The high pressure power steering hose burst and was replaced (it seems it was rubbing against an engine support)- now I have a new noise which sounds like a soft growl. The repair shop said it is caused by air in the line and will go away after 50 miles of driving. Now have gone over 500 miles and although much reduced, I still get the sound. It doesn't appear to be related to turning the wheel and happens mostly at low speeds - of course, it is easier to hear then. Is the sound normal and will it eventually go away or do I have a new problem?
Thanks
Larry,
I am certainly not qualified to answer your question, but we get a similar noise and have had it off and on since November of 2009. With no negative results. We had it checked out once to the tune of $200 with no problem uncovered.
We are in a wait and see mode on this one.
I just had a hydraulic line to the radiator fan blow this past weekend. it was also rubbing
on something. I had a new hose made up and installed. the reservoir and the system must
have been almost empty because it took four and a half gallons of delo 15-40 to bring the reservoir back up to the full mark. the mechanic had me start the engine and move the steering
wheel back and forth a few times, while he cracked one of the lines to expell any air in the
system. thankfully there doesn't seem to be any damage to the pump. all seemed well on my 60 mile drive home.
I don't know if this fix will work on your problem, but when I worked on helicopters, if the hydraulic hoses that operated the tail rotor had a little twist in them, the pilots feet would go to sleep from the vibration.
Loosening the hose nut, repositioning the hose and tightening the nut would get rid of it. Sometimes it was a hit or miss. Kept on doing it until the right position.
We believed that the fluid going through the hoses were swirling or cavitating, creating a vibration and possibly the sound that you hear.
Cheap fix if it does! :D Do the easy stuff first!
My U295 was making a noise during low-speed tight turns, but after I changed the hydraulic oil and filters, it went away. I think Mike B. is right, it is cavitation. In my case, the power steering was demanding more flow than the pump could supply through those old filters, but it could just as easily be a constriction of some other sort in the supply line. By the way, Mike, I used to fly those cantankerous things after you worked on them. You know, they don't really fly. They're just so ugly, the earth repels them.
If that were the case, I could fly, too! ;D
Amen, brother! Me, too!!!