FJ60 PS Pump Noise (1 Viewer)

[Guest]

I have an 85 FJ60 with 210k on the clock. The PS pump seems to have been changed at some point because it is painted blue and I don't believe the OEM was blue. A couple of weeks ago it got a little cold here on the Northern California coast(low 30's don't laugh) and when I started the LC up in the morning I got some noise and vibration at the pump and thru the steering column. I flushed the system with about 2 qts of ps fluid and then added a pint of Lucus ps stop leak and the balance regular fluid. The next morning the noise and vibration was way worse until it warmed up.
I've since sucked out a couple of pints on sucsessive mornings and replaced with regular fluid and the noise and vibration lessened with each replacement. Now there is no noise or vibration in the morning.
It has not been as cold since the original Lucus treatment but I'm wondering if the pump is on the way out.
Besides, you know what lies below the ps pump and the ramifications there in.
Russ

85 FJ60 210k

 

[preacherman]

I have lived in some really cold places and my pump also does that when it's below about 20, my guess is that the fluid is thickining when it gets real cold, that is why it got worse for you when you put in thicker fluid.  That would also explain why it goes away when you get driving.  Since power steering fluid can absorb mosture (just like brake fluid) it would most likely help to flush the system and replace all the fluid with new every few years or so.  

 

[reece]

I get a similar problem on cold mornings. haven't noticed it from the pump as much as in the column, but it always goes away after about 5 mins or so. doesn't seem to do any harm, just another aspect of the cold!

-m