My 98 vette started squeeling from under the hood and it sounded like the belt. A day later it got louder and louder then started making all kinds of BAD noises. took it to the Chev. Dealer and they checked it and said it was my power sterring pump and the tensioner. they said the bearrings were loose and I needed to flush the system and replace all the parts. $800 total. Am I screwed? Do I need to let them fix it. They said i can buy after market parts that are cheaper, but they would not warrantee them, so do i just fork out the $800. It has to be fixed, I have our annual vette show in Myrtle beach this weekend and must get it fixed now. Any advise would be great.

 

with the engine off spray the tensioner with WD40 and then start it. If it quiets down and the steering is quiet as well, I'd buy a new tensioner and replace the old one. It's only held on with 2 bolts torqued to 35#s.

What does he attribute replacing the steering pump to? Take one thing at a time and replace only what's needed. GM likes their repair bills to be $1000 and typically does whatever it takes to get there.

 

I agree with the above post.

B.T.W I bought a new G.M. pump for $130.00.

 

Replacing the tensioner is a 30 min job!! I would get a new belt and tensioner and install it. See how that pans out after that!! I have never seen a power steering pump fail unless it was run dry! Grab the pulley with the belt off. If the pulley can be moved side to side or up and down, it's probably bad! if it rotates fine without any any axial deflection, i wouldn't worry about it!

Bill

 

Thanks for the remarks. I took the car to shop that has a mechanic that worked for GM for 20+ years, he specialized in vettes and seemed to know his stuff. he said the same thing as you guys did except he checked the car with an ear scope and listened to both the tentioner and the pump. He said from what he thinks, the noise is coming from the pump because you can hear the bearrings rattle. i am still not sure if I should replace the belt and tentioner first because Chev. will not warrantee the work unless they replace everything with GM parts and their labor.

 

How do you remove the belt? loosen the altenater first? I have changed belts on other cars in the past, but not on the C5. The tentioner looks easy to remove once you take off the belt. Some detailed instructions would be great! thanks anyone...

 

You use either a socket or box-end wrench on the center nut of the pulley, either 15mm or 18mm and rotate the tensioner pulley clockwise to take the tension off and while holding it, slip off the belt. The install is just the reverse.

 

Press the pulley with the palm of your hand towards the engine as far as it will go. Have some one slip the belt off the alternator pulley. Its as easy as that! Same procedure to install. If you just losten the bolt to remove the belt, you will play hell getting it back on!

Bill

 

More than likely its not the power steering pump. The idler pulley will do it. Cheap fix. And 800.00 is a waist of money. Even if its the power steering pump it will make a loud growl sound when it goes bad. And its easy to replace. Just pick up one from a auto parts store dont go to dealership u will get ripped off unless you buy it from Fred Beans--Best deals around for a dealership

 

I got the belt and the drive belt tentioner. I am going to change them tomarrow. I hope that fixes it but I have my doubts. I feel pretty sure it is the power sterring pump. It sounds like bearrings rattling not a belt squeel. When I rev the motor it get worse, I mean this thing sounds like sh.. You can hear me coming down the road a block away. What I am worried about is that the problem may be something else and I am paying a fortune to replace the sterring pump. I just hope the dealer mechanic knows what hes doing if I have to pay for the pump.

 

Is there anyway to find the problem without replacing piece by piece. I mean it could be the drive belt tentioner, or the drive belt idler or the ac idler or the water pump... Damn, why can't the problem be isolated before replacing every damn thing...

 

Well yes.

The power steering pump will worsen under load so turning the steering wheel while parked will aggrevate the pump.

There is an idler pulley over by the steering pump that can also be a problem. Go one pulley at a time and with the engine off soak eack one with WD40 or some other thin penetrating lubricant. Then start the engine and listen. If the squeal persists then shut it down and soak the next one, and so on...

Eventually the culprit will, if only for a moment quiet down. Then you replace the part and you're done. It really isn't rocket science. Squirt away.



I should be more specific. Your belt sqeal is most likely not the belt sqealing, it's the bearings. So don't spray the BELT, spray the front and back side of the pulley to get the oil onto the shaft that the bearings run on. WD40 is thin and gets in easily for testing purposes which is why I suggested that oil. If you are careful you can use a long screwdriver to listen to the pulley. Put the steel blade on the pulley mount(not the pulley) and put your ear to the handle and listen for the squeal. But I prefer tha safer oil method.

 

I tried spraying the idler pump with wd40 and the noise was still there. I then sprayed the power sterring pump with wd40, still noise. I then sprayed the drive belt tentioner with wd40 and the noise was gone. I even took the car for a drive, NO NOISE. I hope it's just the drive belt tentioner, but it could be one of the other things I sprayed as well. I will replace the drive belt tentioner and belt tomarrow, wish me luck. I would love to go to the dealer and tell them to "bite me" if it does not need a power sterring pump. I did schedule the replacement of the pump for thursday, but I would love to dance away from the stealership if it turns out to only be the tentioner.

 

I changed the belt and the belt tentioner and the noise stopped. it seems to be doing just fine, but I did check the pully on the pump and it did have a little play up and down and side to side. Not much, very little, but the pully turned freely and did not seem to be loose enough to cause the noise I had. The tentioner I removed also seemed fine, but by changing the belt and tentioner, my noise has stopped. I took the car for a 5 mile run and it was quite as a mouse. I hope this fixed it. thanks for the advise...

 

Bill, how do you want to split the $750 difference? 50/50

 

It sounds like you got it, but be aware that there is another pulley in the A/C belt system called the Idler pulley, you probably had to mount the belt on it when you replaced the tensioner (with pulley) and belt. This pulley has also been known to make noise also. Just one bolt holds it to the block, it just a round pulley with a hole in it for the bolt. If you get noise again soon, replace that one too. Cost about $22 at Fred Beans (GM Dealer), no aftermarket pulley is available.

 

So,,,,,,,,,now you know why we call them STEALER SHIPS!! Bastages!!

Good Job! Just donate my share to the Corvette Museum in Bowling green!

Bill

 

THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED OUT. I just drove 75 miles and the car is purring like a kitten, well with the z06 exhaust, it kind of growls a little , but the problem is fixed......