Power steering pump - update?

[jameswkr]

I have STFA. Does anyone have any recent experience of new/recon pump prices please ? Mine has always made a clackety noise but its now REALLY loud and I had a strange start up the other day after some very heavy rain blowing into the front of the car ; no PAS. I opened the bonet expecting to see a broken belt but all was fine on restart.

[Rusty]

Have you tried some WD40 on the belt

Last time I checked they were £300 ish exchange. Better to get one from a car being broken (spink?)

[jameswkr]

Thanks Andy. This is a "bag of nails" noise rather than belt "squeal" - should I try WD40 anyway ?

[Rusty]

Bag of nails = belt a lot of the time, very much BTDT with this one, just a little squirt can cure the exact noise you describe (tumble drier full of ballbearings?)

[Phil Payne]

Does http://www.isham-research.co.uk/quat...ulic_pump.html not apply?

The noise, BTW, is quite often the high-pressure hose - it has a constrictor in it.

[jameswkr]

Thanks. Will give it a squirt.... the pump is not leaking, so dont want to disassemble.

Does the pump continue working despite the noise or do they eventually fail?

[Phil Payne]

I really have been most dilatory in putting pictures up on the site.

Anyway, this pump is off a 20V urq - the front portion is wrapped in the rag at the top right - that's the metal-to-metal seal you have to be careful about. The back end is at the bottom, split to reveal the ******* Seal from Hell, which actually a doozie. Although it's rotationally symmetrical, there IS a right way up.

[Trist28]

All the S2s Ive owned have had the noisey belt, sounds like knackered tensioner bearings. I had the same and was worried, an old school mechanic said belt, I said no way is that belt noise, he sprayed some WD40 - noise gone!! The WD40 trick works but only for a short amount of time, sometimes just tightening the belt fixes it. Changing the belt is a fairly easy job.

[jameswkr]

I suggest this thread be anotated and made a "sticky". Two shots of WD and the noise vanished! I expect something else will jump up and bite, but right now I am really amazed and happy....