Started maybe a week ago, fluid was down to the minimum mark, I refilled it, worked the steering wheel back and forth and that seemed to clear it up for the short term. It doesn't appear that she's leaking, but it sure is screaming and turning is getting hard unless the RPM's are up.

I'm thinking that it's the PS-pump, but just figured I'd ask before I even started going down that road. Funny that I've driven cars for 16 years now, took 2 years of auto shop in high school and I have pretty much no clue how power steering works other than there is a hydraulic pump involved.

Anyone else have screaming steering? Rig has like 101K on it now.

Regards,

Ken

 

Sounds like the pump, you can put a long screw driver between it and your ear cand get a good listen. You may not have gotten all the air out either, there is a bleed screw on the steering box.

 

thanks. I'll take a better look. I know it's PS related because if you wheel left or right it screams more.

Just kind of wondering if these things are pretty hearty or if they fail around the 100K mark or what.

thanks.

 

They are known to fail. The gasket between the 2 halves of the pump leaks and draws in air.

 

Assuming the belts is not the cause of the noise, I would then ask how long has it been since you flushed out the system? Yes your pump may be failing or it may not like the burned fluid you are pumping thru it.
If it were mine, I would flush out the system, adding about a 1/2 a bottle of Lucas p/s additive and see if it clears it up. If you do that, it will take 4 quarts of p/s fluid, 1 bottle of Lucas and a turkey baster type pump. If you want to try it, send me your number and I'll walk you thru what to do.

 

Had the same screeming, if PSP it should get worse/change character, when you turn the wheel. Mine was leaking, I bled the heck out of the system flushed it with three quarts of new fluid, added lucas, nothing helped. Got a new OEM pump for 320 on ebay (brand new, not refurbished abd no need to return the core) and everything is fine now.
Discovery 2 NEW power steering pump Land Rover QVB500080 | eBay

The benefit of the screeming was I was not hearing any other abnormal sounds like ticking

 

I had the same issue and after attempting to rebuild/reseal the pump twice and wasting about 6 quarts of hydraulic fluid I've jst given up and now drive with no power steering. Going on a cruise in a couple months so this should help me get a bit more toned up for the ladies.

 

Is it still losing fluid? The fluid level doesn't change at random, if it's dropping you're leaking fluid somewhere. You can try flushing it, but that's unlikely to help until you determine where the other fluid leaked from.

If it's coming from the pump (instead of the steering box, or one of the hoses) then you need to replace it. Don't fool around with used/rebuilt pumps; you'll stand a decent chance of being back in there doing it all again sometime soon. Ask me how I know...

 

Mine just started doing the same.. I'm gonna drain it and see what it does. Does the fluid for the ps has to come from LR??

 

First, don't drain it, flush it. If you drain it and can't get the air out of the system because of a bad pump, you are dead in the water.
Buy 4 quarts of p/s fluid from the parts store and a hand pump, like a turkey baster, also from the parts store, then send me your number and I'll walk you thru what to do.