V70 steering pump

Author
Discussion

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

256 months

Friday 21st December 2012
quotequote all
2008 V70 2.4 diesel (new shape)

Just had five hundred quid's worth of steering pump replaced because the old one was VERY noisy.

The new one is silent at first, but gets slightly noisy when warm. Does anybody know if this is normal?
I have no benchmark because I've only just taken over the car.

Genuine Volvo fluid used. I'm wondering if there was some contamination inside the pipes that's carried through to the new unit.

Any thoughts?

kwk

562 posts

179 months

Saturday 22nd December 2012
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Check inside the reservoir to see if the fluid is frothing when hot. If it is, then air is being allowed into the system and this will make the pump noisy.

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

256 months

Saturday 22nd December 2012
quotequote all
Thanks, I've checked that. The old one was frothing, this one isn't.

Tunku

7,703 posts

229 months

Monday 24th December 2012
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I can only think that the level is too low. Have you tried slightly overfilling it, just in case the dip stick is lying?

edited to add - what sort of noise?

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

256 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
I had the pump replaced a few days ago. If anything, it's overfull. It's a see-through reservoir with level markings on it.

The noise is a whine that rises and falls with the revs and disappears if you plop it into neutral. The same noise that made me replace the old unit, but nowhere near as loud. The fluid level fell on the old one, I believe it was leaking from the jubilee clip holding the pipe to the reservoir. Fluid was frothing at that point and we thought it had knackered the pump, having allowed air into the fluid.

Just trying to find someone else who drives one of these to see if it's normal.

kwk

562 posts

179 months

Monday 24th December 2012
quotequote all
I'vd driven all models from the early 850's through to the latest V70's, both my own and Police cars. I've only ever known the pump to be noisy when there is something wrong.
The reservoir is a known fault with the fluid frothing because the plastic piece on the end of the top hose falls off inside the reservoir pushing air into the fluid. The fluid froths after a while, the pump gets noisy and the steering can get heavy at low speed.
I've replaced 3 of them on different cars in the last 12 months. Typically about a tenner from a breakers.

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

256 months

Tuesday 25th December 2012
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Thanks for that. This is a 2008 model with a round reservoir and doesn't have the plastic tube problem, though.

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

256 months

Tuesday 25th December 2012
quotequote all
Just stumbled across Skandix parts website. It appears the power steering system has a filter. Anybody know if that's correct?

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

256 months

Thursday 10th January 2013
quotequote all
Filter...

Dealer says no.

For the benefit of anybody else who encounters a noisy steering pump...

I've been advised by Someone Who Knows that the problem is a metal baffle in the fluid reservoir. It gets blocked. Seems my problem will go away if I remove this baffle, wash it in petrol, blow it out and fill with new fluid.

Will report back later...


mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

256 months

Sunday 13th January 2013
quotequote all
Reporting back later...

And It Was So...no noise now.

The baffle doesn't come out of the reservoir, it's a matter of removing it, filling it with petrol, then a lot of vigorous shaking of the reservoir, empty and repeat x several, then blow it out with an air line.

Bits of muck come out with the petrol; not much, but enough to cock up the flow it seems.

Remember, this is the new shape V70, 2007 on, with a round reservoir, about the size of a coffee mug, pic below..

Glad I didn't lash out £500+ on a new pump. Oh, bks, I did...irked



cptsideways

13,553 posts

253 months

Sunday 13th January 2013
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Yep clean the reservoir out as suggested above, thats what probably killed the pump first time round

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

256 months

Sunday 13th January 2013
quotequote all
cptsideways said:
Yep clean the reservoir out as suggested above, thats what probably killed the pump first time round
The new pump went a couple of thousand miles, making more noise than the old one. Now it's perfectly quiet, so I have my doubts whether anything was wrong with the first one.

I asked The One Who Knows if the new pump would be knackered and he was adamant it would be fine.

toledo

1 posts

114 months

Tuesday 11th November 2014
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Hi mate, is it easy to remove the reservoir ?
I think mine has taken the pump out too, was previously filled with ATF and was a bit whiny before giving up the ghost altogether

mybrainhurts

Original Poster:

90,809 posts

256 months

Tuesday 11th November 2014
quotequote all
Just change or clean the reservoir. The pump will probably be ok.

Very easy to do, it lifts straight off, but you'll need something to suck the fluid out first, then remove the pipes.

I was told by several sources to use only Volvo fluid. No idea why.