Hey all, it's been a while since I've posted. Been a crazy few months. Anyway, for the past 3+ months or so, I've been hearing a very odd noise from my engine bay (passenger side). Basically, the noise has been consistent on start up and whenever idling. I have about 84,000 miles on my 05. I know I've hit that 7 year mark and it's time to do the Timing Belt service. Was planning on doing it but several things have come up since (aka torn ACL) which has put everything on pause. Any advice or insight would be really appreciated. I'm hesitant to take it to the stealership, but I think I might just have to if I don't have any idea of what it may be.

I've included a link to the video I took trying to capture the noise. You'll notice it right around the 7 second mark.


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sounds kinda like the power steering pump oring

 

It does sound similar, the only thing is that the noise doesn't necessarily occur when I'm moving the steering wheel around. The noise occurs any time at idle, driving, accelerating. I actually had the o-ring replaced on the power steering pump because it used to leak fluid. That problem hasn't occurred since.

 

Whoa! Noticing more PS threads popping up I decided to go ahead and check mine to see if it had bubbles in my reservoir, and I noticed a slight small noise not as stated above but every time I turned there was a grinding sound.

Come to find out, I have air bubbles in my reservoir
Plan to get a quote how much it would cost to replace all O-rings in the PS pump(6 total I believe) DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE?.

When I checked there is dried power steering fluid all over the PS pump itself but it wasnt like when I got my valve adjustment at the dealer,which makes me believe its getting on my accessory/drive belt which looks brown and it started after. I havent replaced the drive belt yet, even though I already did the timing belt waterpump.

I am a bad owner.

 

I had the same issue, and it turned out to be a simple fix that I found here on Azine. The new oring cost 78 cents from the dealership. The entire fix took only 5 minutes.

All I had to do was cover the belt and pulley with paper towel and disconnects the hose highlighted in the picture. Pop out the old ring and in with the new, plug hose back on and good as new.

 

Not for nothing but check your ps fluid level. The entire pump looks black "Wet" like it's leaking fluid. It may very well be a bad pump.

 

Checked and its low on PS fluid, DAMNIT!!

Here are photos:



I also called a few Honda/Acura indie shops(3 to be exact), more bad news. Was told that they will not recommend taking apart the PS pump to replace all O-rings.

REASON: 1st shop)the PS pump will warp? 2nd) will create more damage than resolving the issue 3) You need a new pump. We can't rebuild a PS pump.PERIOD.
And that replacing all O-rings is a temporary fix which would last 5-6mos. at most and the problem would return.

I'm thinking but what if its just the one O-ring where the hose connects to the PS Pump(forgot if its the inlet or outlet side from what the tech told me) They said I wouldnt recommend spending that money on replacing all O rings since its "temporary and we have worked on many TL's with this issue" so "we recommend replacing the whole assembly and was quoted ($400-500) from all three reputable indie shops.

What a load a bull, since I dont have any tools to perform this on my own. I rent a room out with my older cousin home who doesnt have any tools in his garage and I dont know of any friends who would have any either(live on their own/apt).

Not sure what to do, unless I buy just the one tool needed to take the bolt off the hose, just to fix the bubbles issue(low on fluid) and worry about the leaking in other areas later.

 

seriously, go buy yourself a 10mm socket and 3/8" socket wrench (or even a set from harbor freight if you have one nearby) and just try the main o-ring solution first. you never know.

 

That is my only option now since the Indie shops wont help me. As much as I want to become more mechanically inclined, I feel that I will get whatever small amount of fluid on other parts when I disconnect the hose. Which I know I will heavily protect all pulleys/tensioner and drive belt.

its seems easy enough especially with the easy DIY. but I really would have liked all to be replaced since the PS fluid might be seeping out of the other bolts on the PS pump.

Will attempt to change it. And wipe off the areas that have the dried fluid and watch it to find out where the other leaks are coming from. Wonder if heat has anything to do with it, in San Diego its a none stop heat wave or 85-95 degrees. My car sits in he sun on the drive way so with the engine being hot, the fan is constantly on so when I check the reservoir the bubbles were coming up like crazy.

