How noisy should a PSC CBR power steering pump be?

[Steel City 06]

I recently installed a PSC pump, gearbox, and Blaine's bolt on cylinder assist kit.

The first pump was noisier than stock, and could easily be heard at idle in the cabin, mainly as a low growl. It occasionally made noise at higher RPMs. I called PSC and they sent me a replacement.

The new pump makes the same low growl, but as the engine hits 3200 RPM, it begins to scream. It sounds like I have a supercharger. I called PSC and they agreed to replace that one right away.

I have tried re-bleeding several times, making sure no air bubbles appeared in the reservoir on the final bleeds. I orginally had the reservoir mounted in the PSC bracket on the brake booster. I have since relocated it to the fender immediately adjacent to the PS pump. I am running -12AN feed and -8AN return lines. The relocation and shortening of the lines made zero difference. I tried covering the fittings in oil while it was screaming to see if they may have been sucking air, but there was no change in noise.


How loud are these CBR pumps normally? I'm guessing they shouldn't scream, but is a constant growl at idle normal? Similar to a loud A/C compressor?

 

[Alex01]

I just installed the same kit and mine doesn't seem any louder than stock at idle. I don't have driveshafts yet so I can't comment on noise while driving.

@Midnight LJR just had it installed as well but when I rode in his jeep I also didn't notice any increased noise.

Have you talked to @mrblaine? He's likely seen something like this before.

 

[Steel City 06]

I just installed the same kit and mine doesn't seem any louder than stock at idle. I don't have driveshafts yet so I can't comment on noise while driving.

@Midnight LJR just had it installed as well but when I rode in his jeep I also didn't notice any increased noise.

Have you talked to @mrblaine? He's likely seen something like this before.

That's good to know. I really like the performance of the system.

I'm not sure if bad pumps are common, or if I just suck at bleeding them

 

[Apparition]

Mine’s NIB so it’s super quiet. Following in case I have the same issue.

 

[Steel City 06]

I will say the PSC representatives have been very responsive. I called them today and let them know the issue and they agreed to send me a 3rd pump with very little explanation needed

 

[Midnight LJR]

I will say the PSC representatives have been very responsive. I called them today and let them know the issue and they agreed to send me a 3rd pump with very little explanation needed

Hopefully that one works for you. Keep us updated.

 

[Rescue6]

I have no issues with my psc pump. It was a pain to get bled I had to unbolt my cooler and move it up and down from end to end and then put the Jeep at an angle in the driveway to get all the air out of the system. But since I got the air all out it has been quiet.

 

[Irun]

I just installed one as well and it's super quiet. I don't know if it helped or not, but I spent 15 minutes priming the entire system, turning the pump by hand. I then started the Jeep and followed the PSC instructions for getting any air out. My reservoir is mounted on the PSC bracket, attached to the brake booster. Like you, I'm running -12AN feed and -8AN return lines. I'm also running a 16" single pass cooler, with -8AN lines.

 

[Steel City 06]

I just installed one as well and it's super quiet. I don't know if it helped or not, but I spent 15 minutes priming the entire system, turning the pump by hand. I then started the Jeep and followed the PSC instructions for getting any air out. My reservoir is mounted on the PSC bracket, attached to the brake booster. Like you, I'm running -12AN feed and -8AN return lines. I'm also running a 16" single pass cooler, with -8AN lines.

That's good to know. That sounds like what I originally had set up before I relocated the reservoir.
I'll try and be even more aggressive with the bleeding on this new one.

 

[Lou]

I’m on pump 2 and still sounds supercharged. I’ve heard it’s not uncommon to have to try 3-4 pumps till you get a good one. Frustrating to say the least.

 

[mrblaine]

I recently installed a PSC pump, gearbox, and Blaine's bolt on cylinder assist kit.

The first pump was noisier than stock, and could easily be heard at idle in the cabin, mainly as a low growl. It occasionally made noise at higher RPMs. I called PSC and they sent me a replacement.

The new pump makes the same low growl, but as the engine hits 3200 RPM, it begins to scream. It sounds like I have a supercharger. I called PSC and they agreed to replace that one right away.

I have tried re-bleeding several times, making sure no air bubbles appeared in the reservoir on the final bleeds. I orginally had the reservoir mounted in the PSC bracket on the brake booster. I have since relocated it to the fender immediately adjacent to the PS pump. I am running -12AN feed and -8AN return lines. The relocation and shortening of the lines made zero difference. I tried covering the fittings in oil while it was screaming to see if they may have been sucking air, but there was no change in noise.


How loud are these CBR pumps normally? I'm guessing they shouldn't scream, but is a constant growl at idle normal? Similar to a loud A/C compressor?

When working correctly, they are dead silent. The problem is when you are doing the bleeding and start it, if you let it cavitate (wrong word) and produce that low growling sound which indicates the pump has air in it and is basically dry, you pretty much smoked the pump and get to do it again.

The easy way to tell you did that, is it makes a low growl at idle and then screams above 2500 rpm.

Get in touch with Kelvin at PSC, tell him you have a screaming pump, he'll take care of it or should.

 

[mrblaine]

I’m on pump 2 and still sounds supercharged. I’ve heard it’s not uncommon to have to try 3-4 pumps till you get a good one. Frustrating to say the least.

Very uncommon to need to swap in that many. I've done 20 in a row and never had to replace one.

 

[mrblaine]

Mine’s NIB so it’s super quiet. Following in case I have the same issue.

Make sure you get all the air out when bleeding. We cycle probably 30-40 times lock to lock. Then when we go to start it, we only run it for a couple of seconds and cycle it again.

 

[Steel City 06]

When working correctly, they are dead silent. The problem is when you are doing the bleeding and start it, if you let it cavitate (wrong word) and produce that low growling sound which indicates the pump has air in it and is basically dry, you pretty much smoked the pump and get to do it again.

The easy way to tell you did that, is it makes a low growl at idle and then screams above 2500 rpm.

Get in touch with Kelvin at PSC, tell him you have a screaming pump, he'll take care of it or should.

Thanks for the honest reply. Sounds like I suck at bleeding. PSC has been very good about replacing the pumps.

 

[mrblaine]

Thanks for the honest reply. Sounds like I suck at bleeding. PSC has been very good about replacing the pumps.

They have had a few sporadic issues with ring and rotor in some of the pumps. It is not common and I bitch louder than anyone when I get one. I don't like it but it does happen rarely. That is also why I make sure the bleeding is impeccable. I don't want to be the one who smokes a pump and then tries to make it their fault.

 

[Alex01]

On average how much swepco would you say you add? Mine appears to be fully bleed and I used around 1.5 qts.

 

[mrblaine]

On average how much swepco would you say you add? Mine appears to be fully bleed and I used around 1.5 qts.

We are over 3 quarts with the cylinder and cooler.

 

[Alex01]

We are over 3 quarts with the cylinder and cooler.

I guess I should jack up my front end and do some more lock to locks.

Thanks

 

[Apparition]

I guess I should jack up my front end and do some more lock to locks.

Thanks

In this video Matt shows the bleeding of the system on a JL, he mentions it can take two hours to get all the air out. It may or may not help but I’ll post it anyway.

 

[Irun]

We are over 3 quarts with the cylinder and cooler.

I was at 2.3 qts with a cooler, but no cylinder assist.