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Bright Pink PS Fluid/Engine Mount Puzzle/Timing Belt - can it jump?

scam75

scam75

Well-known member
Evening chaps

Further to my mystery vibration issue after having my belts changed I noticed today that the power steering is screeching at full lock either way. Whilst in the garage the PS fluid was changed. Noticed the fluid is bright pink. Any dexron I have ever used in it is dark red. What is this bright pink stuff and could it cause the system to squeal at full lock. Could it also explain my vibration issue if the PS pump is unhappy?

Edit to add bill from garage says "Mobil 1 SHC TQF" which when Googled reveals not very much! I assume this relates the the PS fluid I've been charged for.

Cheers

Stuart
 
From what I can find out its for BMW V8 gearboxes, not sure it's suitable for 20 year old power steering

think a quick phone call to Opie oils would sort that one out.

if it's bright pink is it frothy as well could be air in the system, and the screech could be a slack belt, my car groaned like crazy on full lock until I re-sealed the pump

 
It did look a tad frothy. May well be a slack belt or an insecure pump? Did not have any symptoms like this before the belts were done. Either way it needs to go back to the garage. Will make a call tomorrow morning.

Stuart

 
I did suggest PAS pump bolts not done up properly as possible cause of your vibration issue. Now you have screeching noise, I would definitely check the PAS pump installation and belt.

 
Indeed you did and I am most grateful for your input. I have not had a chance to get it checked myself, much to my frustration, and was just reporting ongoing issues.

I have no garage and at this time of year in the ****ing rain and complete after work darkness I am a bit hamstrung for jobs I'd do myself no bother in the light nights and nice weather!

I will return to garage tomorrow and wait with them till they inspect the pas pump and belt.

Cheers

Stuart

 
If you're waiting while they look at it, I would wander out into the garage as soon as it's on the ramps and have a poke around for yourself as well. Just grab the PAS pump firmly and give it a good twist/shake around the place and you will soon know if it's been correctly installed or not.

 
Cheers M3. I won't miss and hit the wall!

Edit to add: just went out with torch and pry bar. PAS belt seems very loose. Can push it down nearly an inch. It would seem to be the issue after all M3, spot on. I can only assume the pump is insecure although can't be sure it's not just a really slack belt until I get it on a ramp. However the vibration would be explained by an insecure pump and it now looks very likely to be the culprit for all issues!

 
Cool. Let us know how you get on with the garage visit. Hopefully both problems will be easily solved with a couple of minutes spannering.

:)

 
PAS pump faults can certainly be quite alarming - when I started up my new engine it ran quite horribly and noisily until the PAS pump had pressurised and stabilised. I guess the wrong fluid could have some sort of effect.

Strange mistake to make by a "specialist"

 
Hi

The colour of the fluid doesn't necessarily mean anything, there are ATFs that are blue, orange, yellow and probably others that I can't think of right now. The colour is just due to whichever dye they use, it doesn't always reflect the specs the oil meets, although it can be an indicator. I would be surprised if the garage put in an unsuitable fluid, although stranger things have happened.

Cheers

Tim

 
Well there was no issue with the fluid. It is mobil's latest offering apparently. Problem was the spacer bush had slipped on the pump, there are 2 of these, so the belt lost tension. They stripped off the pump and re-assembled, including fresh oil, and the steering is happy now. But I still have this god forsaken vibration which is evident throughout the rev range. It's not horrendous but it definitely wasn't present before the garage done the belts. It is worse when cold and backs off somewhat when warmed up but does not go away completely. The garage insist it is the engine mounts. These were replaced about it 17k miles ago. My only other stab at this, and please give me your thoughts, is that I know my alternator bearings are on the way out. So much so that I had the belt a little looser than spec to alleviate the bearing noise and give it an easier time. Been that way for over a year and no dramas but on my to do list. I presume now the alternator belt is nipped up tightly. The bearing is squeaking a tad more than before but not majorly. Could this be the cause of my vibration? I have a spare alternator and a rebuild kit so will be getting it rebuilt and fitted soon.

Also have to add no charge from the garage for today's work.

Thoughts?

Cheers

Stuart

 
i would take a stab at the washer being in the wrong slot on the balance shaft pulley, it's a very easy mistake to make

 
Could be. Problem is I've had them re-check it all once and they tell me it's fine. I would now need someone else who knows their stuff to have a look for me. Struggling for options up in Glasgow!

Does a balance belt/shaft issue not manifest around 1600 and 3200 rpm? My vibration increases with revs.

Stuart

 
There could be something in waylander's comment above. If they weren't paying proper attention when disassembling and then reassembling the balance shafts it could result in one of the shafts being 180 degrees out of phase, with obvious results.

 
The only option is to get everything back to TDC and check alignments on all shafts. It is easily done to get balance shafts out of alignment even by a few degrees. I used Clarke's garage and a youtube video to double check all alignments. [link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1P0n1DXMto]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1P0n1DXMto[/link] (17 mins in) - make sure crankshaft rotates with a wrench , 360deg twice to ensure all tdc marks align.

 
First check engine mountings - ensure nothing is loose and torqued correctly. You could try backing off the alternator belt so it runs without charge - I doubt alternator would cause such vibration unless the mounts are loose or bearing has completely disintegrated.

If Jon Mitchell is around he may pick up the thread.

 
Well had belts checked today by someone I trust and all looks well. It would seem the engine mount is the culprit as it has dropped about 3/4 mm looking at my strut brace which used to touch the top of the fuel rail. You can see where the strut brace once rubbed against the fuel rail cover and there is now a 3/4 mm gap. Disappointing that I only seem to have got 3 years or so out of the replacement mounts though I have no idea if they were genuine hydraulic ones or not. Having mounts done next week so let's see if that fixes things. Strange coincidence however that they seemed fine before my belts were done. Will take the opportunity to throw in my re-con alternator also so that's another job done. Looks like my son will be getting some presents from Santa's budget range this year!!

Stuart

 
If they were not the genuine article, I have just seen a post on a USA forum where the mounts just collapsed after 3 years and about 9k miles, he cut one of them open and it was just hollow rubber no fluid, and he thinks they were the most expensive non OEM ones, meyle

so basicly rubbish !e

if you can open the link [link=http://www.968forums.com/topic/12804-motor-mounts/page-4]http://www.968forums.com/...04-motor-mounts/page-4[/link]

 
Interesting. The fact I have a 3 or 4 mm drop suggests the mount has collapsed. There is no other explanation. I will cut open the mount that comes off and see what (if anything) comes out.

So the mounts from Porsche are about £138 each. I assume these are hydraulic. Euro have 2 types in stock, the dearer unit at £59 and they think they are hydraulic. I can see this being a minefield. Does anyone definitively know where to get proper hydraulic mounts at the best price?

Cheers

Stuart

 
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