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  1. #1

    Default Power Steering Pump Still Noisy

    So, I guess it was the summer before last, but I put a new power steering pump, and rack on my car. So, the system was pretty much dry. I bled the hell out of it, including using a vacuum pump and the Mityvac fitting for the top of the reservoir. I noticed last year, my stupid pump is still more noisy than I'd like, especially considering it's essentially brand new. I can only guess there's still air in the system. I used type F fluid, and the level is good. The steering feels fine when you drive. So, how do i get that last bit of stubborn air out of my system? I've thought of all sorts of crazy ideas such as opening up the system at the cooler lines or taking the high pressure line off the pump and taking a squeeze bottle and forcing fluid through. I don't even know if that would work though. Or putting the hose at the cooler lines in a pan of fluid, letting it drain while adding more to the pump reservoir and watching for bubbles.

    I should add the car does sit a lot, so I don't know if that has something to do with it.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  2. #2

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    I serviced my 88 (turkey baster; drain, fill w new fluid, turned lock-lock, repeat) with Mobil Mercon V. The pump is much quieter. Mercon V is basically a synthetic ATF and is used in most all of Fords modern systems. I have had no issues using it over the past decade in earlier Fords requiring Dex/Merc. Type F is for earlier 70's Fords and not quite the same thing.
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  3. #3

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    Interesting. I seem to recall it's a really bad idea to mix III and V (like say if there was some left over). I could be mistaken about that though, or it might not be the case with F. Cool that worked for you though. It's worth a shot!

    I do know people told me at the time not to use Power Steering Fluid though.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  4. #4

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    many of them are loud right out of the box. Sometimes it takes several to find a quiet one
    Jeremy
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  5. #5
    FEP Power Member Ourobos's Avatar
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    Default

    V replaced III, and is fully backwards compatible via Ford.

    In have never had that problem, fill it up, turn it lock to lock, top it off. I suspect you received some inferior parts
    1986 CHP SSP Coupe

  6. #6

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    Hmmm alright. maybe I'll just buy another pump. They're not that expensive, I guess.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  7. #7
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    What has worked for me -- Add a trans cooler for the ps pump and eliminate the stock cooling loop. Add an inline filter. Go to synthetic PS fluid. Underdrive the pump.

    my lines are pump to high pressure line to rack to low pressure line to filter to cooler back to pump.

    If your system sucks air anywhere you're going to have lots of noise.

    When you replace the pump get the lines full with fluid and keep the car on a jack. Turn the rack lock to lock many times without the engine running. Have someone with safety goggles on watch for air. When air stops gurgling up, start the motor and do it many more times lock to lock with no load before you even bother to try turning with load.

    Some people I trust swear by type F. I've never tried it personally.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by erratic50 View Post
    What has worked for me -- Add a trans cooler for the ps pump and eliminate the stock cooling loop. Add an inline filter. Go to synthetic PS fluid. Underdrive the pump.
    The most efficient way to do this (if you have a manual trans) is to get a radiator from an automatic car and use the trans cooler in the radiator for the power steering. Less hardware and the cooler in the radiator is much more efficient than most air to fluid coolers. Old trick I learned from testing @ Bondurant.

    Most of the Ford pumps are pretty noisy. Some are worse than others. I would like to say I have never changed a pump just because of the noise but I have. The real problem with these pumps is that they over assist and if you work the car hard like auto crossing or road racing they will burn the fluid. Not so much an issue on a street car but an issue none the less. Under driving may not be a bad idea but I have never tried it.

    The only fluid I have used that tolerates the heat generated by a stock system is Lucas. It is not red. It is clear. I am sure there are others as well but the Lucas works for me.

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    Last edited by 86FOX4EYE; 03-10-2018 at 09:15 AM.

  9. #9

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    I used atf in my power steering. I never have an issue bleeding them, even when they leak a bit.

    If there is air, you can see it. Leave the cap off and start it. It will be obvious.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
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  10. #10

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    Yeah, I decided to change the pump because I was going to a ZM Cobra rack, my old pump was dirty and nasty, and the fluid burnt, so i thought why not start fresh. What I can tell you though is that the one that's on the car now is noisier than the one I took off. I had 3 pumps on the bench once the new one arrived, and i took the opportunity to compare stiffness of the high pressure outlet valve springs, and chose what I thought was the stiffest one. I had to guess (hope?) one of them was from a V8 or handling package car so I'd get the best feel I could out of the 3. I'm pretty happy with the feel. If I get a new pump here again (my spares are long gone), I will compare springs again and use the stiffest one.

    I really like that idea using the cooler in the radiator! A guy could make that look really clean! Thanks!

    I also really like the idea of putting a filter in there.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Haystack View Post
    I used atf in my power steering. I never have an issue bleeding them, even when they leak a bit.

    If there is air, you can see it. Leave the cap off and start it. It will be obvious.
    Sounds like a new pump is the way to go.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  12. #12
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    I thought about cooler in the radiator on a manual car but the reason I didn't do it is two fold. I really don't want heat transfer from the PS to the engine coolant in situations where I'm running mine hard. It's historically been hard to keep cool when it's turned up like I like it anyway so I avoided that.

