03 Disco - loud noise from pwr steering system

[cswanger]

Hi All,

I've got an 03 Series II with the 4.6l engine & ACE... I've been noticing an increasingly louder "growl" when turning the steering wheel. It actually sounds a lot like a hydraulic cylinder activating under load. BTW - noise is louder when sitting still - I assume this is because its harder to move the wheels when not in motion.

Is this indicative of power steering pump going out or something a little less sinister? Not experienced at all with steering systems, so HELP!

oh - vehicle just shy of 60k miles.

Thanks!

[TSR53]

Greetings, I would first start by checking both your power steering reservoir and the ACE reservoir fluid levels. Look in your drivers manual for reference. Report back on the findings.

[cswanger]

03 Disco with noisy steering pump

I checked the reservoir, and forgot to include that data... the power steering fluid reservoir is about .5" lower than the "low fill" line... I haven't driven it since I noticed that, because I haven't been able to find the power steering fluid specified in the manual, and it says the pump could be damaged by insufficient fluid.

So... have I damaged the pump? or will filling the reservoir to the "fill" line take care of it? Seems like an awful small margin of error - less than a pint, I'd estimate - especially when there is no warning indicator (aside from the growling its started to do!)

And where do I get the power steering fluid - the manual is very specific, and no auto parts store I've talked to has a cross reference for the fluid specified (Texaco Cold Climate PAS Fluid and a GM equiv. part) I figured I'd have to get it from the dealer, whose service dept. has been closed since Friday!

[03WhiteGoldRover]

So... have I damaged the pump? or will filling the reservoir to the "fill" line take care of it?

You should be fine!! Unless you drove it for a while like that? Which I doubt, that horrible noise normally prevents that