Power steering pump knocking and metal shavings coming from it. Woopie!

KDM Mods

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2018
Location
MN
TDI
None yet
So the pump was replaced by the previous owner about two months ago. He then had a leak in the system and long story short it has been all fixed. But the wrong fluid was put in the pump. I tried to get as much of it out as I could and I put the right hydraulic fluid in. A few days after I bought the car something started to knock. It sounded like really bad rod knock. But I used my mechanics stethoscope and it was definitely coming from the pump. I tried bleeding the system of air but I could never get all the air out. There were always bubbles. And there still is now! I tried to get some out tonight for 15 minutes just turning the wheel back and forth. Still has air in it. I just don’t get it. Anyway I was having my dad look at it and when the car was running I noticed that there were small metal shavings coming from the pump. There are non in the fluid though. Then I started to look around the engine bay and there are shavings everywhere! I never noticed it lol. This has been going on for a month so it’s really been collecting. I’m really not looking forward to replacing the pump. At least it has a lifetime warranty on it from auto zone. Before I replace it though does anyone have an idea of what happened? I’m going to be doing the timing belt next semester which is In January. So hopefully it will last that long lol. I can take a video if anyone is interested. Thanks for reading!

Caleb


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Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Small metal shavings as in fine aluminum? From your description it sounds as those shavings are not coming from inside the power steering resivor or are they?

Perhaps the previous opener fixed a problem that included the aluminum pulley disintegrating which would cause fine aluminum bits and throw them around the engine bay, and he just didn’t clean them up.

Check your power steering pulley I had one come apart.




Do not buy your parts from autozone or other box store, for a new pump you’re better off going to a junkyard and finding one than going to one of those stores. Try removing the serpentine belt and running the car to absolutely confirm that it’s not a knock that is way more serious from the engine itself.


One other thing is this on your 1919 model A or your 2000 Dodge duramax you failed to tell us which one you’re talking about.
 
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Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
all i can say is, replace pump with a quality OEM part and not some box store crap,
pull the rack out of the car and take it apart and clean it up, new seals, new boots and take some emery cloth to the parts that look scuffed unless its deep at the sealing surface then its a new rack for you.
blow out the hoses with compressed air and clean up the reservoir.
Do a proper flush with the right fluids.
its not brain surgery here, if a part goes bad, fix it properly, if you half @ss it here, dont come back when you complain of a leaking rack.
 

KDM Mods

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2018
Location
MN
TDI
None yet
Small metal shavings as in fine aluminum? From your description it sounds as those shavings are not coming from inside the power steering resivor or are they?

Perhaps the previous opener fixed a problem that included the aluminum pulley disintegrating which would cause fine aluminum bits and throw them around the engine bay, and he just didn’t clean them up.

Check your power steering pulley I had one come apart.




Do not buy your parts from autozone or other box store, for a new pump you’re better off going to a junkyard and finding one than going to one of those stores. Try removing the serpentine belt and running the car to absolutely confirm that it’s not a knock that is way more serious from the engine itself.


One other thing is this on your 1919 model A or your 2000 Dodge duramax you failed to tell us which one you’re talking about.


Thanks for the reply.

Yea forgot to mention the year and model. It’s a 2001 VW Jetta tdi. Top mounted pump. The previous owner actually did replace the power steering pulley when he changed out the pump.

You do have a good idea though if taking the belt off to make sure. I will try this.

Also forgot to mention that once the car warms up the pump is silent. It’s only when the car is cold. Not sure why.

Also forgot to mention that the sound is inconsistent. It might a faster knock or a slower one. Or it might stop and then start. If you rev the engine it goes away. If you hold it at full lock it goes away.


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Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Thanks for the reply.

Yea forgot to mention the year and model. It’s a 2001 VW Jetta tdi. Top mounted pump. The previous owner actually did replace the power steering pulley when he changed out the pump.

You do have a good idea though if taking the belt off to make sure. I will try this.

Also forgot to mention that once the car warms up the pump is silent. It’s only when the car is cold. Not sure why.

Also forgot to mention that the sound is inconsistent. It might a faster knock or a slower one. Or it might stop and then start. If you rev the engine it goes away. If you hold it at full lock it goes away.


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Sounds like the pump is shot, but check to be sure with the serpentine belt removal before throwing parts at it. Since it’s a box store made in China pump I suspect the pump. Go to the junkyard or idparts.com for a new one.
 

KDM Mods

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2018
Location
MN
TDI
None yet
Sounds like the pump is shot, but check to be sure with the serpentine belt removal before throwing parts at it. Since it’s a box store made in China pump I suspect the pump. Go to the junkyard or idparts.com for a new one.


Ok. I assume I should probably not drive it? I’ll just take a different car to school today.


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Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
Do not buy your parts from autozone or other box store, for a new pump you’re better off going to a junkyard and finding one than going to one of those stores. Try removing the serpentine belt and running the car to absolutely confirm that it’s not a knock that is way more serious from the engine itself.

One other thing is this on your 1919 model A or your 2000 Dodge duramax you failed to tell us which one you’re talking about.
Really worth repeating. The whole concept of a warranty is just ludicrous. The box stores know you will grow tired of replacing their Chinese garbage and just go away. Plus if their garbage part destroys your engine, they will claim zero liability and just give you another garbage part.
 
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KDM Mods

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2018
Location
MN
TDI
None yet
Went to the junk yard yesterday and bought a power steering pump that came with the pulley. $35. So I just swapped it in and everything is quite. Only problem is(and this was a problem with the old one too) i just can’t seem to get all the air out. I jack it up in the front and keep the engine off and just turn the steering wheel back and forth. No matter how many times I do it there is always air coming out and the fluid level never drops. Is there another way to do it? Also here is the pulley off the old pump. I think this was the problem not the pump



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