 

Any thoughts on the original video that I posted? Definitely doesn't sound like the noise is triggered by the moving of the steering wheel and the noise isn't coming from the power steering pump area. Any other ideas?

 

One way to find out is to take off the drive belt (something you should probably do if you dont want to get fluid on it, for MandoTL) and start the car. if the noise is gone, it's related to whatever the drive belt spins: tensioner, compressor wheel, power steering pump, or alternator (unlikely, they're pretty trouble free). If the noise is still there, only things spinning on that end are the timing belt, cams, water pump, and tensioners/idler pulleys. How many miles on the car?

it's easy as getting a wrench on the auto tensioner and pushing it back to relieve tension and then slip off the belt. Look it up in the 105k DIY thread.

Figuring out the pattern to put it back on isn't rocket science either. I did it without diagrams. Obviously ribbed pulleys use the ribbed side of the belt, smooth pulleys (i.e. tensioner) use the smooth side.

edit: nvm on the miles, it's in the OP.

honestly from the video it sounds like metal on metal tapping from vibration vs. a worn pulley or something spinning. next time rev the engine. If the noise gets faster, maybe it might be pulley related. if it goes away altogether i think it's something loose or metal on metal tapping.

 

Definitely will try this this weekend, thanks so much for the advice man. I already tried to rev it to see if the sound gets louder but the sound actually completely goes away

 

also, just take a peek in the steering fluid reservoir when the engine is running to see if it's foaming. that's an easy check for a leaky steering fluid pump

 

I stated that above already. lol
I started it up, moved the steering wheel side to side a few times, checked the reservoir and since it was a hot day and my fans are constantly on so hot air was seeping into the hose creating a lot tiny air bubbles. Actually I thought I lost fluid but its at full, the first time I check I was at a slight incline due to the driveway side.

I moved the car to the other side of the drive way(much more flat) and I have plenty of fluid but just have the annoying bubbles. So the 10mm and 3/8socket wrench was a FAIL!! the 10mm socket when attached to the socket wrench is too bulky and not enough clearance area due to the Timing Belt cover.

Bought a kit from harbor freight, but looks like I will need an extension and a swivel 10mm socket to pull it off. Or find a 10mm wrench that might be easier too.

 

A standard 10 mm combo-box end wrench is perfect-- small and easy to use. The angled box end worked best.
A set of decent metric combo wrenches is $15-$20, if you don't want to buy just one wrench. A short 10 mm combo-box end wrench would be better for this job, but more expensive.

Majofo started a long multipage thread on AZ about the PS squeal and replacement of the O-ring that has photos and describes the whole [5-10 minute] process.

 

This is because as the engine bay warms, the o-ring currently in place expands and thus the noise stops. This is why its more likely to happen on a cold start/on a cold day.

A simple socket/wrench set will do the trick. I drove to my local Acura dealership, and they literally handed the o-ring over to me for free, as its like 50 cents..... Took me maybe 10-15 minutes to put it in? Was really simple.

p.s.- this was on my first '04 TL, not my new one, :-D

 

I'm pretty sure I can return whatever I purchase, I will definitely return the kit I bought as I dont need the tools. My dad has seriously thousands of tools at home, so when I go home I will take some and have them handy, so I will be willing to pay for a decent combo-box end wrench or just a normal metric combo than return it when I'm done.

It just needs to have an angle of course since the PS pump pulley will get in the way. But just from the video alone it seems very easy, I already bought the O-ring cost me $3 bucks. Which is way too much but given that it will help reduce the likely hood of a failing PS pump. I was willing to pay it.

 

Did you or anyone else find out what is was? My car has been making this sound for about 2 months now and its random.

 

I replaced all the o-rings and seals inside my PS pump. I first replaced the o-ring, than went home and uncle did the full o-ring/seal overhaul of my pump.

Total parts is like $20bucks for 6 rings & o-ring which is a small price to pay.

My power steering is no longer leaking, or making any sort of whining sound at all, its been very quiet for nearly 10mos. My pump had intermittent noises from there depending on weather, but culprit was a very brittle, dry internal seal was letting fluid leak and create the noise.