my steering has been groaning a little for a while....not much. this morning the temps were down to 6 degrees and i my power steering was intermittant and obviously labored. also there was some fluid that came out the cap so fluid was pumping out of the pump but not in....i guess.

i'm wondering if a flush is all i need or is it time for a new pump. mike mentioned something about sticky valves in a past post.....thats what it feels like to me. i flushed it once but i dont think i did a good job because i sucked the fluid out of the reservoir several times. i didn't really pump new stuff through the pump.

 

A flush is a place to start from, make sure you use 2 or 3 quarts so you get all the old fluid out.
Let us know what happens.

 

just guessing, but I think you need to re-flush it again.
I had a simular problem with another vehicle when it got really cold, and when I flushed at the box I could see moisture coming out with the fluid.
If you did it with a turkey baster you probably need to do it again, there is a bleeder on the box or you can crack the lines.

See what a could people have to say before you run out there

 

I'm not familiar with the Disco pump, but GM pumps used to have a sceen on the inlet side that would get plugged up with debris.

 

No screens on these pumps.

 

Mine whines a bit when it is really cold out on start up, but as soon as I start driving it is OK, and never goes in/out. Been doing it a couple years now. Last year it was much worse, even after properly flushing it a couple times. It is always perfect when warm out. I changed the o-rings on the compression fittings and it MUCH better this year, but still a tad bit of whine at start up.

 

Mine makes a bit of noise when it's cold so does my chev work van which is one year old. I think it's just normal when it's cold

 

Getting ready to do a ACE / power steering flush this weekend.
No objections to Royal Purple Max Ez Synthetic?
12 OZ bottles, should need 10-12 bottles to flush effectively.
Turkey baster method not the best?, The bleed screw on the power steering unit will effectively flush the ACE too?
Lucas stop leak still the best additive?
Flushed about 20,000 miles ago, my fluid is pretty dark.

 

Disconnect the return line,
put it in a large clear container,
turn on ignition,
pour new fluid to ACE/steering reservoir until it runs clean into container.
I think this was one of Spike's old posts?

 

an update:

i am living part time half way across the country so i have no tools or means of working on my truck!

anyway, it whines but doesn't leak. it spills a little fluid out the cap which is weird. first thing in the am, the power steering is sketchy but after a little back and forth it works pretty well but not perfectly.

about the only thing i can do is try to put something in the fluid or suck it up and pay someone to replace it.

i don't understand what makes the whine noise