Power Steering noise

[denjil]

Hi all,


I had my land cruiser at a body shop for about a week... and when driving off I noticed that the steering made a low humming noise when I steered when stationery..

The noise now has increased and light resistance and very small vibration can be felt from the steering wheel only when turning when stationery… while driving works normally.

Power steering fluid is full… but oil has small bubbles when checked after turning the wheel.

Also tried to turn the wheels with the reservoir open and oil bubbled out... (don't know if this is normal)

To bleed the system I will have to jack the land cruiser, leave it idle and after some time turn it from lock to lock right?

The steering was fine when I last used it before entering the body shop and only sprayed front bumper and drivers side plastic arches.. What could cause this problem please?

Steering rack bushes have just been replaced with new ones.

Thanks,
Daniel

 

[Chris]

Yes that is the correct bleeding procedure. As to what's caused this, I really have no idea unless the body shop have had an issue and not told you about it.

 

[clivehorridge]

The cause is air getting into the system, but as you have confirmed the fluid level is OK, it’s unlikely that fluid level is an issue.

Alternatively, it sounds as though it is being drawn in past a leaking seal or a ruptured pipe or if someone has disconnected a pipe and reconnected it allowing air to get in.

A leaking seal or ruptured (solid or flexi) pipe would most likely spew fluid out, so if there’s no sign of a fluid leak, I would suspect that a pipe has been disconnected and reconnected letting sit in (as Chris has implied) may be the case at the body shop.

 

[denjil]

thanks for the help guys. So bleeding the system should stop this issue? And, with the reservoir open, is it normal that oil bubbles out?

I have owned this for four years and never had a problem... only recently I changed the dump pipe which is now close to the steering rod.... could the PS fluid have got too hot from the dump pipe causing air in the system? Just a thought... but I have been using it with this dump pipe for a month and only got this problem after I got it from the body shop.

 

[clivehorridge]

PS fluid does heat up in any event, but it’s designed not to be excessive. An external heat source may affect this but not because the “steering rod” is close to the dump pipe, it would need to be heating the rack or hoses/pipes feeding the rack.

If you don’t have leaks, then the system should self-bleed with use, how long this will take will depend on use.

Normally, the fluid will only swirl in the reservoir, hence the baffles under the cap to stop it splashing out through the cap vents. But with air in the system, youll probably get bubbles until it bleeds them through.

 

[denjil]

Thanks Clive.

Also forgot to mention that recently.. about 2 months ago along with the dump pipe my mechanic had replaced all the belts.. could a loose p/s belt have this effect?

 

[clivehorridge]

Thanks Clive.

Also forgot to mention that recently.. about 2 months ago along with the dump pipe my mechanic had replaced all the belts.. could a loose p/s belt have this effect?

I don’t see how it could mate, but others may have more knowledge of the 90 set-up, I’m speaking from my experiences on my 80, which to the extent of my posts I think would be the same.

The 80 has a steering box, not a rack, but otherwise the issues would be the same in principle, IMO.

 

[MarkW]

On the 90 the 1KZ pump is gear driven, not sure on the later engine or petrol

 

[StarCruiser]

Air in any hydraulic system such as this will cause frothing in fluid in the reservoir until it is bled. Depending in what you had done at the body shop there are pipes that run along the front that perhaps may have been disconnected allowing air in. The process you have described is straightforward and will get rid of most of the air. If it splashes keep the lid on but monitor the level every couple of turns of the wheel to make sure it is still above the minimum mark. The noise should diminish as the air is expelled.

 

[Shayne]

It's just a loop of fluid in and fluid out and with the reservoir at the top it will self bleed , Lock to lock is just to get the fluid in there . Check fluid levels for the next few days and i bet the noise goes away .

While the steering is in mind it can do no harm to add some of this or similar just to give your seals a new lease on life because with the age of our 90's a fair number of racks end up being replaced because we didn't notice a leaking seal soon enough .

https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/...MIj9mp_K232gIVyW4bCh0z2AAIEAQYASABEgJTX_D_BwE

 

[diggerdave]

I agree with Shayne about adding stuff. I had awful groans (but no other symptoms) after a replacement second-hand rack was fitted with new fluid. The groaning just wouldn't go despite bleeding it by turning lock-to-lock on gravel (some say use shiny magazines under the wheels to ease turning), cap on or cap off. I was beginning to fear the worst.

In the end adding stop leak fluid sorted it (I used Lucas brand). Most of the 'stop leak' products also claim to stop creaks and groans, and sometimes 'notchiness' or 'tightness'. I don't know how they do it but it worked for me.

I just sucked the PS fluid out of the reservoir with a turkey baster and replaced with the Lucas stuff, which is thick and gloopy, turned it lock-to-lock a few times and repeated till I'd used all the Lucas stuff. No more groans and that was a couple of years ago.

 

[StarCruiser]

Any groans from Mrs Digger after her best turkey baster now had a slightly red tinge?

 

[clivehorridge]

Smells like fish, tastes like chicken




(Who said that?)

 

[diggerdave]

You know sometimes, when you read back what you wrote...?
Anyway, no more tightness or groaning after squirting the thick, gloopy stuff out of the turkey baster

 

[Shayne]

Let me get this straight - you swapped tightness and groaning for nagging and moaning ?

 

[denjil]

So this morning, we tried bleeding the system.. but as soon as I start the engine the fluid would just bubble out and it was impossible..
We took the reservoir out.. the mesh filter on the bottom was really dirty so we cleaned it with thinner..seems like it was blocking oil to the pump. When we installed the cleaned reservoir and put new oil and started the engine the fluid did not bubble out.. but the oil in the rack was so dirty that we took the oil out again and put new oil in again...

After some time with the engine running and turning lock to lock the noise went away.. problem solved.

Thanks for the help

 

[Shayne]

Thanks for sharing that denjil its the first time i have heard the mesh mentioned on the forum so your fix might help the next fella with a similar problem which ultimately is what its all about

 

[clivehorridge]

Can’t beat a bit of fluid exchange...

A truck THAT clean should have clean PS fluid

Nice one, that’s why we like photos...

 

[diggerdave]

Let me get this straight - you swapped tightness and groaning for nagging and moaning ?

Like most blokes, I'd do anything for a nice rack.

 

[StarCruiser]

Well done Den and thanks for posting the fix. I too had no idea there was a gauze in the reservoir. It doesn’t sound good that it was dirty, dirt is really your enemy in any hydraulic system. I hope it is the end of your problems but don’t be surprised if the dirt in the system causes pump or rack wear over time. Hopefully you’ve got it out but nothing short of stripping and polishing everything including the pipes will rid it totally of any particles. I have my fingers crossed for you.

That is one cracking looking truck I have to say.