Serge Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 In 2011 my PS pump was leaking so I replaced it with a factory reman unit, no issues. Mid 2014 I had my steering rack replaced (was making a grinding sound at times), now have an FEQ unit that the Volvo indy mechanic put in. Late 2014 my PS pump started to chatter and groan (without turning the wheel, simply sitting there). Diagnosed by using a mechanic's stethoscope. Opening the reservoir makes the sound louder and you can hear it coming from inside. Do not see any foaming in the fluid, so I believe that to be okay. My question is: Should I flush the fluid first to see if that will fix things or is this likely the pump going bad (which is strange, since it's 4 years old). I'm thinking the FEQ rack may have messed up the pump somehow. UPDATE: It was the alternator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
survolvo Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a chattering noise I had. I was sure it was the PS pump. Used a stethoscope and was certain it was the pump. Opened the lid and it got louder. So I replaced the pump. Noise was still there. I must have done something wrong, got another pump. Noise was still there. Finally replaced the Alt, and noise is gone. Take the belt off and spin everything by hand. See if you can't replicate the noise, or feel for a hard spot. This is the noise I had. http://s1132.photobucket.com/user/surfireknight/media/Jons%20854/VID_20130220_124834_364_zps98581e10.mp4.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a chattering noise I had. I was sure it was the PS pump. Used a stethoscope and was certain it was the pump. Opened the lid and it got louder. So I replaced the pump. Noise was still there. I must have done something wrong, got another pump. Noise was still there. Finally replaced the Alt, and noise is gone. Take the belt off and spin everything by hand. See if you can't replicate the noise, or feel for a hard spot. This is the noise I had. http://s1132.photobucket.com/user/surfireknight/media/Jons%20854/VID_20130220_124834_364_zps98581e10.mp4.html My sound is quite similar, actually. The sound started not too long after I did a PCV job and I did lose an injector gasket somewhere in the bowels of the engine bay. Perhaps the gasket fell into the alternator and is making that noise? I'll pull the belt off spin each piece around by hand. I replaced my alternator about 2 years ago with a BOSCH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skloon Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Had the same thing, loose return hose allowed air in and pump cavitated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Caller Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Sorry but...if you had a loose hose shouldn't you lose fluid ? He said nothing about fluid loss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Posted March 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Sorry but...if you had a loose hose shouldn't you lose fluid ? He said nothing about fluid loss I suppose some air could manage to get in without fluid loss if it's a tiny opening. The lack of fluid loss does not make me believe there is a leak, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin. Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 I had a chattering on my old NA, it was my AC compressor. Guess how I figured it out replaced the PS pump twice and the alternator twice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Posted March 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 I had a chattering on my old NA, it was my AC compressor. Guess how I figured it out replaced the PS pump twice and the alternator twice Was it chattering all the time, not just when the AC clutch was engaged? I'll take a video of mine today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin. Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 all of the time, pretty sure it was a bearing never fixed it, and the AC started to die when I scrapped the car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piston Slapper Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I had a similar noise, replaced the tensioner first, still there but not as bad, threw on a spare used PS pump I had, didn't change but it wasn't loud enough to bother me. A few weeks later my alternator craps out and I swap that out with a low mileage used one from a wrecked car, noise is gone. Never sounded like it was coming from the alternator even with the stethoscope, some kind of auxillary drive voodoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Took some videos of the sound while running and a video after I removed the sepr belt to manually turn the pulleys. The sound in question, it is sometimes louder: All pulleys seemed to turn smoothly without any problems. Here is a video when I turn the PS pump pully in a short arc: Does that seem like the P/S pump is bad? I'm guessing bearing failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Posted March 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Could someone that has a PS pump laying around see if it has that sound when you turn the pully? I assume it shouldn't do that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBrick Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 aren't you supposed to turn the wheels back and forth full lock many times to bleed the air out? I got chattering once after getting air in the system, and did that for about 5 minutes and it seemed to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Posted March 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 I should do that next. Just replaced the pump with a relatively new one and still have the same damn sound. The new pump has the same clunk when turning the pully, so I assume that is normal. The old pump did have some more bearing noise when turning the pully (almost like a light grinding), so I do believe it was worth changing. Found this guide for removing air from the system. This whole issue is starting to get relatively annoying. I'm starting to suspect this phantom noise is the alternator, as others have eluded to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
survolvo Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 This sounds just like what I went through. Except I replaced the PS pump 3 times before realizing it was the Alt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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