My question is has anyone had to change their power steering pump? And how intensive is it? Is it worse or the same as changing the alternator? It looks pretty simple since it is right there, maybe a few things blocking it like rad hoses but I think it will be a fairly simple removal and replacement. I have attached the link to the video I took let me know what you think. Basically you hear a ?whining? noise whenever I put pressure on the steering wheel and then it stops when I release it.

Thanks for the help.
Eric


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK7NDvuh5F8&feature=player_profilepage

That sounds more like a belt. I would check that first.

Changing out the pump is not that bad. I can be messy.

i just changed the belts about 2 months ago but ill check if they are tight still. I think im going to flush the power steering fluid as well. Then ill change the pump if nothing works... thanks ill let you know what happens.

The pump is an easy replacement but before you replace it verify that your fluid level is correct. If your fluid is slightly low it will suck air and produce the sound you are describing. If it has gotten very low you will want to bleed the system and check fluid level afterwards. To bleed the system you will need to raise the front wheels off the ground and turn the steering from lock to lock several times with the motor off. If this doesn't solve your problem check belt tension, if that is satisfactory then you need a pump.

Thanks i replaced most of the fluid by what i would call a temporary flush... I took out some fluid which was very dark red (you couldn't see through it) and then kept replacing it with new then turned on the car and moved the wheels back and fourth and repeated... now the fluid is very clean coming out and you can see through it. Also the sound is nearly gone. If you were not looking to hear the sound you wouldn't even notice it. so i think im good now! Thanks for the help guys!

I replaced most of my fluid with Lucas Power Steering leak and a turkey baster... (very ghetto), whinning sound went away but it has become hard to turn the wheel when idling and standing still lately.

Rock Auto sells this:

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1787108

which is a reman'd pump... (most of em are apparently) or a seal kit but from what I can figure the impeller blades are wore down hence not pressure at idle. I will replace mine with one of these along with a new Alt in the summer (If it'll last that long).

Gotta remove the belt pulley bracket and loosen the mounting bolts through the big holes in the pulley. Loosen the pulley bolt BEFORE removing anything. I guess there is a special tool that is used to take off the hose connections to the pump? Anyone hear about that?

Most importantly, replace the turkey baster before thanksgiving comes. I didn't and told my wife it had a hole in it so I could get dessert!

Actually i replaced the fluid which got rid of the problem... but i do have a slow leak in the hoses... I will take a look, but i hope there isnt a special tool to replace them. Either way i think that is part of my problem and i plan on changing the hoses out sometime in the spring because working on the truck in the cold $ucks...

No special tool you will be allset I had to do my pump earlier in the week and did it with basic tools.

There is a slightly better solution than a turkey baster too...try looking for a little cheap plastic hand pump that screws on to quart size lube bottles. I have one I use with gear oil bottles since you rarely get them tilted the way you need them to be to get any or all of the fluid out. It has been very useful for sucking fluids out of resevoirs too as it has a piece of plastic tubing on the end that goes in the bottle. I add a longer piece of tubing on to the end that was intended to go in the lube bottle when i use it to remove old/unwanted fluid(s).