i had been noticing for a few weeks a rythmic ticking sound when first starting car at idle, in the past 10 days or so I have noticed it getting worse. At first I thought the culprit was the tensioner on either the drive belt or the timing belt. However, yesturday under closer inspection I noticed the pulley on the power steering pump wobbling slightly and was able to pin point ticking noise to that. I presume the bearing is shot, is it possible to replace the pulley to correct the issue or is it necessary to replace the whole pump assembly? Also, I understand it is time to change the timing belt, should I replace the tensioner while I am in there if there is no sign of failure? What about the drive belt and tensioner, go ahead and change? The drive belt looks straight forward, though timing belt looks more involved. Any pointers I should look for while performing the change? Should I mark cogs in current position or reset to factory marks?

Thanks for the help

114000 mi.

 

I would think that you can just get the pulley, but wait for others to chime in.
At 114,000, if it is your original timing belt, whoah man, are you skating on thin ice. There are EXTENSIVE threads on this issue. People are saying anywhere from 65,000 you should be replacing it. And yes, yes, yes replace idler and tensioner while you are there. Look at the other posts for replacement. You need to line them up with markers, etc. It is also suggested that you have a "cam lock tool", but not necessary. Anyway, lots of stuff here on that, just search for cam belt replacement. Good luck.

 

If you have the time you could always pull the pump and see if you can get to the bearing and if replacements are available. I'm betting the average person like myself would have to buy the whole pump. Just make sure it's the problem. Nothing like spending money on a new pump only to find out it's something else!

I have replaced my timing belt and tensioner. It is not a terribly difficult task for the mechanically inclined. Some lessons learned: Make a tool to hold the front crank dampener from turning as you cannot get to the flexplate teeth with a screwdriver. I made a tool out of 2 pieces of 1/4"X1"X4' flat steel that is available at the hardware store. I cut it in half and doubled it so it was a 1/2" thick. I then drilled 3 holes, one about 2/3rds of the length to tie all the steel together into an X (with a bolt), and one each at the short ends to place bolts into the crank where the pulley normally bolts. You need to drill your hole for the X so that you leave enough room to get to the center crank nut. I also had to use a little heat on the crank nut to break it loose.

The timing belt tensioner was easy to replace but is a little trickey to tighten it securely without moving the adjustment. Just a little trial and error to get it right. Don't forget to replace the water pump while you are in there. It runs off the timing belt.

My cams did move a couple times as I figured out the best way to get the belt on. Just move them back to line up with the reference marks and all is well. A cam stop would have helped.

Please let us know if you find out the power steering pump can be repaired.