I'm sitting just shy of 70K on the ODO and power steering decided to do some extra whining this week. Ran a flush, monitored, seemed fine for a couple of days. Start the car up this morning and whine was back. Checked the garage floor, looks like there is a slight leak.

Found the nabisco thread on o-ring replacements.. Called RBMS and they said they only swap in new PS pumps - no o-rings or rebuilds. Don't really have the tools or time to do it myself.

Any suggestions?

 

Changing the hoses and o-rings isn't too bad, there's tutorials for it. Is the belt worn at all?

 

Belt is fine. Whine root cause is low fluid due to leak.

 

O-rings and/or the hoses then.

The thinner of the two you can replace with whatever from Osh/similar, so long as it's the same size and rated to the appropriate tempurature (just get the highest rated you can find).

The o-rings are about $2-3 a pop from the dealer, which is ridiculous for a thing of rubber granted, but will be worry free for the next 100k or more.

The thicker hose is a bit more expensive, ~$80 BNIB from Subaru. You can check a junk yard for them in old Subies, see if they're in better condition. They ought be softish, not hard and cracking as they get in old age.

Good luck.

 

I went through this last year. Ended up biting the bullet and ordering a new pump.

 

Same, got it done at RBMS. Mine started to whine around the same mileage too.

Before I did though, I've went to many hardware and automotive stores and they mostly didn't keep stock of the precise size o-ring I needed. I even replaced all the hoses/flush/new fluid, but to of no avail and air still got in the system somehow. Good luck!

 

How much did RBMS charge you? How much was the pump? Just curious thanks

 

I forgot how much the labor was since it was some time ago, but I do recall they were very reasonable. The pump I bought brand new from Subaru, I think it was $400-500.

 

I'll ask when I'm there as I'll be there doing brakes this week.

I found on a nabisco page. Ordered it via prime over night yesterday, got it early this morning. Hoping it buys me a couple weeks while I order the damned PS/hoses.

 

Good: found the leak. Bad: turned out to be the steering rack & pinion assembly. Got that replaced today..

Not sure if it matters, but things of note:

• Have used Royal Purple ATF for most the life of the car.
• Installed Whiteline steering rack bushings around 45K.

 

2008+ car?
Hope you got the rack from the 2015 when you replaced it, the 13:1 ratio really makes a huge improvement, and its the same cost new as an older 2008-14 rack.
Still trying to sell my used 2008 rack thats lying around the garage, if anyone else gets a leaky rack...