[soncasey]

Hi there,

I'm wondering about my '97 Jetta (turbodiesel...) that makes a high squeal when I crank on the wheel. It happens mainly when it's at the edge of its turning radius.
Do I need to tighten the power steering belt? ...
And if so, how?

Thanks

 

[Vent5]

Possible but if it's normal for some quiet humming noise at the very end of the steering wheel travel.

There are 3 bolts that hold the pump, you move the whole housing. Be careful not to overtighten it or else it will wear out the pump. You might be low on fluid too.

 

[chittychittybangbang]

If you are in Canada, you might have the older IDI engine. If not, you have a TDI engine, take a look through this:
http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q_how_to/a3b4/passatchrip.htm

There are pictures of the bolts which are to be loosened.

If it's a humming noise or a belt slipping noise your belt can be tightened. If it's an ear piercing grinding noise then the power steering pump is bad. Try changing the fluid as well.

 

[soncasey]

Nice, thank you. (and I'm from Canada)

I haven't tried to tighten or loosen yet (the guy at the shop advised tighten, but I think he meant it as a job for him to do the next time I went in ...), and you (CCBB) wrote to loosen, so I might just wait it out.

Also, on that link you sent it coincidentally had another issue of mine. The tensioner lever (I think ... rod?) has a piece (small black piece) on the end and it is loose and jiggles around. Is this an issue?

While I am here, I only get approx. 600-700km/tank (370-430miles/tank)(partial city driving). Is there something wrong? The car has ~400K on it. Can I improve this?

Thanks again

 

[chittychittybangbang]

Look through the list of how tos at the top of the forum and look up "venting" or the ventectomy. It explains it all and a how to. Not sure if the Canadian jetta has this but it should.

Back to your original issue, the tensioner lever will jiggle around a little, it's normal. Not sure if your engine is the IDI or the TDI, but if it's the TDI engine, the harmonic balancer will wear out as mentioned in the above link. Replacing the harmonic balancer and the tensioner's spring tensioner will solve it. If it jiggles around a lot then the tensioner's spring is worn.

It's possible that when you turn the wheel all the way, the noise is really the harmonic balancer (not likely). The harmonic balancer is more of a rapid bird like chirp-chirp, power steering pump noise is more harsh screeching, a slipping belt is also more of a soft chirp.

 

[darren]

Overtightened belts can wear out their pulleys. There could be an oil leak or something?

 

[Fluid]

and you (CCBB) wrote to loosen, so I might just wait it out.

Loosen? No, he wrote to loosen the bolts so you could tighten the bracket to tighten the belt. Since you said high pitched, this is normally a slipping belt.

 

[soncasey]

Okay, so I've taken off the tensioner lever and it was visible before that the insert for which the tensioner lever goes into came out somehow. So I have this collar shaking around on the tensioner lever and I guess there is now some space (which might be the reason of the loose belt/rattle). Before the tension from the belt wears away the inner side of that housing where the tensioner lever is, is there somewhere I can get one of those collars that came off?

I got a lever from the wrecker's but the collar was really jammed in there and I couldn't get it off/out without crunching it.
Thanks,

 

[chittychittybangbang]

Okay, the following is all about the lever and not the power steering pump since you've determined that the PS pump is not the cause.

Under normal circumstances you don't need to replace that lever. The collar is a bronze bushing right?

They are both damaged. You could machine the lever down, the black "L" shaped piece, and have a custom bushing made for it. Or buy new pieces. The lever is 028 903 308 g , not sure what the bushing part number is since it may be part of the bracket, which is 028 903 149 t . Your best bet is a junkyard, I recommend

L&T Enterprizes
6220 Airport Rd.
Allentown, PA 18109
610-264-9191
800-228-3895

Good luck!

 

[Fluid]

Go back to the wrecker and get another one. I would rather buy a used one but if the wrecker damaged it then they should get another one. If the bushing is off and the lever is cut off then it'll never be right and squeak-squeak-squeak. It's pressed in there and you need it. Or you could just measure the diameter of the collar and the lever and have a new bushing made at any machine shop. The problem is trying to figure out how much free play to leave.