Weird steering noises....

[spk6543]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a 2000 SD with 64,000 miles on it.

When I am sitting still with the engine running I turn the wheels right and I can feel a slight vibration and hear a grinding sound thru the steering wheel.

Also when Im driving and I make a right turn and encounter some bumps I hear and feel the same thing only louder.

I have tried the lucas power steering stuff to no effect

I have pulled the tires and put the front on jackstands and I feel nothing when turning the wheels, engine running or not.

I hear the steering damper just a bit when it is up on the jackstands, could this be the culprit?


I think the front driveshaft is original but the bolts are unusually clean as if it may have been serviced?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Disco Mike]

At 64K, how is your belt and t's tension, have the belt and tensioner been replaced?
When you added the lucas, did you also flush out all the old burned fluid first? If you didn't replace the old fluid, drain it and start over adding another full bottle to new steering fluid.
The stabilizer won't be causing the noise.
As for your drive line, as a side note, have you replaced the u-joints in the constant velocity joint, the factory one fail big time cause they cant be lubed.
Mike

[spk6543]

Hi Mike, thanks for looking.

I guess I should have been more clear. The sounds I'm hearing when turning right and moving forward are similar to the sounds I hear when I turn right while sitting in park.

Except while moving and turning right the sound seems to come from the right front tire area. While sitting in park the sound seems to come through the steering column.

The noise is the worst when I turn right as the same time as hitting some bumps, as when pulling into a driveway over a side walk or turning while going over speed bumps.

Parked noise and drive noise may be completely unrelated to each other I guess.

But turning left while sitting or moving does not produce any sounds at all???
While I am in Park turning right the sound coming through the steering column happens on and off every ten degrees of rotation or so...

Does this still sound like a power steering problem still?

[6cuda6]

Take a few minutes and remove the serpentine belt....than at idle turn the steering wheel and see if the noise is gone..it will be hard to turn as you will have no assist but if the noise is not there at least yo know it's in the steering assist part [pump, lines etc....]

The noise going over bump etc is it the same sound as at idle or different???

Later, Dean

[spk6543]

Hi dean

I have turned the wheel with the truck on jackstands and tires off, engine also off, Serpentine belt still on. It is very smooth with no detectable noise. I will try taking the belt off later.

The noise while moving is very similar. I still feel the noise in the column while moving and turning right but I HEAR the noise coming from the right front area.

The only reason I have to suspect the two are related is I get nothing from turning left.

BTW, Mike, I did not change the power steering fluid when I added the lucas.

Should I suck it all at the filler cap or drain it at the bleed screw on the box?
I have the Workshop manual but it does not have a PAS capacity listed anywhere. How much should I buy?

Also could this be a failing CV joint on the right front axle?

[Britabroad]

spk6543 - did you ever get this fixed? My 00 II is doing exactly the same but on it's seconf PS pump?

[Disco Mike]

Brit,
So you are on your second pump, is your belt tight, when you changed you pump did you change all the fluid? May want to try a bottle of Lucas, it works well on my 99 and with nearly 100,000 miles on it bothe the ACE and the power steering pumps are quiet.
Mike

[Britabroad]

Hi Mike (or anyone else with ideas)

2000 DII 90k miles - no ACE. 4 new power steering pumps - PS noises finally went away. Had an altercation with a curbstone to avoid a dump truck and trashed the steering geerbox. Had that replaced - power steering groans and shudder back when turning right under power.

Now I'm sure you're going to advise against this, but if I overfill the PS reservior - the noise and shudder almost dissappears.

System has been bled repeatedly and pressure tested for leaks at 300psi - no leaks. Is there any chance the reservior cap could be allowing air in to the system? - I definately seem to have an "air in system" issue.

Noises are there either with mineral PS fluid or Mikes Valvoline / Lucas fix.

Anyone any thoughts - many thanks.

[KyleT]

Originally Posted by Britabroad

System has been bled repeatedly and pressure tested for leaks at 300psi - no leaks. Is there any chance the reservior cap could be allowing air in to the system? - I definately seem to have an "air in system" issue.

Noises are there either with mineral PS fluid or Mikes Valvoline / Lucas fix.

Anyone any thoughts - many thanks.

i had to drive 600 miles without the cap to get home after it fell/blew off after a severe impact between right front tire and a rock... had to top it off a bunch of times with el-cheapo fluid (nothing available where I was at.... it didnt studder or make any noise until the fluid became low again, then it would whine.

I replaced the steering box and drained out the system and refilled it with OEM LR ACE fluid. no noises or studdering since. it isnt just dealer BS to run the ace fluid, it is kinda designed for it. just expensive... dealer said that a higher end full synthetic fluid would work in an emergency.