John, tighten the belt a bit, then push a block of paraffin against the
pully side of the belt for a few seconds so that the belt wears some of
the block onto the belt. Then test for squeal by rocking the sterring
wheel fom lock to lock. Bet'cha the noise goes away. If it doesn't, then
the pump is dying.

BTW, the paraffin trick is one that I learned from an old time aircraft
mechanic long ago. Always works well for a belt dressing to stop belt
noise. If there are no other problems, and the bllt gets noisy again,
just dress it with paraffin periodically.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

John Bange wrote:

>My power steering pump screams like crazy when the wheel is turned to full
>lock in either direction. Is this just the pump internals in their death
>throes, or is this an indication of trouble elsewhere as well? Fluid level
>is fine and there are no symptoms other than that usual high-speed metal
>scrapey sound.
>
>--
>John Bange
>'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"
>"We'd tell a monkey how to peel a banana, if he said he was peeling one in a
>Vanagon."
>
>
>
>