Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Power Steering Moaning on real cold mornings...

[BK]

It started a few good years ago, only on the coldest of mornings, then got worse.



A real haunting moan. Turn the wheel and it gets louder(can sort of feel it in the wheel a little, when turning), step on the brake it got louder. As the engine warmed up it got less and less till it was gone.



Then the drive belt started to fail and wear oddly, could see thru in in sections, like it was devoided of strands in those areas, long "slashes" that werent just cracks.

So changed that out, last fall.



Went into last winter wondering is this the year the power steering pump moan will lead to failure??, but no moans. . belt fixed it??



All this winter it's been fine, no moans...

We just had record setting overnight cold, below zero F. And all day one of the coldest for the year.

Went out during lunch, the moan is back as bad as ever.



So what is on it's way out??

Or is it just a fluid change (99 , never changed it)?



tnx

 

[SRath]

Changing your fluid will help a lot. Especially to good synthetic. My guess is that your old, too-thick, worn out and dirty fluid put a lot of drag on your belt. A new belt has better grip and will win the battle for awhile before it, too, wears out.



Eventually, your pump will also wear out from the old, thick, dirty oil. Your steering box, too. Fresh power steering fluid is cheap in comparison and will help put that day off. So you can buy it now, or buy it when you change those components, but you will need to buy it.



Put some on your finger and smell it. I'll bet it smells like burnt automatic transmission fluid.

 

[BK]

TNX!



Went out and took a look (or a smell really). .

doesn't smell like burnt transmission fluid, but doesn't smell like new / sweet transmission fluid either.





What you wrote / describe makes tons of sense.

I'll pick up a new bottle of the right fluid and vacuum out the old and pour in the new, not hard to do.

 

[PatrickHansen]

My power steering was horrible until I had my dealer change the fluid to synthetic.

 

[BK]

none of the auto stores around here had synthetic, just got Valvoline that carried the proper dodge/chrys rating. .

so far soo good

 

[MChildress]

Thought I was going to have to replace one several years ago. Went ahead and changed the fluid Mobil 1 ATF and have had no more problems.

 

[Batphreak]

My Power Steering pump gets a real bad case of the moans every year on the first cold morning (under 15F). Every year it's because the fluid is a little low, I just go buy a bottle and add a bit to it, problem goes away until next year. Not sure where the fluid goes, guessing my steering box is a little leaky, but it's a pretty slow leak.

 

[BK]

admittedly mine was low too...
in the past years, when it moaned it wasn't... but this time I was shocked to find it low.
I don't see a leak either on mine... . so I guess I'm in the same boat as you. . and I'll have to start keeping an eye on it more often

 

[DSeamans]

Water

Power steering fluid absorbs moisture like brake fluid, just not as fast. A friends actually froze up on him one balmy -35 morning. He put in in the garage and one it thawed flushed it out and all was well.



Dave

 

[BK]

I didn't know the ps fluid was hygroscopic (sp?) , I flush out my brake fluid every year just about because of that. . boy do I feel like I neglected my ps fluid.

 

[BK]

Truck sat for a couple of days, had mostly temps under 20F , and just started her up cold, and no problem. . ps felt fine, no moans either. .

tnx!