[s-cars] Power Steering pump x-plug/chirping noise upon startup

[Tom Green]

Jim,

I think Chris has you fixed up on the x-plug.  You picked out the  
fluid level in the reservoir pretty easily it seemed.  Could that be  
because it is darker than the original fluid?  It could be time to  
flush all the old stuff out, clean the filter and replace the fluid.   
These are expensive parts in the hydraulic system and they depend on  
clean fluid to continue to operate properly.  Several have switched to  
Redline power steering fluid and are using a magnefine filter in the  
fluid return line.  The Redline PSF is better at keeping the system  
clean and costs about half the Pentosin 11S price.  There is a  
discussion on this on the quattroworld.com UrS4/6/S2/RS2 forum with  
Mance Etheridge spearheading the change recommendation.

The chirp sounds like belt noise from here (but, my long distance  
hearing is not so good).  Take a good look at the serpentine belt for  
condition with the engine off and then how the belt operates and  
tracks in all the pulleys.  You may need to remove the little plastic  
cover over the top of the belt that is fastened above the alternator.   
Make sure all pulleys are in line, especially the pulley behind the  
viscous fan, and that the tensioner does not jerk the belt or move  
around a lot.

Tom '95 S6
          '95.5 S6 avant
Knoxville, TN

On Sep 2, 2011, at 3:00 PM, s-car-list-request at audifans.com wrote:
>
> Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 18:11:48 -0600
> From: "Jim Fleischer" <jim at almgt.com>
> To: <s-car-list at audifans.com>
> Subject: [s-cars] Power Steering pump x-plug/chirping noise upon
> 	startup
> Message-ID: <E8854E6D8C374066BCFC4EB2634F5A75 at jim5fc968a6e6a>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Hey guys,
>
> In poking around my engine bay to locate a high pitched "chirp" on  
> startup, I noticed some weeping at the x-plug on the power steering  
> pump. Looks like my fluid is down as well, but not under the  
> minimum.  A few questions: Can I replace the x-plug and washer  
> without draining the system, or will it require a full drain and  
> bleed?  Anyone have the part # for the x-plug and washer handy?   
> What is the fluid of choice for this?  I don't want to mix hydraulic  
> fluids.
> The "chirping" is rev dependent, and it goes away after a minute or  
> two, so wondering if these two things are related, or is the  
> chirping something else?  I am due for a timing belt replacement  
> (around 65k miles.) Could it be the water pump?
>
> Thanks guys.  I appreciate any help.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Jim Fleischer
> '95 s6 avant