    Also if I need to remove the radiator I really don't want to fight with PS lines....

    The filter helps if there are any contaminants in the fluid or there is breakdown. The fluid I'm running is $15/qt and has to be changed every 15K miles by pulling the line off the filter and running the pump til empty then refill.

    Underdriving the pump helps a lot with over assist feel. Mine doesn't have any. I'm still using a stock rack but X2 balljoints, SN95 spindles, and maxed out positive caster

  13. #13
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    Like Haystack mentioned look inside the pump with the engine running. Is the fluid coming back in from the return line foamy or full of bubbles? I did a power steering flush in a late model Ford last week where the pump was very noisy. I pumped two quarts of clean fluid through the system and used most of a third to fill it up. It took a long time to purge the air out so the fluid coming into the reservoir was free of bubbles. I also used Mercon V and it works pretty well.
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  14. #14

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    I find most people use "power steering fluid" which is glorified brake fluid.

    Atf will usually quiet up a loud pump. If it doesn't, it is usually all worn out.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
    1 1987 cougar

  15. #15
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    What's interesting is how much mileage varies on pumps. My son's 1986GT convertible had the worst sounding pump I've ever heard at 115K miles. Way worse than my 1986GT and its racket at 1/2 million miles.

    oh - btw - I hadn't ever changed the fluid in the one with all the miles on it either. The rack had started leaking by the boots so I just replaced it with a reman rack and pump and everything all at once when I redid the frontend.

    Anywsy - don't assume a high mileage pump is bad or a low miles pump is good. A pump with 50K on it could have 5 miles left in it or 450K. Anyone's guess.

    Some of them put up with getting the hell revved out of them all the time better than others too. Under driving them is always a good idea. Summit makes a repop of the 93 Cobra small waterpump pulley to get your coolant flow back.
    Last edited by erratic50; 03-10-2018 at 02:48 PM.

  16. #16

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    My engine seems to (oddly) run cooler than I'd like. But that was before I put the A/C on that I noticed that. Regardless, I think I'm going to try the radiator trans cooler idea. Anyone know what size the line and fittings are? I'll have to make them since I don't want grubby used ones.

    I don't believe there are bubbles coming up with the engine running.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by ZephyrEFI View Post
    My engine seems to (oddly) run cooler than I'd like. But that was before I put the A/C on that I noticed that. Regardless, I think I'm going to try the radiator trans cooler idea. Anyone know what size the line and fittings are? I'll have to make them since I don't want grubby used ones.

    I don't believe there are bubbles coming up with the engine running.

    The temp will normalize to the engine temp not the other way around. There is far more water volume and flow than P/S volume and flow. The fittings on the factory radiator I am not sure about. I have an aftermarket radiator and if memory serves I used 1/4" NPT fittings to 5/16 hose nipples but my memory is foggy so I may be mistaken on size. I did for sure use brass hose barbs though. Just be careful and don't over tighten them.

    Matthew

  18. #18

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    Haha well at least I don't have too much heat anyway.

    My radiator is SVE. I'm guessing it's probably pretty standard. Thanks.

    Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  19. #19

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    That noise I thought was the power steering pump turned out to be the alternator! Also new! Go figure!

    I am still planning on doing the steering lines to radiator trick though. Will do it when I get the time.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  20. #20
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Pulley setup that I enjoy with synthetic PS fluid and an 86GT rack is

    UPR or like type smaller (“underdrive”) crank pulley
    stock PS pulley
    summit 93 cobra repopped smaller “overdrive” water pump pulley
    stock air pump pulley
    stock AC pulley
    UPR or like type smaller “overdrive” alternator pulley
    93 cobra belt

    Its just an inexpensive way to copy what the Ford engineers did with the 93 Cobra

    for those running lots of R’s crown Vic has a larger “underdrive” PS pump pulley AFAIK

    PS fluid volume vs PS pump housing height is a consideration. A lot of the driving school cars cut the top off the neck and extended the height with the gas fill hose for an F250 or similar materials

    whatever you do, you don’t want us the pump sucking air. It will never — ever — quite down if it does.

    I feel the steering feels better on my 86GT than it does on 08 MarkLT or my 16 MKX

    happy modding !

  21. #21
    FEP Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZephyrEFI View Post
    That noise I thought was the power steering pump turned out to be the alternator! Also new! Go figure!

    I am still planning on doing the steering lines to radiator trick though. Will do it when I get the time.
    Funny. I was working on a late model Honda Pilot a few weeks ago with the same thing. The guy kept complaining about a whining sound coming from the engine, but every time I looked at it it was quiet. He finally got a video of it on his phone and it sounded like p/s pump noise to me. We made plans to flush the p/s fluid. A week or so later the battery light came on. New alternator went in and the whine was gone.
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  22. #22
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    I blame Bob. Bob, if you're out there, its your fault! Not to be confused with Robert. He didn't do anything wrong.


    If you spilled any liquids while reading this post....... got ya!

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