Power steering fluid / reservoir question.

[bungz]

Hello

I have a 1.8 TDCI Mondeo Mk4 that had a new power steering pump fitted about a year ago. The originals are known to be rubbish so that in itself is not unusual.

What is happening lately however is after driving I am sometimes finding the power steering pump is again making a whining sound. On inspection of the reservoir the fluid level seems to have risen and the fluid seems a little aerated? It is also very turbulent in the reservoir like a whirlpool, not sure if that is adding to the problem!


Fluid does not look contaminated and if I leave the car to rest it goes back to normal and the whine goes away...

Any ideas?

[TooMany2cvs]

Sounds like it's sucking air in, and foaming - which is why the level looks high.

Think I'd be starting with the pipe from reservoir to pump. Everything else is likely to be leaking out, rather than sucking in.

[bungz]

I have suspicion the join at bottom of res is sound enough not to let fluid out but might not be so great not to pull air in now I have seen how turbulent the fluid is in the res.

Thanks.

[E-bmw]

More likely to be a relief valve stuck open making the pump fluid return to the reservoir constantly.

[227bhp]

Sounds quite normal to me.

[bungz]

E-bmw said:

More likely to be a relief valve stuck open making the pump fluid return to the reservoir constantly.

Should it not because mine obviously is? It's like a whirlpool.

My old mans car is the same model but cant compare till next week.

[harlowhammer]

More likely the seals on the steering rack failing and clogging the filter in the reservoir. Well known problem on the mk4 mondy

[bungz]

harlowhammer said:

More likely the seals on the steering rack failing and clogging the filter in the reservoir. Well known problem on the mk4 mondy

Am beginning to suspect the rack. I am going to drain and redo the res connections this week hopefully. Might just buy a new res after seeing how they clog.

I have a on going problem with the car being aligned perfectly yet wanting to turn right (against camber!) and with no obvious tyre wear.

I cannot find any play in the bushes on the arms or the track rod ends, it all looks like it should and I get no knocks or odd vibrations when driving just the car is always wanting to go right. Other than that it rides perfectly!

Could this be a sign of a problem with the rack?

Edited by bungz on Monday 11th June 10:03

[bungz]

Pretty certain it is the rack now.

The whirring came and went on my 25 mile commute this morning. When parked up and holding the wheel right (mid turn not to the stop) I can hear a whooshing coming from the pedal box area, doesn't do it so much on the left turn. Held it mid right turn and low and behold the whirring came back. So that's the cause.

Great another couple of hundred to get a refurb rack.

What next

[Matthew Dawood Khaghani]

What happened in the end?