A few weeks ago I was in the field and cut the Maverick steep to go around the barn and the steering became difficult for a couple seconds and a loud moan/whine was heard up front for those couple seconds. This has happened 3-4 more times out of the blue and I've noticed its when I cut the steering wheel almost 70-80% in a particular direction. The whine/moan is towards the left where I know the power steering pump, cylinder, and control valve are located. Off hand does anyone have a suggestion of what the problem sounds like or what is in need of replacing. (I'm sure all of it )
It's probably your pump as Dave suggested, but make sure you have fluid in there first. I think mine made some noises when it was running low on fluid.
Ford pumps are notoriously noisy. As a past tech line rep for ARI/ATSCO I recommend inspecting the system for proper fluid level and leaks. If everything checks out okay, ;ist the front wheels off the ground (support the car with jack stands for saftey) and turn the wheel several times lock to lock. Re-check the fluid level in the power steering pump and re-fill if necessary. Turn on the engine and turn the steering wheel several times lock to lock. If the noise persists replace the pump (preferably with either a new unit or a fully remanufactured unit and not a used or cheap "rebuilt"). Once replaced preform the above mentioned steps to ensure a quiet pump.
Thanks for the responses, fluid levels check out and the noise has become more prominent. I checked with Napa and they offer the pump or the pump with reservoir. Should I get the reservoir as well or can I just use the original?
Make sure to use type " F " trans fluid in your power steering! I had a hose go bad and used some ( what was called ) power steering fluid. My pump sounded like a jet turbine! When I got home I flushed all that out and refilled it with " F" fluid and it was as quiet as church on Monday! There is also a grease fitting on the control valve. Give it a couple of pumps with a hand gun. If it sticks, the steering will get hard and the pump will whine!
If your Reservoir is in good shape I say just get the pump and use your old reservoir. There are many variations of similar pumps so chances are the rebuilt unit will have a slightly different reservoir. Also many rebuilts are pretty banged up as cosmetics are not a huge concern for rebuilders.
I have that issue as well. Sometimes upon hard acceleration on turns, especially if the rear tires start to drift, my passengers will often make a loud whine or moan!
