Tried this on 3rd gen but doesn't look like enough people have had to replace their ps lines yet. This should apply to 2nd gen too.

I replaced my high pressure power steering line and now I have a noise coming from the high pressure line only when I'm NOT turning the steering wheel. If I turn the wheel just a bit the noise goes away immediately.
Using a stethescope it the noise is definitely loudest at the steering gear connection... the connection at the pump is much quieter.

The noise is not that of a worn out pump or pump under strain... the noise sounds a lot like high pressure water running through copper pipe, basically sounds like turbulance of some sort.

The system has been bled out several times just to be certain there isn't air trapped. THere are no leaks anywhere. I've checked the pump filter screen inside the resevior and it is perfectly clean.

Also, I'm convinced that the noise is being caused by something inside the steering gear or has something to do with the new hose. I've taken the hose off a few times now to inspect it and everything looks ok.

Been working on cars/trucks for 20 years and never run across this before.

Also, I've noticed that if I let the truck sit for 4-5 hours when I first start the truck the noise takes a few minutes to come back. Once it starts it will not stop unless you turn the steering wheel. Steering works perfect.

Anyone have any knowledge of steering gear internals as to what might cause this (recirculating valve??)? Anyone replace HP steering line and had problems like this?
Any help is appreciated.
THanks!

 

possible something is blocking anything? i know you checked everything, but it sounds like something may be blocking a portion of the line, and its causing alot of strain

 

Does the noise go away, and stay gone? Or, does it only go away while the fluid is actually doing something? (assisting the turn...)

 

when my old chevy ps got a little bit noisy, i used a turkey baster to suck out the old fluid and refilled with new. the old fluid looked awful. i ran it a little and repeated this a couple of times until i had mostly clean fluid. that silenced the noise.

you didn't happen to run your pump dry in the process of changing the hose, or blowing the old hose did you?

 

Thanks guys for your response.

The noise goes away as soon as I turn the wheel (or in other words as soon as you get flow into the high pressure line when you turn the steering gear) and returns as soon as you take pressure off the wheel (high pressure line).

I don't think the pump went dry but the fluid did get very low. The noise is definitely not coming from the pump. If I put a stethescope on it you can hear the noise most where the high pressure line goes into the steering gear. If the pump was bad I'd expect more noise when you put the pump under pressure.

Fluid has been drained/flushed out twice and filter at the resevior bottom is clean.

At this point I'm pretty certain the noise is coming from something inside the steering gear or high pressure line. Leaning toward the high pressure line because the noise goes away as soon as the line is put under pressure.

I'd expect more problems with steering function if the gear was bad and the truck steering quiet and perfectly smooth. Only get the noise when you aren't trying to steer. If I drive down the road changing lanes every two seconds the noise isn't a problem .

I don't know much about steering gear internals so it is possible there is some valve vibrating or something?

Hate to throw parts at the noise. May have to take it in to someone before I get pulled over for suspected DWI with all my lane changes.

Just to clarify, the noise does not sound line the typical pump whine. Sounds more like high pressure water running through a pipe... almost like a lound hiss or turbulance.

 

Can you back-flush the steering gear? See if anything interesting comes out??

 

Interesting idea. How would you backflush the gear? Never tried to before.

I know when I disconnect the high pressure hose at the gear a fair amount of fluid does flow out of the S.gear at the high pressure connection. So it a sense it is flushing fluid out every time I disconnect the hose.

 

Well I'm being told by a mechanic who has run across this exact problem once before that my problem is in the steering gear. Doesn't know why or what causes the noise, only knows that when he replaced the gear the noise stops. Does make sense because the noise is loudest at the gear vs. the pump.

Sure would like to know what is wrong inside the gear... hate throwing parts without know the what or why, but may not have a choice.

Darndest thing I've run across. When I'm driving down the road with the wheel straight ahead it sounds exactly like I have a garden hose running inside the cab. When you turn the wheel the noise shuts off with the same sound shutting of a water valve too. Definitely some kind of turbulance noise... that I'm positive of. I've heard water turblance inside 6" water lines make the exact same noise.

Hate replacing a gear that otherwise works perfect. I'll try backflushing it someway first.

 

After futher investigation I've learned that "hissing" noise is in fact a "normal" turbulance noise created by the high volume/pressure of fluid moving around the rotary valve in the steering gear.

The fact that I'm hearing it MUCH louder than normal when not turning the wheel could be from one of two causes:

1. Faulty rotary valve causing excessive turbulance in the nuetral postion.

2. Faulty high pressure steering line transmitting excessive amount of noise when not under pressure.

We'll see which it is, but even money on either.

Want to keep this updated in case someone else runs across this problem some day.

 

Figures, I chose to replace the steering box and of course the "hiss" noise is STILL there when I'm not turning the wheel. MOTHER #%$@$#%!!!!!!!

Guess the high pressure hose is the only thing left. Guess it could be the pump, but when I use a stethescope the sound is definitely coming from the high pressure line at or near the steering box. And seeing how everything was fine until I replaced the leaking HP line pretty certain its the line.

Darndest thing. Who would have thought a NEW line would be so much louder than the old.