Archived Tarrible Noise When Cold

[DarrellB]

When I went to start my truck this morning (a 99) to leave work it was -3* out side and after I started the truck it made a horrible moaning sound when I pushed in the brake pedal or turned the wheel. It was a loud moaning sound that came from under the hood on the drivers side. The power steering still worked and the brakes also worked just fine, but when I'd go to use them it would make that horrible moaning sound. Is it the vaccume pump going out or the power steering pump or just bad fluid in all of the above? Once the truck warmed up on the expressway the sound went away and I didin't hear it this evening when I fired up the truck to come to work.



It has never done this before but I don't think it's been this cold since I bought the truck in 89. Any thing you can do to help would be greatly appreciated.



Thanks for your time.



DB

 

[Whitmore]

DB

Sounds like the power steering pump to me, I had the same problem during cold temps so I switched over to synthetic ps fluid, cant member the brand of fluid but the pump is much happier now use a turkey baster to suck the old fluid out , this does not get it all but if you change the fluid like 3 times than you will be ok.



cheers, Kevin

 

[JCook1]

Possible fix

I had a simmilar thing happen after the purchase of my 1997 truck.



The first winter on the coldest day of the year I went out after work and started her up.



I thought the transmission had come apart.



Same symptoms noise on steering and when I pressed the prake pedal.



After driving home I asked for help on the forum and this is what I was told.



Use a synthetic power steering fluid. remove all of the old stuff and add a synthetic.



This has stopped my noise and I haven't had abit of trouble since the change.



The synthetic has been in the pump for two years and I am verry happy.



J Cook

 

[DarrellB]

Thanks fellas,



Do you recommend any certain brands of synthetic PS fluid? Hopefully something I can buy on a weekend, I'd like to change it this weekend if I can. Gotta go by a turkey baster I guess.



Thanks again.



DB

 

[illflem]

Valvoline Syn-Tech (gold bottle) works great and is widely available. Get as much as you can out of the reservoir with a suction gun or turkey baster, fill up with the Valvoline. Just the first change will take care of the problem, two more changes after running will get you to almost 100% synthetic. No hurry for the second and third changes though as the Valvoline is compatible with the OEM fluid.

 

[Joe Mc]

DB-Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago when it was real cold.



I had changed over to the Valvoline synthetic P/S fluid Illflem is speaking of a few years ago. I suck out and refill P/S pump every engine oil change. Last oil change I guess I didn't quite fill it up all the way, so mine was growling at me. It stopped after I added fluid to the correct cold level.



I'm sure all will be fine.