...whenever I make sharp turns. It literally...sounds....like a dying walrus. My assumption is something with the power steering. The cap to my power steering reservoir has been missing for a few years now, and i just got my rack 'n pinion fixed like 2 months ago. They said that any squeaks or whines would disappear after 100 miles. It's been 7000 or so and its just as bad. What in the world should I be looking for here? I've never had a car squeal like a sea-faring mammal before.


Ideas?

 

how do you know what a dying walrus sounds like? Have to you checked your axles?

 

what the hell is a Walrus, and what does it sound like when its dieing

 

idk but this title is funny as hell.

 

probably the pump... if the cap has been missing, your fluid is probably half water... which will kill the pump and the steering rack.

Oh yea, the cap is there for a reason... go to the dealer and spend the $5 for a new one! You'll probably need to change the pump as well.

 

I figured you guys would get a kick out of that.

Ya that's what I figured, but I hate spending money on this thing. My mechanic said that the power steering pump may be done as well, but that he couldn't be sure until the rack n pinion got fixed. Looks like its done. It is a shame, I liked that power steering pump. It was my favorite.

 

damn... I have the same problem right now. haha
I had never thought of the sound as a dying walrus though... but I'm guessing it would sound something like that. I'm down in Miami, so I haven't been able to get the PS pump changed because of Wilma. I noticed the pump was dying about a week ago, but we've been dealing with Wilma since then.
I'll probably drop her off in the morning at my mechs shop on my way to work to change the pump.

Anyone know aproximately how much that would be?
I don't feel like trying a DIY on this (starting to get lazy on doing my own repairs, plus I found a really good and trustworthy shop near my job)

 

I'm bout to buy a power steering pump. Is there anything that isn't relatively straightforward about replacing this particular item? My only real issue is how the belt is loosened and tightened. Is there a tensioner?

 

update...

Over the weekend my pump stopped sounding like the "dying walrus" and finally flipped on it's back and died.
I ended up with a huge oil mess to clean up, and some weird annoying sounds coming from the pump. Decided to just remove the PS belt rather than getting it fixed (at least for the time being)
Ended up actually feeling the car got a little more power by removing that belt... obviously not a lot of power, but just enough to feel that it gained something. Steering is not THAT hard, even with my 225 sticky tires. Just a little hard for parking, but nothing out of this world.


PS. Gotta confess... I was too lazy to loosen the pivot and tensioner bolts to remove the belt so I just cut the bitch with some scissors. If and when I decide to get the pump replaced I'll just get a new belt.

 

MY boy cut is power steering belt when it started to sound real bad. He now just drives without power steering.