355 power steering noise solved

Can anyone shed some light on this problem, i think my car is doing the same thing. What produces the whinning sound? How does changing the fluid solve the problem?

 

The whine come from the gears messing. You will typically get this whine when the fluid is really low. My guess on why the higher temp fluid works is because..........if the fluid isn't up to handling the high temperature it will boil, which can result in frothing, then the gears aren't getting a steady smooth flow of fluid = gear whine. But that is just a guess.

 

The old oil breaks down over time. It looses its "properties" as it gets old and it doesnt protect components like it used to. So gear 'whine' can be heard from the p/steering pump as the gears are not being protected/lubricated properly.

If you get straight onto it, you can change the oil and save the pump. If you drive around for a while with it, it eventually wears the hard facing off the gears/impeller in the pump and creates that whining noise.

Have replaced countless p/steering pumps because of this. I used to change dirty/old p/steering oil all the time for customers. Do it in all my cars too when its needed.

Cheapest and easiest fix is to change the oil asap. Thats what I would do first.

 

Good to know Pap. I just changed mine on the 355 when updating the PS tank. I've never done it on my Boxster though (2003), and it seems like the service manuals don't call for it to ever be changed (from memory). I think I'll change out my Boxsters PS fluid next time I open the access hatch to the motor (a pain to get to).

 

Don't know about your Porsche but Ferrari, all Ferrari PS systems get very hot. As Pap says the fluid properties break down and don't do their job. People will change their oil every 2000 miles which is a total waste but never change the PS fluid. We do PS and F1 fluid every year with all the other fluids.

 

Good man. 7 yr old p/steering oil is well overdue to be changed.

Excellent.

 

+1

While I changed the p/s fluid when I did my major last year I must admit I never thought about changing it annually before.
With all the heat in the 355 engine bay it makes sense that this should be addressed more often as well.

 

For the record, I have all my fluids changed every year (excepting the fluid in the battery).