Noisy Power Steering Pump

I hear a noise in my power steering pump. The sound isn’t necessarily there when I start my truck, but it starts erratically, until it is fairly steady. It is a low frequency growling, rather than the higher frequency sound an idler pulley makes when it starts to go out. I can feel the vibration when I put my hand on the pump, while there is no vibration on any parts around the pump.


A new pump from Toyota is out of my price range. I could buy a rebuild kit, but that only includes gaskets and seal, not any mechanical parts (ie bearings). I’d be concerned I’d open it up and find the parts I ordered weren’t the parts I needed, and I have no transportation other than this truck. Here are parts and prices I have found so far. Please share your thoughts and recommendations. If you have other options you recommend, please supply links, so I can find whatever you are looking at.

Rebuild kits:

EP-1395271 from Toyota Lexus European Parts LLC $13.99

SK534 $15.07

Edelmann 8797 $16.27

Toyota rebuild kit 04446-0W010 $60.20

Toyota bearing 90363-17013 $27.12

New pumps with lifetime warranty:

Ebay – Reddi Parts Group 21-5930 – new cast aluminum/steel -- $82.99

O’Reilly’s Auto Parts – remanufactured MasterPro 990-0207 – cast iron -- $133.99 + tax

Auto Zone – remanufactured Duralast 5685 – cast iron -- $116.99 + tax

 

So far, I'm probably leaning toward the Auto Zone Duralast, but I'm open to your opinions.

 

I went with O'Reilly...installing tomorrow

 

What does the fluid look like? Is it clean, fairly new or old, dark, and dirty? I would get 2 qts of ATF Dex IV and flush the the system first.

 

How do your lines look and do you notice your fluid level dropping? Could be a compressor line. It would explain the noise and strain from the pump due to air getting into the system.

 

Fernando, what makes the MasterPro worth the premium of the extra cost over the Duralast?

Taco TX, I flushed the fluid a year ago. It looks clean, with no change from what it looked like when I did the flush.

TJ, the lines look fine with no drop in fluid level. I haven't added any fluid since last year's flush. Wouldn't I see bubbles in the reservoir or fluid on the line if there was a leak? Could it possibly be caused by a dirty filter at the bottom of the reservoir? I didn't know it was there so didn't clean it when I did my flush. I bought an inline Magna-Pure filter to reduce the need for maintenance of that filter, but it just arrived today and hasn't been installed.

 

Honestly, its just the store I ended up at..I had tried Napa auto parts first but they did not have it in stock..I was gonna go used from the wrecking yard,but iI decided new would be better

 

Just be aware that new PS pumps typically do not include a new reservoir (that houses the infamous screen that gets plugged up, causing noises etc).

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but, with the exception of their batteries, I wouldn't carry anything out the door from an Auto Zone even it were free.

I like Advanced Auto or Bumper to Bumper for "brick and mortar" stores, Rock Auto for internet sales. But then again, that's just my opinion.

 

Different Autozone store can be different around here cheap parts at a cheap price!!!

I would not buy even a battery

 

There batteries are made by Johnson Controls, the same as Die hard, just a different label. I agree that the rest of there parts questionable, but also depends on the application and availability.

 

not so much the products just the help .

like I said some stores might be great.