Sounds as though the Ford power steering pump is the same one use on the 1983 F-150's. Mine made a whining noise whenever i turned the truck. Seems like a simple enough problem for Ford to solve, change contractors or vendors supplying the power steering pumps ( but a lot of times what seems simple to me, is so complicated for corporate board members to understand and make a simple decision to resolve a problem)

 

I had posted this in another thread but this is what happened. I hear the noise it sounds like the power steering unit overworking (like if you turn it all the way one way and then hold it there). The dealer replaced the powersteering unit the power steering gear box and the pitman arm (under warrenty) and when they were done the sound was still there they listened and were at a loss for words. I then read a thread in here that said to remove all the fuild and put in some kind of syn. but i don't know what kind??. Also the hoses are made of a sprial material that causes air bubbles and this could be the problem.. lol. i just drive if breaks i'll be back

 

I have a 2002 Screw and have had the whining power steering noise since I bought it. Everytime I go in to have it serviced (oil change, 30K mile, etc.), I mention it. I have been told by garages and the Ford dealers that it is normal, and even worse on the Explorers. It seems as if Ford would do something about this.

Having had Fords from model year 1976 and forward, and having replaced several power steering pumps, I know what a bad one sounds like. I guess Ford wanted to bypass getting to that point, and just give you a symptom to start off with.

Other than that noise when turning the wheel past 6" (stationary or rolling), I love my truck!!

I have not had a bad dealer to deal with yet, as I tend to be an *** when someone tries to treat me like I am an idiot.

 

Ford could easily fix this whining problem. Install pumps with higher ring capicity or install different pressure relief valve in the present pump (if present pump has a removeable pressure relief valve), as many Saginaw pumps do. Another term for pump ring capicity: reserve capacity.

Pumps on our late model F-150 are operating at nearly maximum capicity, when the wheels are turned. FOMOCO must think this is a good fuel savings to use such wimpy spec. pumps on these trucks.

I noticed on our 99 F-150, while going thru the drive-thru at Burger King, that the pump whined excessively when wheels were turned sitting still. I pulled out of the drive-thru and into the adjacent parking lot & examined the drive thru pavement.

The pavement was all rutted where vehicle wheels pass. This indicates that pump was working at maximum while I turned the wheels (sitting still) in the ruts. Our F-150 does not whine very much when wheels are turned, sitting still, on dry and level pavement.

I have also seen this happen on vehicles that had a pressure relief valve in P/S pump that was sticking dues to contamination in system or moisture in system. I don't believe this is the case here--too many people having the same problem--to many pumps replaced & problem still exists.

This is an embarrassment for fellow Hoosiers. Ford steering plant is in Indianapolis, where I live!

 

hey guys

i have read a few posts about the power steering whine and sum of you thought maybe the pitman arm. im not a mechanic so i dont know a hell of alot but im not useless when it comes to these things, i build elevators so i do have some mechanical understanding of things. but my question is i have the whine even when mytruck is on and not moving, when i turn the wheels yes it does get louder but also when i give it gas it gets louder. i dealt with this noise before but i just got my exhaust done and when im driving it drowns out the wonderful sound of my truck and i am hopeful on getting it fixed , any ideas thought or watever would be awsome thanks guys

 

This is fairly common on fords. You have air in the steering system and one way to get it out is to take the power steering cap off now you have to draw a vacuum on the system and let it run for a while sometimes it takes about 30 min.

 

I'm getting this annoyingly loud whine as well. Mechanic says don't worry about it. I assumed just from intuition that it must be the power steering pump going bad. I have no loss in steering assist. I've noticed that it seems to occur mostly at idle in traffic, goes away as I accelerate, totally unrelated to turning the wheel, occurs when pointed straight.

So I go to the Rock Auto site to see about ordering a pump. When I hit 'info' on the Cardone pump, it takes you to some bulletins, one of which states it's caused by air that needs to be bled:

All power steering equipped vehicles (especially Ford)
Whine or moan noise from power steering pump
Air trapped in the power steering system
The tool shown below can be used to remove entrapped air.
CAUTION: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ENGINE
VACUUM BE UTILIZED.
1. Check and fill the pump reservoir.
2. Insert the rubber stopper of the air evacuator assembly tightly
into the pump reservoir fill neck. Do not allow fluid to contact
pump–it will destroy pump.
3. Apply 15 inches Hg. vacuum to pump reservoir with engine
idling. Cycle the steering wheel from lock-to-lock every 30
seconds for approximately five minutes. Do not hold steering
wheel on stops while cycling. Maintain adequate vacuum with
source as the air purges.
4. Release vacuum and remove vacuum equipment. Add additional
fluid if necessary and reinstall dipstick.
5. Restart engine, cycle steering wheel and check for oil leaks at all
connections. In severe cases of aeration, it may be necessary to
repeat this procedure several times.

My buddy told me to do the turkey baster removal of fluid and replace, so I put in fresh synthetic fluid. Didn't help. Then he told me to take the cap off the reservoir and cycle the wheels back and forth for 5 mins with the engine running and this should bleed out the air. Kinda worked but the whine is back as bad as ever now.

I think I will try removing the fluid again, replacing with fresh synthetic again and cycling the wheels one more time, just to cover everything.

I saw another thread where Lucas stop leak fluid worked, but I'm not sure I want to put that in the reservoir. I'm willing to do all this again since the one poster said the second fluid swap worked. Otherwise it's back to cranking up the stereo.

 

Update:

Noise seemed to be gone after another fluid removal/replacement, but nope, it's back again, loud as ever.

I notice it's related to low RPM situations, usually idling in traffic. If I rev the engine slightly, it goes away, temporarily. I also notice what appears to be something cycling on and off, if I just sit there and watch the RPM gauge. What could that be? Cycle on, RPMs drop, noise is there, then cycles off, RPMs rise, noise is gone. I'm stumped.

 

That's probably your A/C compressor cycling, nothing to do with the power steering. Does it do it with the climate control turned off?

 

Yeah, I didn't think of that, but the vibration and whining is there even when the A/C is off. It goes away when I accelerate. I would very much like to put a new pump on there, but so many people say that didn't help.

I'm going to see if I can get my mechanic to observe it when it is doing it.

 

Update: Mechanic thinks this is the Idle Air Control Valve. Sits at the top rear of the engine compartment. He says it's way too loud to be a power steering pump. The part is about $57. It bolts on with two 10mm bolts. There may be a gasket, depending on the application. I should be able to install this one myself

Another board described the sound as a 'howling'. That sounds more accurate than a whine or moan. Apparently these things get clogged up with carbon and fail. You can clean them, which has a 50% chance of rectifying the problem. I'm going with a replacement. Will post results. I read that the Echlin part sold by NAPA is better than stock, so that's what I will get.