Pressure hose sprung a leak. Took me a month to find the leak (peeking under hood while turning steering wheel is tough!)!!!!Replaced hose (PITA!). I could not bleed the system though. The new hose came with this little plastic plug, but it doesn't fit on the hose or anywhere else. Yes I read the instructions, but there weren't any pictures so I just installed the hose and now the pump keeps "whirrring" when I turn the wheel, despite having plenty of fluid in the system. I had hoped the air would just escape through the resourvior but it's been almost a week now. Point? How do I bleed the thing!?

 

the system should have bled itself out by now..

the way to bleed the system is to simply make sure the reservoir is full of fluid, then turn hard left to hard right, back and forth several times..

mine has been making that nasty noise for almost a year now.. it's a sign the pump is failing.. when I'm turning quickly in a parking lot, the pump can't keep up and I lose power steering.. makes you do sharp turns really slowly.. can't jerk the wheel this way and that, or it'll bog down and you end up not being able to turn the wheel at all for a sec.. almost hit a couple cars because of it. drive slower and you're okay..


as for how to fix it, I dunno.. replace the pump when it finally dies. I'm keeping an extra $100 in the junkyard fund for when that day finally comes.

 

I don't think that's the solution. I have the same symptoms. After replacing the hose, it sprang a leak at the bottom (wasn't tight). I tightened, and now it makes noise. I tried bleeding as described by Haynes...no results.

 

You're supposed to use ATF in the power steering lines. Most people don't know this and logic would say go buy 'power steering fluid'. I don't know if using power steering fluid would lead to any noises but it could possibly cause problems down the line.

 

What's your source of reference?

 

that anytime the pressure hose ruptures on these cars, it causes the PS pump to show it's age. As I've responded to the other PS pump thread, Auto Zone has some stuff which appears to be really good at lubricating the pumps and minimizing the "moan." I suggest using this. It would seem that a busted hose may be compared to running an engine high rpm's and low on oil, causing additional wear and knocking, minimal. In this case, it the PS pump and the indicator is moaning. Might be a bad and incaccurate example, but the most fitting I could think of. Our pumps are aging and this additive, I believe helps. My 2 cents.

 

interesting....i have this whine noise, my steering is great, no problems that i see, i see a little leak but i hope its just the hose thats probably busted and not the reservoir....is there any website showing how to replace this? whats the cleanest way to do so? i guess its like changing fuel filter?

 

Are you talking about Lucas Oil. I tried it and it didn't help me.

I don't know of any websites, but changing it is just a matter of finding a box wrench big enough to fit. If memory serves me, it's 24mm, but check that before you purchase the tool.

 

The reference source is the Nissan owners manual and the Nissan factory service manual. These systems ARE NOT designed to have "power steering" fluid in them--it can distort the seals.

 

Any way tp "un distort" the seals?

 

Most likely not. Once a rubber seal absorbs a fluid and swells or otherwise distorts it's pretty much permanently damaged.

 

I noticed the same thing. Only after I had a shop replace the leaking hose did it start making the moaning sound. I tried turning the wheels and that didnt work, so then I jacked up the front end and then turned the wheels left and right for about 15 min all the while the resevoir kept burping up fluid, and it still moans and I could never get it to quit burping. I told the guys to put in ATF and even left it with them, I specifically told them not to put in the pws fluid cause thats not what the manual calls for. I dont understand why the hose with a leak in it didnt cause the sound but the new one does?