Ryan Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 Hi all, As life with my Defender has not been a bed of roses recently, it is only apt that after I fixed one problem this morning, another has reared its ugly head. There is a terrible squealing coming from the steering box at low/no speed on my vehicle on full lock. It's definitely coming from the box and not the belts. Nothing is leaking, but there is a small amount of up and down movement in shaft. When steering is on full lock, it squeals and judders. Is this terminal? With the run of bad luck I'm having, it wouldn't surprise me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars L Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 You're not supposed to hold the steering against the stops for any length of time. Maybe it's trying to tell you something... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 Diagnosing noises over the intyweb is never easy. Check the fluid - is there enough, is it a nice red colour, does it smell burnt, does it look like milkshake? Is anything leaking (more than usual)? Are you absolutely sure it's the box making the noise and not the pump? The pressure relief valves will make a noise on full lock and pumps will get noisy if there's not enough fluid. If you want to pop in (or I may be able to pop in whilst doing the christmas pressie rounds) we can look at it over a cuppa, which is likely no more helpful but at least we'll have a cuppa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars L Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 Don't know which vehicle, but could the drive belt be slipping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 You're not supposed to hold the steering against the stops for any length of time. Maybe it's trying to tell you something... Bit of a carp design if it squeals and judders at you as soon as you get to full lock. Never happened in my Discovery. Diagnosing noises over the intyweb is never easy.Check the fluid - is there enough, Yes is it a nice red colour, Yes does it smell burnt, No does it look like milkshake? No Is anything leaking (more than usual)? Only the gearbox, but I think that is too far away from the power steering to be involved. Though it's hard to be sure as I had just pressure washed it just before I had the problem, so there was water everywhere! Are you absolutely sure it's the box making the noise and not the pump? The pressure relief valves will make a noise on full lock and pumps will get noisy if there's not enough fluid. Dunno. The noise is coming from the right hand side of the engine bay (pump is on left). It's hard to be certain as my arms aren't long enough to hold the steering and get my head in the right place. If you want to pop in (or I may be able to pop in whilst doing the christmas pressie rounds) we can look at it over a cuppa, which is likely no more helpful but at least we'll have a cuppa Cuppa is always good. I'll get back to you on that... Don't know which vehicle, but could the drive belt be slipping? It's a Defender 200tdi. Checked the belt and the movement appears within tolerances. As it is the cheap and easy option, I'll readjust that tomorrow probably...(checking weather forecast)...yes, tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MogLite Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 If its a 4-bolt box, and its terminal - I've got a couple of spares....will swap for beer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 If its a 4-bolt box, and its terminal - I've got a couple of spares....will swap for beer Cheers Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 Reading between the lines here (and I've had a drink so bear that in mind) - you pressure washed your truck thoroughly and now you've got a noise which sounds like a slipping belt when you put the PAS system under load, but you don't think it's the PAS belt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J@mes Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 grip the steering shaft with something (like a pair of grips?) and twist it to full lock and then see where the noise comes from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 will swap for beer You do know he means 40-gallons don't you? Get someone else to turn the steering on full lock/make it groan. Put your hand on the steering box and then the pump - you'll be able to feel where the noise is coming from. On full lock most PAS systems will groan and workshop manuals in general advise you not to do this for any length of time. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 Reading between the lines here (and I've had a drink so bear that in mind) - you pressure washed your truck thoroughly and now you've got a noise which sounds like a slipping belt when you put the PAS system under load, but you don't think it's the PAS belt? That's right - then noise appears to be coming from the right hand side of the engine bay. Actually, this is not the first time it has happened. When we in the Alps, there were some really tight (like a three point turn) downhill bends, at the time it was put down to belt slipping and tyres rubbing on the radius arms as the axle was flexing - but that cannot be correct if it happens in a level carpark. To ID the type of box I have, is the bolt thingy the number of bolts holding the top plate on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 like a pair of grips? Devil-tools . It's bad enough that I have adjustable wrenches. I'll see what I can do though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 You do know he means 40-gallons don't you? Get someone else to turn the steering on full lock/make it groan. Put your hand on the steering box and then the pump - you'll be able to feel where the noise is coming from. On full lock most PAS systems will groan and workshop manuals in general advise you not to do this for any length of time. Les. It's not a groan, it's a high-pitched squeal (yes like a slipping belt... ) accompanied by a violent judder. I finally found reference to the advice about full lock tucked away in my LR manual in the section for bleeding the box - no more than 30 seconds in any 1 minute at full lock under pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Sounds like a slipping belt to me. Come back once you have changed the belt and are sure that it is tight. Even with the belt quite tight (tighter than a fan belt) my old 200Tdi could get that squealing, juddering thing going on. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 Okay, I'll change the belt (happen to have a spare). Would have done it today, but "mostly cloudy" turned out to be "it's going to drizzle all day" - forecast is good for tomorrow, so I'll have a go once the man has come to fix my boiler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Have you been able to trace this any further yet Ryan? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 Have you been able to trace this any further yet Ryan?Chris The weather has been conspiring , though it stopped squealing yesterday when I was manoeuvring around Tesco's carpark. If the weather is okay tomorrow, I'll give it a go in my lunch break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Tesco's is pretty extreme - I would say that it's fixed itself. Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 Tesco's is pretty extreme - I would say that it's fixed itself.Les Too right! At 9-10pm yesterday it was. Three overflow carparks all full. I meant the low speed lock to lock manoeuvring... I hate things fixing themselves - it usually means it will unfix itself either: 1. on your own in the middle of nowhere with no mobile coverage; or 2. at 70mph (alright, maybe 60mph ) on the motorway; or 3. at the exact moment you say to your passenger - "Nah, not had any problems for ages...[pause]...[strange noise]...[v short pause]...what the F was that?!"; or 4. on a Sunday/Bank Holiday/5 mins after your local dealer/independent's part counter closes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 I'll bring me spanners to Slab then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted December 24, 2008 Author Share Posted December 24, 2008 You'll all be pleased to know that everyone else was right - loose belt. I've tightened up the one that was on there (looked okay condition-wise) and (touch wood...not superstitious at all ) no strange noises or juddering. Things is - why the squealing coming from the direction of the steering box in the first place? Is it one of those weird audio things like trying to work out where in the sky a helicopter is? I know the engine bay is big, but it's not that big! Just curious really... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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