'00 5s-fe cold power steering whine at edges

[fenixus]

so since I did the timing belt tensioner on this car before Winter, It started experiencing a loud P/S whining whenever cold and steering wheel "touches" the edges.

If I hold it there for 3-4 seconds it goes away then and is quiet after. comes back again the next day... have I left the P/S belt improperly tensioned? Last time I checked it read around 70lbs (lower limit is like 60lbs per Haynes)?

or something else comes into play? it doesn't leak as far as I know. P/S fluid was flushed with a fresh ATF before Winter ... however before that it was once "sucked up" and topped off and before that it wasn't touched ... ever at some point it was a sticky goo in last Summer.

[projektvertx]

What kind of ATF did you use? DEX, or generic ATF?

[fenixus]

Originally Posted by projektvertx

What kind of ATF did you use? DEX, or generic ATF?

For full P/S flush I used Castrol IMV ATF, same as I put in tranny and diff.

but earlier in Summer I topped off the return tank with some generic Valvoline P/S fluid (non-ATF) and drove it like that for a month before flushing it out. damage to pump?

[JohnGD]

Double check the tension. The Kirkit-II gauge goes down only to 100 lb unfortunately. So maybe up the tension a little bit (~80-90 lbs instead of 60-70). The cold NJ weather may have caused the rubber to harden up a bit more.

[pmesfun]

Did you check the fluid level? I know a small whine is normal when you fully turn in both directions.
Any type of DEX III should be fine, I know I was going through a quart every 3 days of SuperTech ATF, when my PS leak was really bad.

[fenixus]

Originally Posted by JohnGD

Double check the tension. The Kirkit-II gauge goes down only to 100 lb unfortunately. So maybe up the tension a little bit (~80-90 lbs instead of 60-70). The cold NJ weather may have caused the rubber to harden up a bit more.

thank John.

I recently ordered (and received) the Krikit gauge going down to 30lbs. I will double check more precisely with it once the weather warms up again, it's been well below freezing recently.

hoping it's just a little too loose. My Krikit-II may have imprecisely read the tension (out of scale). it's such a pain to tighten that belt it may have to wait a bit until I fix more important things on V6 (bearings on their way, quick struts ordered).

[fenixus]

Originally Posted by pmesfun

Did you check the fluid level? I know a small whine is normal when you fully turn in both directions.
Any type of DEX III should be fine, I know I was going through a quart every 3 days of SuperTech ATF, when my PS leak was really bad.

After flush before Winter I left the fluid level a bit over HIGH mark on hot p/s. I know it dropped a tad over next few days (some air got released?). But ever since I checked it, it was sitting at same spot for months. it shouldn't be leaking I hope.

thanks for a clue. will take another close look over the weekend if time allows.

that whine is not small it's really loud, it makes people get scared in morning it's brief though.

[JohnGD]

You're welcome. The Krikit-I gauge is for *V-belts*. Therefore the readings are not interchangeable when used on Micro-V belts!

I did and found out. hehe

So slightly below 100 may be the best bet. Another way is use 110-120 on a *new* belt. When it ran for 5 minutes and settled in should be just right.

Originally Posted by fenixus

thank John.

I recently ordered (and received) the Krikit gauge going down to 30lbs. I will double check more precisely with it once the weather warms up again, it's been well below freezing recently.

hoping it's just a little too loose. My Krikit-II may have imprecisely read the tension (out of scale). it's such a pain to tighten that belt it may have to wait a bit until I fix more important things on V6 (bearings on their way, quick struts ordered).

[fenixus]

Originally Posted by JohnGD

You're welcome. The Krikit-I gauge is for *V-belts*. Therefore the readings are not interchangeable when used on Micro-V belts!

I did and found out. hehe

So slightly below 100 may be the best bet. Another way is use 110-120 on a *new* belt. When it ran for 5 minutes and settled in should be just right.

geeez ... so that gauge won't do any good either? hahaha

will play around with both of them ... need at least the average readings ...

I am not sure how to tighten it to 100lbs with one hand on pry bar (using a jack's handle actually here) and tighten the nut at same time with other one

[pmesfun]

Originally Posted by fenixus

geeez ... so that gauge won't do any good either? hahaha

will play around with both of them ... need at least the average readings ...

I am not sure how to tighten it to 100lbs with one hand on pry bar (using a jack's handle actually here) and tighten the nut at same time with other one

I need to use the tension gauge on my belts, I'm guessing snug and tight isn't enough, haha.

[fenixus]

Originally Posted by pmesfun

I need to use the tension gauge on my belts, I'm guessing snug and tight isn't enough, haha.

yeah hehe, Krikit-II is fine for alternator belt.

I get them cheap off amazon, they are like right below $20, make sure you get them from Amazon to qualify for FREE Super Saver shipping.

Krikit p/n 91107
working range 30-160lbs (V-belts ... no good for us)

Amazon

Amazon

Krikit-II p/n 91132
working range 100-320lbs (micro-V / V-ribbed belts)

Amazon

Amazon

it's better than nothing hehe.

[pmesfun]

We probably have this tool in the Shop at school, I'll adjust them next week.
Did you check the fluid level recently?

[JohnGD]

Yeah it stinks. You can estimate by the amount of prying. But just lots of trials and errors.

Toyota saved a few bucks not using an automatic tensioner here, but a lot of mechanics out there won't tension the belts right and the owners pay for the mistakes.

Originally Posted by fenixus

I am not sure how to tighten it to 100lbs with one hand on pry bar (using a jack's handle actually here) and tighten the nut at same time with other one

[fenixus]

Originally Posted by pmesfun

We probably have this tool in the Shop at school, I'll adjust them next week.
Did you check the fluid level recently?

good luck

I haven't opened the hood on this car in a month or so, but it's been whining longer than that when cold. will see soon. got some minor stuff to do on this car as well. time will come.

Originally Posted by JohnGD

Yeah it stinks. You can estimate by the amount of prying. But just lots of trials and errors.

Toyota saved a few bucks not using an automatic tensioner here, but a lot of mechanics out there won't tension the belts right and the owners pay for the mistakes.

yeah, they cut corners on lack of automatic tensioners. it would be all so much easier without checking the belt tension and all this crap ... I liked the spring loaded automatic tensioner on GM 3.8L serpentine belt
belt change was taking me 5 minutes where most of time I was wasting on routing it around pulleys and engine mount hehe.

[fenixus]

OK. checked fluid and it sits right at HIGH mark shortly after starting the car and stays there.

squeaks are still there at both edges. recorded a video with sound, so you can hear them. is it the belt tension?

You Tube

You Tube

haven't had a chance to test tension on belt, too cold & windy now. hood keeps closing in least expected moments because of the wind.

also I had this great idea of torquing down the strut rod nuts on both front sides
passenger side mount was always problematic and driver side mount started clunking recently... so I tried torquing them down results:
a) driver side, rubber jumped a little a few times but I was able to apply 36ft-lbs in the end and seems good
b) passenger side, rubber jumped and then started spinning freely together with strut rod nut ... in the end strut started clunking like crazy and there is no way in hell to torque it down. mount got trashed.

Now the mystery.
when watching above video, please make note how position of the steering wheel seems to be shifting vertically while I keep turning it? I don't think that is normal ... what's up with that?