Power steering pump faulty?

[trebormint]

At idle and stationery, if i turn the wheels either way, I get a horrible grinding noise. Also at idle there is a vibration noise from area of the drive belt.

Power steering pump most likely cause?

 

[peterrobley]

steering grumble

I have this same fault on an alhambra.
new pump and tensioner has not cured it.
what else is there to try?

 

[techie]

I would think the one way pulley on the alternator has seized. Easy way to check, with the engine off use a small screwdriver and very gently try to turn the fan blades in the alternator one way, then the other. If it moves one way then its fine, if its stuck it needs a new pulley.

 

[trebormint]

Changed the pump and belt a few months ago also putting in VW spec powering steering fluid - helped a little at first, but is getting progressively worse now. Fine whilst normal driving, but at very low speed and low engine revs, it's such a horrible grinding noise.

On my last toledo (110 tdi), the alternator pulley actually seized! The engine would not turn over! So this is well worth a look at again.

Another cause could be the aircon pump/pulley.

 

[techie]

Its a very common issue and does make a right racket, done loads of them over the years. It was at one point a recall on the old TDi Alhambras IIRC.

 

[Bruffy66]

Its a very common issue and does make a right racket, done loads of them over the years. It was at one point a recall on the old TDi Alhambras IIRC.

My Leon is the same, so what is the fault and what do we have to do to cure it?
Cheers
Bruffy

 

[Bruffy66]

I would think the one way pulley on the alternator has seized. Easy way to check, with the engine off use a small screwdriver and very gently try to turn the fan blades in the alternator one way, then the other. If it moves one way then its fine, if its stuck it needs a new pulley.

May be a daft question but how do you get the alternator pulley off as mine does appear to be siezed?
Cheers
Bruffy

 

[trebormint]

Power steering pump faulty? FIXED!

It was the alternator pulley.

Apparantly it has a clutch. When this stops working, the aux drive belt is under greater strain and so is the tensioner. The noise at idle speed or manoeuvring speed (when turning the wheels) was getting worse.

When I had WMI fitted at weekend, the Seat technician immediately diagnosed the problem!

So took it off and asked local specialist to look at alternator. Within 2 secs, he said pulley had gone. So 5 mins and £45 later it was fixed. And it has solved my problem!

Wish I'd tried this first instead of the cost of a new power steering pump.....

 

[James_R]

I would think the one way pulley on the alternator has seized. Easy way to check, with the engine off use a small screwdriver and very gently try to turn the fan blades in the alternator one way, then the other. If it moves one way then its fine, if its stuck it needs a new pulley.

Well why did you not take heed of the advice given by Techie?

The first reply with advice and with an explaination of how to solve your issue (or at least diagnose it) and you didnt try it?

 

[trebormint]

Well why did you not take heed of the advice given by Techie?

The first reply with advice and with an explaination of how to solve your issue (or at least diagnose it) and you didnt try it?

Er, I did try it! lol

I could move it either way with the alternator of the engine today!

Just never got round to taking the alternator off until this very weekend gone and have the time to get it checked out.

 

[James_R]

ah, fair do's.
They are designed to only spin one way to prevent the 'back-spin' of the engine loosening the pully when its turned off. Once you have them replaced you never tend to have the problem return.

 

[trebormint]

I hope so

Such a different car to drive now

 

[James_R]

nice and squeek free?

 

[trebormint]

Never a squeak - a horrible grinding noise when turning the steering wheel at idle speed....really bad when manoeuvring into a parking space. So thought it was the steering rack that had gone.

Now its so smooth and noise free

 

[James_R]

good to hear mate

 

[MarkWales]

Mine squeals at low revs when steering - parking etc

Mine is a 1.9tdi cupra

does this sound also like the pulley

 

[James_R]

Could very well be mate.

 

[kyleh060]

just had the same problem on my car should u chaange the belt along with the pully

 

[shorn]

Just been pointed to this thread by markwales (above).
This sounds like my problem, can someone take a look at my vids of the problem (links in the thread located here

Would be good if someone with experience of pulley going can confirm if there problems sounded like what I'm getting!

 

[shorn]

Well I've just been out and done the test. Tried moving the alternator fan gently
with a screwdriver, and it's not moving either way. I didnt apply much pressure as I didnt want to damage the fans, but im assuming that if it does rotate it should do relatively easily? (this was tested with the belt still on, is that right?)
Sounding like the pulley is seized?