964 engine noise - please help

[TorqueHead]

Ok, I am a bit embarrassed. I went to have a closer look so I removed the ~2" long hose adapter from the pump. This allowed a much better view for the camera but it still looked like an o ring. So I left the camera in position and used a slender probe to try to touch it. While watching the camera screen carefully, I guided the probe to the object I though was an o-ring. As I poked it I watched in horror as it wriggled as if to move away from the probe. WTF said I and then it dawned on me like a ton of bricks.

This was not an o-ring, nor was it an oil snake... It was in fact, thick, blackish power steering fluid masquerading as an o-ring. After I got it all cleaned up, I could see a small hole that it was oozing out of. Because the oil was thick it stayed essentially the diameter of the hole making it look like an o-ring, shiny and black.

Needless to say I was quite embarrassed but hey, I think it is better to be wrong and be embarrassed instead of being right and having to rebuild the pump.

Onwards and upwards. Time to figure out how to flush out all that thick oil. I am blaming cold temperatures and Lucas power steering stop leak, for turning my ATF into molasass.

[bazar01]

You're on the right track in flushing the old fluid.
If you can find a way to flush the lines using low pressure compressed air before putting the reservoir back, better. If not, put everything back, fill reservoir halfway and use the power steering pump to pump the old fluid back to the reservoir, then just suck it out from reservoir. Do it a few times until fluid is clean. Turn wheel lock to lock left/right.
Use Pentosin power steering fluid. No stop leak.

[TorqueHead]

Thanks bazar,

So far, I have jury-rigged a catch can for the old fluid as it comes out the return line. Today I will rig up a container to hold the fresh fluid going into the pump. Once I see good, clear fluid going into the catch can, I will install the car's reservoir.

Compressed air is a neat idea but a bit difficult for me to implement. I am thinking I might dilute the first few ounces of fluid with varsol to help thin whatever thick fluid is in the pump. I think once good fluid is inside the pump it should be able to push the thicker fluid down to the rack and back to the catch can.

[bazar01]

Rigging a fluid container and extending a return line to collect the fluid returning from the rack is the best set up. Just don't create an exxon valdez, lol.
Good luck.

[TorqueHead]

The noise is gone!!!


After I finished flushing out all the old power steering fluid and got the cooling fan back on, I gave it a good garage test running it for several minutes and blipping the throttle and I could not make it make the noise so I think its fixed.

Thanks bazar01, budge96 and BLACK3.2 for your assistance. All three of you identified the noise as probably coming from the PS pump.

Cheers
Tom

[bazar01]

👍

Ready for spring!
Stop wrenching, start driving.

[TorqueHead]

Ahhh yes. I wish it was ready but I have a long list of items before it is sorted.

With the engine purring so quietly now, I have detected an occasional squeak which I think is coming from the belt breakage detector. Is that a replace or lubricate item?

Just prior to the PS pump noise, I was finishing off an oil change. I was on the last step which is to slowly add the last litre or so of oil with the engine running. I thought I was going slowly but it started blowing out blue clouds of smoke. At that point, I had added 7.7 litres and the forums say it should take 8-9 litres. But since it kept blowing smoke, I drained 0.3 litres and the smoking stopped, but the dash gage shows empty.

My questions: How slowly do I have to add the oil in order to have it not start smoking?
Does the thermostat have to open before I can get a reading on the dash oil level gage?

[bazar01]

I don't run the engine while adding the last few quarts of oil.
Leave the engine off and just add 9 quarts of oil. (both engine sump and tank drained)

Get it up to temp, level ground then check dipstick and add when needed. I run on the minimum level on dipstick.
Even on minimum, it still gets up to about 1/2 full when driving during the hot Georgia summer.

The smoke is probably from oil draining back to engine and thru exhaust while sitting for a long time.

[TorqueHead]

I will give that a try.