Whats up Acurazine.
I'm pretty sure my power steering pump is about to give way soon. It is constantly whining whenever I turn the wheel, little or all the way. I flushed it and filled it, and replaced an O-ring but still sounds the same.
Also don't believe the pump has ever been replaced, but the car is 10 years old. Any tips on how to go about replacing it?

 

probably the easiest way to go about this is to go buy one, remove the old one and put the new one in. unless im completely wrong on this.....

 

Ouch...why even reply? Hang in there DannyDee, I'm sure you will get a more legitimate answer soon.

 

LOL calllllmm dowwwnnn just playin' around. but really, thats what needs to be done. there are no real tips to do it, pull it out, only a few bolts on it, just a bit tight and put the new one in and make sure you torque the belt right but not too much.

 

before replacing it, I must ask, did you flush it with Honda/Acura fluid or something else? Non-honda/acura fluid can cause this.

And yes, Cdn_rider is pretty much right, replacing the pump is VERY easy since it's right there on top. Slip the belt off, undo the hoses, undo 3 nuts/bolts, pump is totally free, then swap the pulley over to the new pump and then install is opposite of removal. Remember to burp the system with your new Honda/Acura fluid by turning lock to lock several times.

Lets just hope you won't need a new rack, those are a BITCH to replace.

 

Air in the system will cause whining.

 

Was the pump making the noise prior to flushing and replacing the o-ring ? Was Honda PS fluid used to replenish the system ?

Make sure that the air is purged from the system by turning the steering wheel fully locked each way several times. If you still have the noise, check the belt's alignment and tension. Lastly a pressure test of the unit can determine rather the pump is faulty or not. It may have internal damage and require rebuilding or replacement.

 

Also, if you do need to replace the pump, RockAuto has some really competitive prices on A-1 Cardone pumps (I have one right now) and are much cheaper than OEM.

 

Thanks guys. I do not think there is a leak causing air in the system because there are no bubbles in the pump. Also, my steering is not being affected. My old car's power steering went bad but it was because the steering got incredibly stiff to where I couldn't leave my house. So I had it replaced.
So now I'm thinking if my TL is just making a whining noise......?

And when I flushed it I just put in top name brand from the local auto store.. was that a bad decision??

 

Yes, Honda fluid is specifically for our power steering systems. I learned the hard way and my pump was making that noise too. My rack ended up bad also, so I replaced both and used honda fluid only. No problems since.

 

Thanks. Should I go to the dealership or is it cheaper somewhere online?

 

I haven't found any dealerships that sell fluid online, but I believe amazon works. Not much cheaper than the local dealerships.



Here's a memo about why to use only Honda/Acura fluid


http://my.cardone.com/techdocs/PT%2020-0027.pdf

 

Thanks man. Gonna get that done this weekend. Noticed in the previous posts people were saying to tighten the belt.. turn the wheel both ways all the way.. etc.
What are the proper steps to do when I replace the fluid?

 

do you see bubble/foam in the ps reservior ??

 

You MUST use Honda fluid and I would get my pump from Honda as well. I know, I know it's $$$. You also have to change the tank too. Sounds silly but it made a difference on mine. I've NEVER had good luck with A1-cardone ANYTHING. Just my 2 cents......

 

I'm almost a year on my A-1 Cardone pump and rack and haven't had any issues so far.

But yes +1 on replacing the reservoir, they aren't that expensive.

 

I believe you can disable the ignition by pulling the fuel pump fuse from the driver's side fuse box.