Name this sound! Tensioner, belt, air in line, pump? Apparently I'm having issues with the power steering. Fluid was a bit low. I havent driven truck in 6 months so issue just came up without warning when I took it in for a warrant of fitness. Any advice appreciated!

 

my guess would be a new serpentine belt. Then try again.

 

somewhat related....could be a bearing in one (or all) of the pulleys.

run it for a minute without the belt.

 

Take the belt off, run for a bit.
While belt is off, spin accessories and tensioner pully by hand.
Noise still hiding? Put belt back on, squirt wee bit of wd-40 or the like on spinny things bearings without getting any on belt.

 

Would it make sense that the noise could come from low power steering fluid? I topped it up, ran it and the noise was still going strong, then topped it up again and now it seems to have disappeared. Should I expect the sound to return?

 

Yeah, that could be it. But I hear noise from contact (two things hitting each other) on a fan belt in that audio. Can you send new audio with it topped off?

 

If it was low fluid, the sound is likely due to air bubbles in the fluid. Topping it up may cure it, but low fluid might indicate a leak and you may have low fluid again soon.

 

True. Cheers for that. And attached is the new recording of engine post top-up.