Trying to find out what is wrong with my PS pump?

[Pavs323]

My 87 FJ60 emits a load squealing sound at roughly 2000 rpms while parked (warming the engine up in the morning with choke), and occasionally on the road, but only if the clutch is engaged. If I give it a little more gas it usually suddenly gets louder, but then does not comeback at all usually for the rest of the ride, regardless how long or how fast I get going. I know there is some seal problem with PS pump because it slowly leaks fluid from behind the pulley, right in front of where the bearing is. I'm thinking maybe the bearing is damaged which causes the pulley to not get up to ample speed as fast as the other ones, which explains the squealing sound, and then the sound stops once that pulley gets up to speed with the others, and because of this, the seal there is damaged as well, but I really dont know for sure. The steering itself feels perfectly normal and fine, and then pump doesnt groan at all until obviously the fluid runs low, but then I just top it off again and there are no problems with the actual steering itself. I usually make it about 200 miles before I need to put more fluid in it. I know its not a belt problem either, because I just replaced the belt, cleaned all the pulleys and put correct tension on it.
Dont know too much at PS systems so any input would be heavily appreciated, thanks!

 

[3_puppies]

do you still have a smog pump?

 

[Pavs323]

do you still have a smog pump?

Yeah but I dont think that is the source of the noise because when I replaced the belt for the PS,Alternator and Ck, I ran the engine for a few seconds just to find the noise, and the noise was gone without the PS pulley engaged. Then when I threw the other belt back on, the noise was back.(Also AC is broken so I have no AC belt, therefore cant be from that pulley either)

 

[mattressking]

How loose/tight are your belts?

To get this straight, you removed all belts, no noise. Then you only put on alt/ps belt and noise came back? Or was the waterpump/smog pulley already on?

Only happens when cold?

 

[Pavs323]

How loose/tight are your belts?

To get this straight, you removed all belts, no noise. Then you only put on alt/ps belt and noise came back? Or was the waterpump/smog pulley already on?

Only happens when cold?

Belt tension is fine to my knowledge, not too loose or too tight. I didn’t try it with no belts on it at all though (good idea!), but rather with only the water pump belt on it, and then then noise wasn’t there.
And it only happens usually within ~5 minutes after startup, but not necessarily only in cold weather. Once the engine is warmed up, it usually never happens. Sometimes it will happen on the road when I engage the clutch to shift gears, but that’s pretty rare. PS fluid always leaks no matter what conditions though. It leaks rather slowly from the general area of what I think is the PS pump bearing, but still leaks none the less.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

My guess is smog pump too. A leaking power steering pump dumps PS fluid on the smog pump killing it in short order.

And your PS pump leaks so you need a new one. Fix that first.

There is no cheap way out of this. But if you don't fix the leaking powersteering, it will ruin the new smog pump you put in it.

 

[Pavs323]

My guess is smog pump too. A leaking power steering pump dumps PS fluid on the smog pump killing it in short order.

And your PS pump leaks so you need a new one. Fix that first.

There is no cheap way out of this. But if you don't fix the leaking powersteering, it will ruin the new smog pump you put in it.

There is no ps fluid on the smog pump, it’s actually pretty clean. It’s leaks so slow that it doesn’t drip, it runs down the side of the ps pump and bracket and avoids the smog pump entirely. It’s not like I ever have puddles under the truck, the most I ever get is maybe literally two or three drops under it. Plus there are also no symptoms that a normal smog pump failure shows, and it’s pulley feels perfectly normal when I spin it by hand.
I’m not saying you’re wrong at all, I’m just sort of confused as to how smog pump would be the problem here.
Also, a few buddies have told me I don’t have to completely rebuild the PS pump since the ps itself still works fine, I may just have to replace the seals and bearing, which I’ve seen usually isn’t too expensive. Idk, but thanks for the input though, much appreciated.

 

[mattressking]

Take all the belts off when the truck has sat overnight. Start and listen for noise.

Add waterpump belt and see if the noise occurs, then p/s. Or one at a time. I'm actually dealing with a smog pump thats noisey at cold start but warms up. My assumption is the bearing grease is washed out from the P/s pump leaking and now that it is fixed, I need to replace smog pump bearings or throw a pulley in place of it.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

T
I’m not saying you’re wrong at all, I’m just sort of confused as to how smog pump would be the problem here.
Also, a few buddies have told me I don’t have to completely rebuild the PS pump since the ps itself still works fine, I may just have to replace the seals and bearing, which I’ve seen usually isn’t too expensive. Idk, but thanks for the input though, much appreciated.

It doesn't take much power steering fluid to wreck the smog pump. It's your truck so do what you want, but I had my smog pump seize this year and it's immobilizing (and smokey as it burns up the belt). Do some more diagnostics to figure out the noise, but you still gotta fix the pump before you do anything else.

And unfortunately, you can't rebuild the FJ60 power steering pump with long term success. There is a non-replacable bushing that wears out and cannot be fixed. You have 2 choices-either buy a new pump from Toyota, or switch to a Saginaw pump via the kit from Valley Hybrids. Next time my 60 needs a power steering pump, I'm getting the Valley Hybrids kit and a Saginaw pump.

 

[4Cruisers]

There is a non-replacable bushing that wears out and cannot be fixed.

Calling on @The Machinist.