Did I kill my power steering pump?

[wwjd15]

Last weekend I did a track day at Fontana, I was slightly drifting around some corners and I don't think that I pulled too much G since I was on street tires. However, after a few session, my power steering started to suffer. Later on, it completely died. Now I have to turn the steering really hard, so I guess my pump is done?
Fluid level is normal, it'd about 4 track days on the fluid if that matters.
So my questions are, if the pump is done? Will dealer warranty it? Any cooling pkg available in the market? Is that normal on M3's or just me unfortunately?

[Malek@MRF]

Ricky, does your reservoir have fluid in it? Also, run the car, turn the wheel side to side and look at the fluid, does it look very bubbly and like water?

Do you hear a noise when you turn the wheel side to side, like a whirring noise.

Let me know.

[clubspec330i]

Originally Posted by Malekreza11

Do you hear a noise when you turn the wheel side to side, like a whirring noise.

Let me know.

Malek,

I think I might have the same problem on my 08 E90. Everytime I get a little sideway, during rainy days, I hear a WHIRRING NOISE at low rpm....say 1000-1800rpm maybe.

The dealer can't duplicate the noise when I took it in for service but they have documented it about at least 3 times. I even took a VDO with my Android to show them.

That being said, do you think that the belt might be too tight or too loose? I don't have modification to that part of the engine.

Thanks,

[the///Mthree]

Originally Posted by clubspec330i

Malek,

I think I might have the same problem on my 08 E90. Everytime I get a little sideway, during rainy days, I hear a WHIRRING NOISE at low rpm....say 1000-1800rpm maybe.

The dealer can't duplicate the noise when I took it in for service but they have documented it about at least 3 times. I even took a VDO with my Android to show them.

That being said, do you think that the belt might be too tight or too loose? I don't have modification to that part of the engine.

Thanks,

What your describing sounds like the same issue and noise I encountered. Its the engine oil scavenge pumps, I thought something under the hood was a ticking time bomb, nothing to be worried about!!

[aus]

I shredded a pulley at Fontana going around NASCAR 1/2. REALLY scary to lose power steering there!!
Hopefully that's it. It's a covered failure but a pain to get the car to the dealer.
It happened in the E46M3's too.
Good luck.

[Malek@MRF]

Originally Posted by clubspec330i

Malek,

I think I might have the same problem on my 08 E90. Everytime I get a little sideway, during rainy days, I hear a WHIRRING NOISE at low rpm....say 1000-1800rpm maybe.

The dealer can't duplicate the noise when I took it in for service but they have documented it about at least 3 times. I even took a VDO with my Android to show them.

That being said, do you think that the belt might be too tight or too loose? I don't have modification to that part of the engine.

Thanks,

This sounds more like one of those situations where the oil is slushing around while your sideways and the pump has to do something about. I doubt this is power steering related.

Your powersteering pump would make noise even at idle parked and not moving if it was on its way out or damaged.

Question for you though.. When you do get sideways, do you feel any choppy type of response in your steering wheel, where as it feels like power is cutting in and out?

[wwjd15]

Originally Posted by Malekreza11

Ricky, does your reservoir have fluid in it? Also, run the car, turn the wheel side to side and look at the fluid, does it look very bubbly and like water?

Do you hear a noise when you turn the wheel side to side, like a whirring noise.

Let me know.

The reservoir has fluid in it. I don't hear any noise when turning though. The steering wheel feels like no power steering system exist, it's really hard to turn.

[clubspec330i]

Originally Posted by Malekreza11

This sounds more like one of those situations where the oil is slushing around while your sideways and the pump has to do something about. I doubt this is power steering related.

Your powersteering pump would make noise even at idle parked and not moving if it was on its way out or damaged.

Question for you though.. When you do get sideways, do you feel any choppy type of response in your steering wheel, where as it feels like power is cutting in and out?

Steer feels just fine. I think it might be the same condition as the//Mthree described.

I will monitor it again this weekend.

Thanks for the responses guys.

[Malek@MRF]

Originally Posted by wwjd15

The reservoir has fluid in it. I don't hear any noise when turning though. The steering wheel feels like no power steering system exist, it's really hard to turn.

Hmm, it would be pretty hard to diagnose over the forum, however, if there is no pump noise or whine, no leaking fluid any where and your reservoir is full, it would be hard to blame it on the pump. It's possible that the steering rack may be acting up, but I highly doubt that.

Are you sure the tensioner didn't go bad, or the belt is shot and slipping?

If you are in OC, swing by sometime Ricky, I will take a look at it for you.

-Malek

[wwjd15]

Originally Posted by Malekreza11

Hmm, it would be pretty hard to diagnose over the forum, however, if there is no pump noise or whine, no leaking fluid any where and your reservoir is full, it would be hard to blame it on the pump. It's possible that the steering rack may be acting up, but I highly doubt that.

Are you sure the tensioner didn't go bad, or the belt is shot and slipping?

If you are in OC, swing by sometime Ricky, I will take a look at it for you.

-Malek

Thanks Malek. I was out of town for last week, so didn't get a chance to look up the car. appreciate it!
Luckily, the pump and everything else was fine, just power steering sensors were melt together. Maybe it was too hot and I didn't cool them down properly after got off the track.

[tom @ eas]

M3 looks awesome!

If you are local to our facility - feel free to drop by, we can take a quick look for you on the spot.

[GeorgeA]

Originally Posted by Malek@MRF

Hmm, it would be pretty hard to diagnose over the forum, however, if there is no pump noise or whine, no leaking fluid any where and your reservoir is full, it would be hard to blame it on the pump. It's possible that the steering rack may be acting up, but I highly doubt that.

Are you sure the tensioner didn't go bad, or the belt is shot and slipping?

If you are in OC, swing by sometime Ricky, I will take a look at it for you.

-Malek

Sorry to bring up a dead thread but this happened to me last night. I lost steering power after a slide but the pump does not make any noise. The fluid was low for a while (I didn't know). So I added fluid and nothing changed, still no power steering. I took it to an Indy shop and they said the same in the beginning, that if it was the pump it would make noise. Then after he investigated further he saw metallic flakes coming into the reservoire when steering left to right and was highly certain it was the pump. I ordered the pump and a new reservoir and now searching for an Indy shop that will change it out. Might just make the trip down to OC and bring it by you if you have time next week.

[aus]

AutoTalent by LAX should be able to take care of that too.
.

[GeorgeA]

Originally Posted by aus

AutoTalent by LAX should be able to take care of that too.
.

Hm I'll give them a call too

[GeorgeA]

^ That is actually interesting, I would like to know as well, maybe my problem is from that, but that wouldn't dirty the fluid would it?

It would be nice if one of the mods can move this thread to the suspension/steering section. Its not only track related.

[houston]

Malek, my car had a jittery feeling making a tight right turn into an alleyway in the way you described. Fluid is full, but I think I hear more PS whine or tensioner wine. Engine has less than 3k miles on it since Dealer changed it. This new engine has been Noisy since day one, but Dealer says nothing was wrong and charged me 200 for absolutely nothing. I told them at the time it sounded like PS whine. Now after this I am curious.