Power Steering Pump Growl.. Big Time!

[90LS400Lexus]

Well, it finally happened... a possible power steering issue on my car. I had noticed an odd, but faint noise on the first startup of the day on cool mornings. Remember now, I only drive my car about twice a week. This morning was very cold for us - mid 20s when I left. When I started the car, the automatic starter made it normal noisy introduction, then it stopped, then a growl from the power steering pump reared its ugly head. I know it had to be the PS pump, because when I would turn the steering wheel, the noise got louder. I had to leave, so I let it warm up about 10 minutes and left. By the time the engine warmed to normal levels, the noise stopped. I am going to go out in a little while and check the fluid level. I am hoping its just low, but if it is, then that is disturbing because that means it has to be leaking, because it has not made this much noise before on a couple of other mornings when it was that cold. Also, there is a receipt in the glovebox where there was a power steering pump leak repaired about a year ago. I cannot tell that it is leaking anywhere near the pump, or underneath.

Can I pour regular power steering fluid in this car? Just wanting to be sure its not like a Honda and requires a special fluid.

Thanks.

[VMF]

i used regular autozone fluid for a flush but then i used toyota tranny fluid. would not use any other brand, price difference is not that big.

and from what i can remember it did say to use toyota tranny fluid only.

[TommyBoy72]

I am using Valvoline high mileage ATF. ATF seems to be the most common recommendation I have read online.

[90LS400Lexus]

Thanks. I will not be driving the car again until next Wednesday, so I will stop by the Toyota dealer and pick up some transmission fluid before then. I checked it when I got home from todays errands and it was down on the "cold" line, when the engine was "hot". There was no strange noises at that point. I just cannot figure out why it was low, unless it was low to start with and the cold made it go even lower, or some had evaporated. ??

[VMF]

are you sure it is not dripping?

the growl might be due to the air being in the system. top the tank and then keep the cap open. that should take care of the air in the system. no special bleeding procedure required.

[90LS400Lexus]

Nope, I have never seen any drips under this car- even when I leave it parked in the same spot for a week. I looked under too... nothing.

When I top the tank and leave the cap off - do I start it and let it run awhile like that, or keep the cap off for awhile even while driving?

I did discover that I think my motor mounts are bad.. which I will post in another thread.

are you sure it is not dripping?

the growl might be due to the air being in the system. top the tank and then keep the cap open. that should take care of the air in the system. no special bleeding procedure required.

[VMF]

top it off and let it run, but then just let the cap off but not when you are driving, but when the car is parked and engine is off:) e.g overnight:)

dont forge to put the cap back on before you start driving

[new2mud]

Nope, I have never seen any drips under this car- even when I leave it parked in the same spot for a week. I looked under too... nothing.

Sometimes an exterior leak only shows inside the underbelly pan and not on the ground...would be worth taking a few screws off and taking a peak in there on the PS side just behind the front wheel.

An internal leak (where the PS fluid is getting injected into the intake) will manifest itself as the infamous white smoke on startup--are you getting the smoke?

1LS specs are to use Dextron for the PS system.

[wolfcreek87]

Aloha All From Honolulu!

I just joined this site and hope to get some solid advice on what I need to do for my 1995 LS400! Currently has about mileage of around 81k; about 3 weeks ago I had to replace my PS pump ($850) - it was totally shot!

However before the changeout; I was experiencing some high pitched whining noises when I first started the car and even when idling! I recall that when I first started the car in the morning, it would always idle at about 2,000 RPM's; then eventually would idle at the normal 750 rpm.

When I took it in to get the PS pump replaced, the mechanic told me that some of the fluids leaked on the alternator - which was the cause of the whining sound. He cleaned it up "as best he could". This helped because the sound did go away and the idle was normal upon start-up however just last week everything reappears (sound and high idle). I also had to refill the PS pump and now I also have a burning oil smell - HELP!!!!!

Should I anticipate that the alternator is bad? Is this a normal occurrence for a newly installed pump?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated....

