Rep Power: 0

Hey guys,

So as some may know I just replaced a ton of things on this car, and finally got it back on the road. When i went to go to lunch yesterday I noticed this, nails on a chalkboard, screeching sound coming from my engine compartment. I pulled off into the nearest gas station, popped the hood, and it sounded like it was coming from the power steering pump. When i got home from work, I checked the fluid, it was fine, I got nervous and pulled the timing belt cover off to see if maybe the timing belt gear had a bearing on it that was seizing up....nope! I held a screwdriver up to the pump and to my ear (great way to listen for specific sounds coming from areas of your motor) and sure enough the horrid sound was coming from the pump. Any idea what is bad? I tried to lube up the gear itself a little bit but it still makes this noise. The only thing I can think of is I had to pull the top power steering line off the other day when I was working on it, and I didn't bleed the pump after? Could there be air in the pump causing the noise? How do I bleed the pump to check?

 
Rep Power: 0

could the rack be bad and not putting out fluid back to the pump?

 
Rep Power: 813

well its a self bleeding system, just make a few full point turns in each direction (where the steering wheel locks to one side). but ive never heard of that causing a noise. if the rack were somehow bad, you would notice the wheel is harder to turn. if it feels the same, it may be the pump starting to go out.