Power steering pump going out or idler pulley?

[Nater]

Hey guys- if it not one thing, it is another....Ever since washing the motor down, I have had a noise under the hood that sounds like a massive vaccuum leak. I have narrowed it down to the driver's side. I am wondering if the power steering pump is going out or maybe the idler pulley. What would be a easy way to find out....I am 90% sure it is a pulley, just not sure which one. Luckily, I have another idler pulley laying around, but the power steering pump that I have laying in the garage is from the 4 cyl Mustang...

 

[Explorin94]

If the power steering pump was going out then it would whine more when you turn the wheel back and forth as opposed to it sitting and idling. Take some WD40 or PB and just spray the bearing in the idler where you think the problem may be. Spray it while the engine is not running, and then start it to see if that is your problem.

 

[snake]

I have an engine stethescope for this and it works fabulously. You can use an extension or screwdriver and hold it against the component and put it up to your ear and it may work- just be careful with those spinning pullies... Put it against the body of the pump, and the center bolt on the idler as it doesn't spin.

 

[Nater]

Well, turns out finding which pulley was making the noise is easier than I thought....Left work tonight, and got about halfway home, when I heard a small POP. Power gauge went dead and had no power steering...Turns out it was the idler pulley...

 

[feellnfroggy]

I have an engine stethescope for this and it works fabulously. You can use an extension or screwdriver and hold it against the component and put it up to your ear and it may work- just be careful with those spinning pullies... Put it against the body of the pump, and the center bolt on the idler as it doesn't spin.

Ill give you a hunderd bux, if you can puthte screwdriver to the spinning pulley and tell me if its squeaking.

 

[hoosier1104]

Well, turns out finding which pulley was making the noise is easier than I thought....Left work tonight, and got about halfway home, when I heard a small POP. Power gauge went dead and had no power steering...Turns out it was the idler pulley...

And now you know.

 

[backroad101]

Sounds like the exact same thing I was describing here

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86100

The thing i failed to mention in that thread was I too washed down the motor back in April or May

I may try replacing the pulley over the weekend and if that does not fix it I will know it's my fan clutch

.

 

[backroad101]

Replaced my idler pulley tonight. Easy to do and only $20. Good first place to start I guess. No noise now but I did not drive it around. Will report back after my drive to work in the morning

.

 

[snake]

Ill give you a hunderd bux, if you can puthte screwdriver to the spinning pulley and tell me if its squeaking.

Hmmm. you can try that one if you want. I put it on the housing of the PS pump or the center bolt on the idler...

 

[Nater]

I had never seen a pulley do this....The bearing was getting so hot that it melted the plastic pulley...The pop I heard, was the pulley popping off the bearing.When that happened the bearing siezed....

 

[backroad101]

Your idler pulley was plastic? Hmm. Both the old and replacement of mine are metal

.

 

[backroad101]

So drive to work today and the noise is still there. As I had said, the noise was on and off before and now it is not doing it near as much, but is still there. While it has been suggested my issue is the fan clutch, I think it may be the belt tensioner or the pulley. Here is my theory. First, when I was able to catch the sound and stop to listen under the hood, it sounded like it was coming from the passenger side of the motor. Second, I think that now that I have replaced the idler pulley, it spins more freely and hence is causing the tensioner (or pulley) to make noise less frequently. Just my theroy. Going to change the tensioner tonight (since it is easier and slightly cheaper than the fan clutch) and hope for the best. If anything, this stuff prob has never been replaced so it couldn't hurt as preventative maintenance.

.

 

[Nater]

Yes, but yours is a 4.0....mine is a 2.3L

 

[backroad101]

Ahh, true. Forgot that point

 

[Nater]

I did manage to pull a idler pulley off my Lightning Pulley bridge as I am not using it right now....fit perfect...Plus found that they no longer carry the plastic pullies either thru Summit or Autozone...