[90LS400Lexus]

Yes! I do have that little smoke on SOME startups, but it goes away. I know its not oil smoke, because I do not lose ANY oil between changes, so I know its not burning oil. How do I fix that problem? I thought I read somewhere once that if it was doing that then it could be coming through the intake manifold? Then someone said if it did that then it needed an idle control valve???????? I am beginning to wonder if I should just trade/sell this car.

Thanks.

An internal leak (where the PS fluid is getting injected into the intake) will manifest itself as the infamous white smoke on startup--are you getting the smoke?

[new2mud]

Yes! I do have that little smoke on SOME startups, but it goes away. I know its not oil smoke, because I do not lose ANY oil between changes, so I know its not burning oil. How do I fix that problem? I thought I read somewhere once that if it was doing that then it could be coming through the intake manifold? Then someone said if it did that then it needed an idle control valve???????? I am beginning to wonder if I should just trade/sell this car.

Thanks.

An internal leak (where the PS fluid is getting injected into the intake) will manifest itself as the infamous white smoke on startup--are you getting the smoke?

The white smoke on startup (which goes away after just a few seconds) is easy to solve...do a quick search--you just have to cap off the PS pump with a bolt and then cap off a couple of vacuum lines.

[90LS400Lexus]

Thanks! I will look into that.

I did go to the local Toyota/Lexus dealer today for some fluid upon someones recommendation, but the parts counter guy told me that basic PS fluid was fine on this car and did not recommend Toyota transmission fluid.... ??

I just topped it off with Prestone PS fluid. BTW - I did not see any bubbles in the fluid in the tank.

[new2mud]

Thanks! I will look into that.

I did go to the local Toyota/Lexus dealer today for some fluid upon someones recommendation, but the parts counter guy told me that basic PS fluid was fine on this car and did not recommend Toyota transmission fluid.... ??

I just topped it off with Prestone PS fluid. BTW - I did not see any bubbles in the fluid in the tank.

The 1LS requires Dextron II/III, which is an ATF, not PS fluid. I'm not sure why your dealer would tell you to put in PS fluid.

[90LS400Lexus]

I do not know either, but thats what I poured in it. He said all they sold was "generic" PS fluid for PS systems for all Toyota/Lexus automobiles. I went because of what VMF told me - I went to get some Toyota transmission fluid for the PS... he (parts guy) she he would dare not put Toyota tranny fluid in it. ??

Thanks! I will look into that.

I did go to the local Toyota/Lexus dealer today for some fluid upon someones recommendation, but the parts counter guy told me that basic PS fluid was fine on this car and did not recommend Toyota transmission fluid.... ??

I just topped it off with Prestone PS fluid. BTW - I did not see any bubbles in the fluid in the tank.

The 1LS requires Dextron II/III, which is an ATF, not PS fluid. I'm not sure why your dealer would tell you to put in PS fluid.

[new2mud]

I do not know either, but thats what I poured in it. He said all they sold was "generic" PS fluid for PS systems for all Toyota/Lexus automobiles. I went because of what VMF told me - I went to get some Toyota transmission fluid for the PS... he (parts guy) she he would dare not put Toyota tranny fluid in it. ??

No--definitely do not put in Toyota tranny fluid--that is different from Dextron ATF fluid.

If you got the "generic" PS fluid from a Toyota/Lexus dealer, then I would assume it is Dextron equivalent.

The nomenclature does get confusing--the fact that Toyota PS systems use Dextron ATF (tranny) fluid, but to never put in Toyota Type-IV tranny fluid into the Toyota PS system... :o

[90LS400Lexus]

Thanks... no I especially did not want it when I seen it was $7.62 per quart! :o

I did not get the generic from the dealer, but I told him that I had Prestone PS fluid that said it was safe for Toyota cars and he said that was fine, so I just used that. So far so good. No more growls.

No--definitely do not put in Toyota tranny fluid--that is different from Dextron ATF fluid.

If you got the "generic" PS fluid from a Toyota/Lexus dealer, then I would assume it is Dextron equivalent.

The nomenclature does get confusing--the fact that Toyota PS systems use Dextron ATF (tranny) fluid, but to never put in Toyota Type-IV tranny fluid into the Toyota PS system... :o