My Silverado has had a slight power steering whine when turning to the left ever since I got it a year ago. A couple weeks ago, I added some Sea Foam Trans Tune to the reservoir, flushed, and refilled with Valvoline Synpower p/s fluid. I was hoping that this would eliminate the whine when turning left but, if anything, it seems to have gotten a little worse! Anyone have any suggestions as to what needs to be done to eliminate this noise?
'02 Silverado power steering whine
- Thread starter rspoden
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If the whine is caused by a lack of fluid flow, flush it again with a thinner PSF like Redline.
If the whine is caused by worn tired pump, flush it again with a thicker PSF like RoyalPurple.
Another option is to siphon the reservoir dry again, toss in a bottle of Lubegard treatment and top off with the Synpower that your using.
How long did you run the Transtune?
A new pump thats less noisy is a fix too!
If the whine is caused by worn tired pump, flush it again with a thicker PSF like RoyalPurple.
Another option is to siphon the reservoir dry again, toss in a bottle of Lubegard treatment and top off with the Synpower that your using.
How long did you run the Transtune?
A new pump thats less noisy is a fix too!
I ran the Transtune through for a half hour like it says to do on the bottle. Any ideas as to how I can determine if my whine is caused by lack of fluid flow or a worn pump? I'm afraid that replacing the pump is going to be the only fix but I would like to explore my options before going that route.
I have had 4 oz of trans tune in my PS and didn't drain it. It has helped pushed my $1700 bill for the rack a little further aways!!!
Nope, no ideas. Flush with Redline or Royalpurple and run it for a few months.
If one doesn't work, flush with the other.
If neither worked, upgrade the stereo
Because of your location, I'd try the thicker RP 1st.
Another issue that I've seen is clogged screens. If your pump reservoir has a screen, make sure its clear.
I agree that Seafoam needs to be used longer. Unless it was at a very high concentration, I doubt that 1/2 hour would've helped much. Since it thins the fluid, you also want to make sure all of it is removed.
You didn't explain how you flushed your fluid. I find that PS systems are easy to maintain. Some people confuse flushes with partial drains.
If one doesn't work, flush with the other.
If neither worked, upgrade the stereo
Because of your location, I'd try the thicker RP 1st.
Another issue that I've seen is clogged screens. If your pump reservoir has a screen, make sure its clear.
I agree that Seafoam needs to be used longer. Unless it was at a very high concentration, I doubt that 1/2 hour would've helped much. Since it thins the fluid, you also want to make sure all of it is removed.
You didn't explain how you flushed your fluid. I find that PS systems are easy to maintain. Some people confuse flushes with partial drains.
I did a full flush by putting the front end on jacks, disconnecting the return line, turning the wheel back and forth, and refilling the reservoir as needed. I didn't see a screen in the reservoir. Maybe I was looking for it in the wrong place?
I guess I should have left the Seafoam in longer before flushing? I didn't want to risk damaging anything so I was afraid to leave it in any longer.
I can live with just turning the stereo up a little louder to cover up the noise but getting my wife to go along with that plan could be a little tricky. At this point, she's convinced that I messed up "her" truck!
I guess I should have left the Seafoam in longer before flushing? I didn't want to risk damaging anything so I was afraid to leave it in any longer.
I can live with just turning the stereo up a little louder to cover up the noise but getting my wife to go along with that plan could be a little tricky. At this point, she's convinced that I messed up "her" truck!
My first semi-truck tractor had manual steering. Low-speed maneuvers required massive amounts of "power steering" provided by arm muscles. A couple years of that made me resemble Popeye.... a Popeye with a Bluto belly.
Just use the pump until it dies then use tham arm muscles. Build you up quick. Attain that rarity-in-real-life, the ability to deliver a one punch knock-out blow.
After building up those arms slap a new pump on the critter and resume your near-effortless steering.
Just use the pump until it dies then use tham arm muscles. Build you up quick. Attain that rarity-in-real-life, the ability to deliver a one punch knock-out blow.
After building up those arms slap a new pump on the critter and resume your near-effortless steering.
Whoa Nelly...! My '03 Sierra bought new now with 99k does "exactly" the same thing !!
It didn't do it with the original GM fluid in it, then I began reading here that quite a lot of people swap out with new on occasion.
Sooo, last summer, I sucked out as much as possible, and filled it up with Val. Synpower. Waited a week, sucked it out again and filled with Synpower.
A short while after that, it started the EXACT same thing you're experiencing. I think it's the Synpower !!!
