Steering squeals when cold - only in one direction

[Ozz]

Greetings,
Now that the weather is getting cooler here in Michigan, I have noticed an issue that started last spring before it got warm. When I get in the car in the morning and start out, the steering makes noise when I turn the wheel - but only in one direction (can't remember which off hand)... It's a low volume squeal. Not as loud as a belt squeal but more like a high pitched 'sigh'.... it aligns perfectly with steering input - but only in one direction.

Any idea what could be causing this? Is my steering pump on it's way out or is it something else?

The noise goes away a few minutes into the drive.

Thanks.

[LeoVampire]

Greetings,
Now that the weather is getting cooler here in Michigan, I have noticed an issue that started last spring before it got warm. When I get in the car in the morning and start out, the steering makes noise when I turn the wheel - but only in one direction (can't remember which off hand)... It's a low volume squeal. Not as loud as a belt squeal but more like a high pitched 'sigh'.... it aligns perfectly with steering input - but only in one direction.

Any idea what could be causing this? Is my steering pump on it's way out or is it something else?

The noise goes away a few minutes into the drive.

Thanks.

There is a deverter flow valve that might be sticking on you. Just a guess.
But they are usualy located inside of the rack and pinion unit and I have not rebuilt one before but I do know there is a seal kit you can get for them to fix the problems that come up like that or the end seals leaking fluid or both.

How long has it been since the fuild has been changed out in the system? It might be a good idea as the force stearing to one extream to the other in working the air bubles out might free up the valve with the fluid change if there is gunk built up around it. It can swell the seal area and make it stick. This is a good reason to flush out the system every other year just like you should flush out the brake fluid to reduce ware or flow problems.

[Got_1]

if a valve internal to the rack was sticking i think you'd be able to feel it in the wheel (stiffness...etc) sounds more like a seizing ball joint or tie rod.

[LeoVampire]

if a valve internal to the rack was sticking i think you'd be able to feel it in the wheel (stiffness...etc) sounds more like a seizing ball joint or tie rod.

For it to be a suspension and or stearing part with ball type joints the problem would happen no matter what way you turn the stearing it would always put pressure on the power stearing system and cause some noise.

This valve deverts power from one side of the rack to the other for turning right and left assist. If the valve is hanging up it will fight the flow of presurized fliud and cause a noise as well as fight your turn in one direction or the other depending on where it is sticking inside of the rack fluid flow hole's. The long tube that goes from one side of the rack to the other is what delivers the flow for the reverse turn the flow to it is stoped by the valve when you turn in the oposit direction.

Think of the old cars when they had the extrenal piston assist for power stearing that looked like a shock absorber there is a valve you can see that connects hoses to the piston assist that deverts fluid flow infront of and behind the piston inside of it. The rack and pinion works the same way just less bulky with a better responce time and better assist.

[Ozz]

Thanks for the replies!

I've never changed the PS fluid in the Marauder.

I found the flush instructions and it appears that I need Mercon.. about how much will it take (I need to dump 4 Qts from the transmission and refill while I'm under there the next time anyway)?

Is there any additive, etc that I can add to free up any sticking parts?

As for the 'diverter valve', can it be changed without removing the steering gear from the car?

Thanks,
Neil

[LeoVampire]

Thanks for the replies!

I've never changed the PS fluid in the Marauder.

I found the flush instructions and it appears that I need Mercon.. about how much will it take (I need to dump 4 Qts from the transmission and refill while I'm under there the next time anyway)?

Is there any additive, etc that I can add to free up any sticking parts?

As for the 'diverter valve', can it be changed without removing the steering gear from the car?

Thanks,
Neil

When I flush anything out I usualy don't worry about how much fluid it takes as long as when the job done the fluid is the same color as what was in the bottles from the start. When I flushed the brake fluid I went through 2.5 of the tall containers to get all of the old stuff out.

I think I went through 4 quart bottles of high temp power stearing fluid flushing that part of the system out compleatly. Unfortunatly the rack and pinion would have to come out if you ended up replacing the seals on the valve.

But there is a 50/50 chance that you might free it up with the flushing and then forcing the air bubbles out of the sysytem by working the stearing wheel back and forth over and over again with the engine running after getting all new fluid into it. If it dosn't free it up the first time then do it one more time a lot cheaper getting the extra fluid needed than rebuilding and or replacing the rack.