78 Silverado-- PS squeal

[HBlue]

The truck has not had much use over the last several years, but I decided to put it back on the road.The power steering has had a terrible squeal for too long, and has a small leak at the shaft on the steering gear. It squealed for about 10 to 20 seconds from a cold start. It squealed sometimes when steering and badly again at hard left and hard right.

I replaced the PS pump and took a lot of time to bleed the system. That did not eliminate the cold start issue so I removed the alternator belt and found I had a bad bearing in the alternator, so I replaced that.

Sometimes I still get a short squeal from a cold start.

Is that small leak allowing air to enter the system and causing the squeal?

Do I need to replace the PS gear or maybe just the seal?

[Dead Parrot]

My first though was belt squeal from old or worn belts.

If you can get a helper to start the truck while you listen, you might get lucky and find the culprit.

[Tx Firefighter]

Check belt alignment and put a properly tensioned new belt on it. It sounds like the old PS belt is glazed.

[Jstock85]

Agree. Belt may be the problem.

[HBlue]

Thanks to all that replied.

I replaced the PS and the ALT belt.

No squeal at all now for the full range of steering.

[Jstock85]

Good deal!