PS Pump Noise - anyone else?

[NorCalDoug]

UPDATE: PS Pump Noise - anyone else?

My power steering pump is whining. Not when I'm cruising around town or on the highway, but when I'm in a situation where I have to lock my front diff and drive up a short section of trail, I can definitely hear it.. The whine is loud enough for people to comment on it. I've checked the fluid level in the past -- it's always been okay. Haven't had any problems with it other than the noise.

It was pretty bad in Moab going up Hell's Gate and again a few weeks ago when I was climbing up a section of the end of the Rubicon trail.

I don't recall many posts regarding PS pumps going out. The only one I've ever heard of going south was Christo's on the Short Bus in Moab.

Just wondering -- should I be overly concerned or just live with it. If it is a possible problem, I'd like to see if I can have it taken care of under the last 400 miles of my extended warrany.

Anyone happen to know the price of a PS pump for a 97 80 (anyone? C-Dan?)?
Any ideas or comments?

 

[cruiserdan]

A new pump lists for $311.15.

Put a tablespoon full of Downey fabric softener in it and see if that shuts it up........

 

[landtank]

How old is the fluid? You might start by flushing out the old and put in some Synth tranny fluid. If it's still noisey then maybe give Hazel's advice a try.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Doug-yours is a whiner! Definitely try to get Lexus to get you a new one. If they do, keep the old one as a spare-it's something we could all potentially use. If Lexus won't replace it, swap out the fluid with some good quality ATF. I would use the Chevron ATF from costco, run through a couple of quarts, and once it's cleaned up, fluch out the Chevron ATF with Mobil 1 ATF. If you do replace the pump, replace the hoses too.

 

[cruiserdan]

Hazel's advice

 

[nyk438]

On my 80 I've gone through 3 PS pumps and it's still not exactly right but it works for me.


The problem I think was caused by mechanics who didn't know what the hell they were working on and installed it wrong one of the times and that ate the pully and fly wheel?



Now we have the belts torqued below the toyota specifications to get it to work


fawking stupid mechanics...

 

[landtoy80]

<fawking stupid mechanics...?
Do it your self and you will do it right.... maybe

 

[NorCalDoug]

Put a tablespoon full of Downey fabric softener in it and see if that shuts it up........

Really? Downey? Never woulda thought to do that. Thanks for the advice guys. I'll see if I can get them to swap it out, if not, I'll try the suggestions listed.

Thanks again.

 

[cruiserdan]

Really, I was not kidding. That is an old trick from the early 80's to quiet noisy Toyota pumps. I believe it works because that stuff is loaded with silicone.

 

[MoJ]

If it's still noisey then maybe give Hazel's advice a try.

LMFAO!!!

 

[MikeB]

If your pump is whining, are you sure that the fluid is all Dexron and not something that was labeled "power steering fluid"? Every Toyota power steering pump that I have owned would make noise if it was filled with "power steering fluid". I suggest that you drain as much fluid as possible (take off the low pressure hose and turn the wheels a few times) and refill with Dexron.

Mike

 

[cruiserdan]

Mine has been running on "power steering fluid" for 123,000 miles and seems to be surviving.

 

[MikeB]

cruiserdan --

Does Toyota sell something labeled "power steering fluid"? The FSMs all spec Dexron ATF. If what you are using is a Toyota product then I'm sure the properties are exactly the same as Dexron. The aftermarket stuff sold for power steering seems to be a light oil similar to ATF, but my experience is that it causes Toyota pumps to whine and vibrate. Changing back to Dexron restores smooth operation.

If someone is having problems with a PS pump and they don't know what it is filled with, then certainly the first thing to try would be to refill it with the recommended fluid.

 

[cruiserdan]

Mike this is an interesting thing to explore. Agreed, Toyota states that DexII be used in the power steering system. DexII is red, no? The factory fill is a honey-blonde color, not at all red. So, what are they using? I have no idea. I use BG power steering fluid which is a honey-blonde color just like the OEM fill.

 

[Klunky Chris]

You should flush the system out. It should be done anyway, and usually isn't.
Hopefully this will fix it for you. I know people who got rid of the problem this way.

Mine used to whine with the front locked.
Later it would whine with the center locked, and whine real bad with the front locked.
I flushed it and refilled with Mobil 1 ATF and it was better... but then it started again, got worse, and started loosing fluid. (it seemed to hold fluid and be quiet on the road though)
I couldn't find the leak and kept putting quart after quart of ATF.
The leak was out the FRONT seal in the pump. All the ATF I put in went into the crankcase

I rebuilt the pump with a Toyota kit but it lasted a grand total of 1 week. I missed a great wheeling trip because of it

I bought a new Yoda pump and installed it.
Problem fixed!!!

but... I didn't replace the low pressure hoses. a couple months later it starts whining and the power assist goes by by on the trail. Yup! You guessed it! sprung a leak in a low pressure hose and sprayed all the fluid out...

Replaced the low pressure hose and problem fixed.... again!!!
I have been beating on it HARD and just got back from CMCC 2004 with out problems.

 

[NorCalDoug]

Update

I had 99,984 miles on the odometer. With my 100K mile extended warranty just about to expire (I bought the rig as a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle from Lexus), I took it into the Lexus dealership and told them about the power steering pump noise.

The mechanic took it for a drive, verified the noise was coming from the power steering pump and recommended replacement of the pump.
PS Pump (part # 44320-60182) - $311.15 list price
O Ring (part #90301-73004) - $3.12 list price
2X Power Steering Fluid ($2.32 x 2) - $4.64 list price

(Keep in mind that the part numbers are Lexus part numbers which might not match Toyota part numbers)

Since this was being done under warranty, they also list the discounted price for the parts (PS Pump - $271.24, O Ring - $2.71). Plus a little over an hour labor ($113.10)

Total would've been $391.69 - Warranty covered it all.

Anyone considering buying a LX 470 (or any other Lexus) from a dealership might want to look into getting a CPO vehicle from Lexus. They provide a free loaner car (ES330, RX330, or IS300) for all warranty work and my CPO warranty covered pretty much everything, bumper to bumper. With the LX450, it covered everything except for the clock and for anything chomed (e.g. the antenna mast is not covered, but the internals (motor, cable, etc.) was covered). The extra $1500 I paid above market price was more than worth all the work that was covered by the warranty.

 

[alaskacruiser]

I second NorCal's opinion: after a new radiator, fan clutch, oxygen sensor, birf job, and an oil pan gasket, my CPO warranty has more than paid for itself, not to mention the new tires and fresh pads and rotors to meet the warranty specs in the first place!