donaldashworth
12-10-2007, 10:32 AM
Good morning. I have a 2004 BMW 325i w/about 78k. I keep this car clean, and have had to only replace the alternator. I spray wash the engine cavity about twice a month.
This weekend, I cleaned my car (including spray washing the engine cavity). When I pulled away from the carwash, I noticed that whenever I turned left or right the power steering would make loud bumping/vibrating noises and I could feel the vibration in the steering wheel. The harder I turn left or right, the harder/louder the vibration). Also, if I am sitting in nutral with the A/C turned off or on, the problem is more pronounced than when driving. At higher engine RPM, the noise/vibration while turning is less noticable. At first, I thought that perhaps the belt(s) were wet and were having a hard time gripping the pump pully. I let my car set overnight and the problem persisted the next day.
I kind-of sort-of remember hearing "moaning" noises in the past while backing up. But I thought that it was my passenger side rear-view mirror panning down when the car backes up (neat!). In hindsight, the noise I was hearing could have been the beginnings of a pump failure.
This weekend, I syphoned out the ATF fluid resevour reservoir and did not notice any metal debris in the fluid. I replaced the fluid that I syphoned with new ATF fluid.
I do not have a lot of money (thanks to my X-wife and legal fees). Also, I drive this car daily (38 miles one-way to work)...and this is my primary means of transportation. So, any work that I do will have to be done on the weekend, and I do the work my self.
My questions are;
1) Do you think that it is only a coincidence that this problem occurred after washing the engine? Or, perhaps the low-end hydraulic hose is collapsing...perhaps from being exposed to water and that green-engine cleaner stuff? Or...am I looking at a bad power steering pump?
2) This pump is driven by a serpentine belt. If the pump is flaking out, I do not want it to ruin/contaminate the rack. Until I am able to address this problem this weekend, it there anything I should/can do to protect the steering rack? If I have to replace the pump, I will flush the rack. Not sure how to do that though, but I will read up on it.
3) I have surveyed the engine cavity and it looks like an easy job to remove and replace the power steering pump. These pumps are expensive. I called Autozone and their system shows this part as N/A (ie. dealer only). I went on-line and checked into Advance and found a "Carddone" pump for $184.44 This price hurts, but not as bad as the Dealer. I am "afraid" of aftermarket parts...and do not want to become one of those horror stories you read about (I can't aford it). Are there any other places in Houston that anyone might know of that offers these parts? Any particular place, or type of part I should avoid?
Many thanks for your time. This forum is great. I've learned a lot about my BMW...and I love it.
Don
This weekend, I cleaned my car (including spray washing the engine cavity). When I pulled away from the carwash, I noticed that whenever I turned left or right the power steering would make loud bumping/vibrating noises and I could feel the vibration in the steering wheel. The harder I turn left or right, the harder/louder the vibration). Also, if I am sitting in nutral with the A/C turned off or on, the problem is more pronounced than when driving. At higher engine RPM, the noise/vibration while turning is less noticable. At first, I thought that perhaps the belt(s) were wet and were having a hard time gripping the pump pully. I let my car set overnight and the problem persisted the next day.
I kind-of sort-of remember hearing "moaning" noises in the past while backing up. But I thought that it was my passenger side rear-view mirror panning down when the car backes up (neat!). In hindsight, the noise I was hearing could have been the beginnings of a pump failure.
This weekend, I syphoned out the ATF fluid resevour reservoir and did not notice any metal debris in the fluid. I replaced the fluid that I syphoned with new ATF fluid.
I do not have a lot of money (thanks to my X-wife and legal fees). Also, I drive this car daily (38 miles one-way to work)...and this is my primary means of transportation. So, any work that I do will have to be done on the weekend, and I do the work my self.
My questions are;
1) Do you think that it is only a coincidence that this problem occurred after washing the engine? Or, perhaps the low-end hydraulic hose is collapsing...perhaps from being exposed to water and that green-engine cleaner stuff? Or...am I looking at a bad power steering pump?
2) This pump is driven by a serpentine belt. If the pump is flaking out, I do not want it to ruin/contaminate the rack. Until I am able to address this problem this weekend, it there anything I should/can do to protect the steering rack? If I have to replace the pump, I will flush the rack. Not sure how to do that though, but I will read up on it.
3) I have surveyed the engine cavity and it looks like an easy job to remove and replace the power steering pump. These pumps are expensive. I called Autozone and their system shows this part as N/A (ie. dealer only). I went on-line and checked into Advance and found a "Carddone" pump for $184.44 This price hurts, but not as bad as the Dealer. I am "afraid" of aftermarket parts...and do not want to become one of those horror stories you read about (I can't aford it). Are there any other places in Houston that anyone might know of that offers these parts? Any particular place, or type of part I should avoid?
Many thanks for your time. This forum is great. I've learned a lot about my BMW...and I love it.
Don