Noisy hydroboost?

[moparmikeJ]

My pump howls pretty loudly after I start the truck on very cold mornings.
Hit the brake, or turn the wheel and I get a louder roar under the hood.
Is my pump starting to get tired?
Tia! Mike

 

[DavidC]

Changing the fluid to synthetic fixed mine long ago. Pulled the old out with a turkey baster a few times and put synthetic back in each time.

 

[SSage]

ATF +4 is synthetic as far as I know.

 

[moparmikeJ]

ATF+4 is recommended, correct?
I think a few years ago I put standard p. s. fluid in there.
Maybe that's the culprit?

 

[SSage]

Yes, I've read it was some time around 2000 when Dodge started putting in ATF +4, its been awhile. As far as I know that's still the factory fill. Pumps don't last forever though, lots of discussions on replacement pumps! My 98 had ATF+3 in it I think, it was red.

 

[DavidC]

My 99 is power steering fluid, no trans fluid like it use to be and I do not know when/if they changed back to ATF. I wish they would make up their mind tho.

 

[SSage]

My 1995 was regular power steering fluid, but it howled in the winter. Below 20 degrees usually, I put ATF +4 in there now. The Royal Purple synthetic power steering fluid also worked fine in my two 2nd gens over the years. I didn't know about the ATF till I bought the 2003. It doesn't really matter that much, but the ATF +4 has additives that supposedly make the pumps last longer and the cold weather performance is better. My 3rd gen pump is leaking again, I'll probably need a new pump soon. My 2nd gen pumps leaked some, but no failures yet. I still have the 95 on the original steering pump, even the water pump is original.

 

[BigPapa]

Mine made a growling noise when I first started driving it after I finished my conversion, it was really cold then, too. Checking the PS Fluid was one of the things that fell through the cracks. I filled it with the O'Reilly Global ATF that I was running in my transmission and it hasn't growled since. I did flush the system @ 3 years ago with our handy-dandy BG machine and refilled with the BG 332R Power Steering Fluid. It's been great since. My PS Pump is also the original with @550K on it now.

 

[moparmikeJ]

Well- found a low fluid level!!
Looks like it's leaking near the master cylinder.
And- my service manual recommends power steering fluid.
Thanx everyone!

 

[JMcCoy]

Looks like you need a hydro-boost.

Mine howled until I put synthetic power steering fluid in it. ATF+4 is synthetic, so that's probably why it stopped the howling, especially when cold. Personally, I don't use ATF in my power steering because it has unnecessary additives and friction agents that your power steering doesn't need.

A year or so ago, I installed the monster PSE gearbox, which warned against synthetic power steering fluid. They recommend Swepco I really don't know why. Maybe because they're an owner of Swepco which is not compatible with synthetics. So far so good though.