Please help? Steering pump problem?

[ravenp]

Howdy..

Okay...97 RS, 94,000km's on it. A few months back I started hearing a whining noise when making sharp slow turns... also noticed a leak from the powersteering pump and hose. Replaced the hose and cleaned up the pump on the possiblity that the oil had blown over to the pump while driving making it appear as if it were leaking.

Drove the car for the last 3 weeks or so and the whining is gone. THe leak seems to have stopped now, but there is a light moaning coming from somewhere and I would guess it's the power steering pump acting up. Now that there's no more leak in the line, it stands to reason more pressure is being put on the pump. I checked the fluid level and colour yesterday. The level is bang on, and the colour is a clean green.

Any ideas? Any way to confirm if the pump is shot or okay? I can't say that I may have missed this moaning before... it only happens after driving for a while, when i'm going slow, and in my underground where it reverberates a bit. I may not have heard it before, not trying to listen for problems... make sense? : )

Thanks..!

[ravenp]

anybody? i'm guess the ps pump is going? should it be louder, more distinguishable? could it just be a normal noise of a hot engine that i haven't noticed before/ : ) thanks...

[knowledgefreak]

i would say the same.. pump got damaged due to the leak..

buddy of mine had to have a new rack/pinion installed because he decided to do donuts in the sand causing the fluid to stay to oneside and not enter the pump on his formula.

[QuicksilverRS]

Wow....94K and just now a problem huh? Mine went out about 80K. Since then I went through 3 rebuilt ones all with the same result: They would all leak through the front seal. So, after being tired of tearing the pump off and replacing it I broke down and went to the dealership and got a good ole' brand new GM part (crooks). Shelled out too much money I'm sure, but the pump is fixed, no whining and no leaking. Woo hoo.


Ryan