of the bottle) stop, shut the car off, and replace the hose. Now repeat the process with some GOOD fluid with conditioner/leak stop in it. Make sure you don't overfill and check it every day till the level evens out.

Just moving the wheel from lock to lock will push the air out once the hose is on, you just are cleaning it when you take the hose off so buy cheap fluid for that part.

[Drewskie]

ooooooohh

i remember doing something like that with my stepdad on my old mustang

he didnt totally explain everything to me but i remember a lot of fluit and me getting to turn the wheel from side to side

[slostang]

Switch to a manual rack and that will get rid of all your problems..

[Kiljosh]

Maybe if he was looking to make a full on drag car but for a DD thats probably not your best bet man....