Synpower =
So, I will take the advise of BITOG'ers and get some RP and do about the same thing.
Anyone know where I can get some RP ??
It didn't do it with the original GM fluid in it, then I began reading here that quite a lot of people swap out with new on occasion.
Sooo, last summer, I sucked out as much as possible, and filled it up with Val. Synpower. Waited a week, sucked it out again and filled with Synpower.
A short while after that, it started the EXACT same thing you're experiencing. I think it's the Synpower !!!
Synpower =
So, I will take the advise of BITOG'ers and get some RP and do about the same thing.
Anyone know where I can get some RP ??
RoyalPurple is available at Napa, Pepboys, Oreillys, and online. If not in stock, stores carrying any RP products can usually order the MazEz.
Some of the speed and 4x4 shops carry boutique fluids. Yellow pages is your friend. So is the 'locater' on the RP website.
Some of the speed and 4x4 shops carry boutique fluids. Yellow pages is your friend. So is the 'locater' on the RP website.
OK, looks like I'll be making a trip to NAPA this weekend to pick up some RP. I've got to try something... Telling my wife to live with it and just use her arm muscles would surely have me on a fast track to the doghouse!!!
Thanks for all of the advice guys. I'll repost when I have results...
Thanks for all of the advice guys. I'll repost when I have results...
My '02 Sierra Denali is doing it too. It screams but only on cold startup, then the noise dies out. Now that I think of it, when the fluid level was low before the noise started, I topped it off with Synpower, I wonder.
I have an update, sort of... I went to Pep Boys, NAPA, Auto Zone, & O'Reilly over the weekend looking for RP power steering fluid. None of them carried it. It looks like I'll have to find it online. If anyone has any site recommendations, I'm all ears. Thanks.
I'd be real interested in what oyu guys find. My 04 is needing a PS fluid change and i nearly bought Synpower for it.
For you guys in colder climates, GM has special PS fluid for better cold weather performance. Part number 12345867 for a qt. Its only been out for a year or so. I used some in my plow truck and noticed better steering in the cold.
GM uses a power steering fluid (not ATF) so if you mix other fluids with it, it will become contaminated and it could make noise or reduce performance. Also, the only way to remove all the old fluid is by flushing, empting the reservoir may never remove all of the old fluid, you will just be diluting what you put in there and wasting your time and money. If the old fluid is bad, then the new fluid will still be no good. Do it right the first time.
GM uses a power steering fluid (not ATF) so if you mix other fluids with it, it will become contaminated and it could make noise or reduce performance. Also, the only way to remove all the old fluid is by flushing, empting the reservoir may never remove all of the old fluid, you will just be diluting what you put in there and wasting your time and money. If the old fluid is bad, then the new fluid will still be no good. Do it right the first time.
Since finding Royal Purple has been a royal pain, I'm going to take Mike's advice, and try some GM 12345867. I know that GM referring to something as "cold weather fluid" is their way of saying synthetic, so I trust that it's good stuff. It ought to be for what they charge for it! I'll post results once it arrives and I've had a chance to try it out.
I finally received my GM "cold-climate p/s fluid" 12345867 and put it in my Silverado over the weekend. I noticed that it says on the bottle that it's semi-synthetic, not full-synthetic, as I had hoped.
I disconnected the return line to the reservoir and did another full flush. I couldn't believe how dirty the Synpower was that I flushed out. It had only been in there for a month and it was already dark brown. Either my first flush was insufficient or a second flush was needed to complete the process.
After putting in the GM 12345867, I'm happy to report that my steering is now silky smooth and my pump is quiet as a mouse. The results were instant.
I can not say if the noise my truck was making would have gone away had I done a second flush with Synpower. I'll also never know if just flushing with the GM fluid in the first place would have been sufficient. All I know is that my truck is very happy with the GM fluid and I'll be sticking with it from now on in all of my GM vehicles.
I disconnected the return line to the reservoir and did another full flush. I couldn't believe how dirty the Synpower was that I flushed out. It had only been in there for a month and it was already dark brown. Either my first flush was insufficient or a second flush was needed to complete the process.
After putting in the GM 12345867, I'm happy to report that my steering is now silky smooth and my pump is quiet as a mouse. The results were instant.
I can not say if the noise my truck was making would have gone away had I done a second flush with Synpower. I'll also never know if just flushing with the GM fluid in the first place would have been sufficient. All I know is that my truck is very happy with the GM fluid and I'll be sticking with it from now on in all of my GM vehicles.
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