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Power Steering Pulley so what do you guys think?

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  • Power Steering Pulley so what do you guys think?

    The story:

    Finished rebuilding my motor after months of waiting for parts and working on the engine every free moment I had. Finally got it bolted in and fired up over the weekend and took it out for its maiden voyage yesterday. Car felt healthy and started running better after bleeding the coolant and getting the oil pumping through the system.

    Decided to go for a mild + hard break that GM recommends for it's crate motors. Took it out for a good trip doing light acceleration, hard acceleration (not too hard), pretty much a normal driving .

    The motor felt good aside from the mild exhaust flange leak I could hear (which I'll take care of soon) but the car sounds and feels healthy. I get back to my driveway and park the car. I rev the motor and I hear this engine rattling/knocking sound. Sounds like a piston trying to beat it's way out the motor but the way I work on cars I knew it wasn't coming from the engine.

    So I get to trouble shooting blipping the throttle and hear the intake buzzing actually more like the top end. The literal top end of the car buzzing. I kept blipping the throttle gently trying to pinpoint the source. Then I start to hear my belt screeching (it has never done that ever) then I hear this sort of fishing line winding kind of noise (that's basically what I can compare the sound too) mixed in with the belt screech and the rattle. My belt has about 3K on it no cracks or anything and it never had a problem when it ran before the rebuild.

    I look down into the pulley system and see the Belt Tensioner bouncing around as I hear the power steering pump pulley SQUUEEEEEAAAAAAALLLLING LIKE A PIG! at idle now. I get out my can of belt conditioner and start spraying it on the actual belt right before the pulley and it quiets down to where you can't hear it at all. However when you blip the throttle you can hear what sounds like the pulley itself rattling around and it's extremely loud. I look below it and I see the belt tensioner also bouncing around. I turn the car off and pop the belt off and inspect the power steering pulley and spin it by hand and I start pushing and pulling on it. I feel slack and can push and pull it back and fourth. I'm just not sure if it's supposed to be like that and it's just a bearing that's taking a dump inside of it or if that's just a sign that it's more messed up than I think. The belt tensioner still feels pretty stiff but it bounces when the belt is in place and running. That basically means nothing and it's still a suspect.

    Overall the powersteering pump works as regular. No leaks no, no problem no nuthin. Just the pulley showing me its ass.

    I have a theory about all this though. When my old engine was running it was weak and underpowered due to the mechanical issues it had. So the components were under less stress. Now that it's been fully rebuilt the power is restored and the old weak links are starting to show with the return of horsepower.

    My power steering pump has also been stagnant and sitting in the car for over a year. I also don't think it's not possible that the weather ruined it.

    It could also be that there's not enough tension on it due to a bad belt tensioner and the pulleys wobbling around. I really don't know but that's another guesstimate.


    What do you guys think?

  • #2
    i had a bad tensioner work the plastic portion of the power steering pump pulley off because it was sitting at an angle..... that was a surprise to see laying underhood.

    can't say it made those kinds of noises though.
    1995 Monte Carlo LS 3100, 4T60E...for now, future plans include driving it until the wheels fall off!
    Latest nAst1 files here!
    Need a wiring diagram for any GM car or truck from 82-06(and 07-08 cars)? PM me!

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    • #3
      This the Buick?
      Lifting my front wheels, one jack at a time.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by 1988GTU View Post
        This the Buick?
        It's What luxury should be my friend err oh wait... I mean "Do you think it's time for a real car?"
        Last edited by Roadbastard; 05-26-2014, 07:06 PM.

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        • #5
          the plastic pulleys can do that, pull it off with a good puller and check for cracks or damage. the metal ones on the newer 3900's are really nice.
          Past Builds;
          1991 Z24, 3500/5 Spd. 275WHP/259WTQ 13.07@108 MPH
          1989 Camaro RS, ITB-3500/700R4. 263WHP/263WTQ 13.52@99.2 MPH
          Current Project;
          1972 Nova 12.73@105.7 MPH

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          • #6
            i had my plastic pulley crack and fall off the pump and rub on my engine mount. Thankfully this happened within feet of home.
            14.63@92.9 -Full LX9 with CAI, 65MM TB, 2.5in DP, Borla Cat-Back, Crappy tires, Quick tune (Dyno Soon)

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            • #7
              Originally posted by young gun View Post
              i had my plastic pulley crack and fall off the pump and rub on my engine mount. Thankfully this happened within feet of home.
              woa, lucky indeed. Maybe you're car was holding out for you as long as it could.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Superdave View Post
                the plastic pulleys can do that, pull it off with a good puller and check for cracks or damage. the metal ones on the newer 3900's are really nice.

                Yeah, I'm not a fan of plastic anything when it comes to moving parts. I went outside again to play with the car. I just like hearing it start up and revving it. It's the sound only a man could appreciate after hearing rod knock for months and then the silence of the engine on the stand. I think it's both. My belt tensioner is jumping around and the P/S pulley is squeelin. Do they still offer the OEM pulley?

                On one hand it seems like a belt issue because the belt conditioner junk silenced the squealing but all that stuff does is create more traction between the belt and the pulley. On the other hand the area I hear squealing is the P/S pulley.

                Maybe I'll record it and upload it here for you guys entertainment.

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                • #9
                  Can you do this?

                  Lifting my front wheels, one jack at a time.

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                  • #10
                    Probably but the power steering is a beast to get off.

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                    • #11
                      why is that?
                      Lifting my front wheels, one jack at a time.

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                      • #12
                        I don't have any tools to take the pulley off so I have to remove the entire pump if I want to get it out the way. When I do that I have to remove anything that gets in the way of the hoses which is the alternator and it's brackets.

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                        • #13
                          i just lump the ps unit over the alt and wire tie it back and away from the alt leaving the loses and pulley all attached.
                          Lifting my front wheels, one jack at a time.

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                          • #14
                            Welp... went out to the ride. Brought a new Belt Tensioner. It was clear my old one had lost its strength. New one was a lot tighter and the belt is more firm. The squeeling went down a bit but it just made it even more clear that the P/S pulley is the culprit.

                            Now I'm at a crossroad. Do you replace just the pulley? or buy an new unit altogether? It ain't just the squeel but the "Rattle" that alarms me. Sounds like it's gonna be costly.

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                            • #15
                              Replace the pump. If you can move the pulley up/down and in/out it's toast.
                              1993 EXT. CAB, 3.4L V6 TBI, 5spd manual. Sonoma
                              1990 4Door, 3.2L V6 TBI, 5spd manual. 4X4. Trooper
                              Because... I am, CANADIAN

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