Hi
I have a dumb question
What kind of power steering fluid does my 88 GTA take
The pump is original and so is the power streeing box
It was a 305 t5 tpi
Now it's a 383 hsri
But I have the same serp belt
I'm just trying to chase down a cold squeaking bird chirping
For the last month
1 heart I when I swapped the engine in I just used cheap generic fluid
Now I'm thinking it may need special old stuff
Or an I nuts

 

Just, power steering fluid. Comes in quart bottles at AZ and wherever other parts stores. It's kinda clear and thin. ATF works but PS fluid is pretty much ... the right thing.

Sqweeeeky belt chirping is probably not related to the type of fluid. More likely, bearings in the idler or tensioner.

 

Quick trick on diagnosing belt squeak...

Spray some water on the belt while it's runnning...

If the chirping gets louder, it's the belt slipping.

If the chirping goes away, it's a belt alignment issue or bad bearing (likely in the tensioner as GD stated). At that point what you can do is take a heater hose to your ear (poor man's stethescope) and carefully probe around the various pulley's to see where the noise is coming from.

 

Ty both
I just have clear power steering fluid from a part store here
I just thought I would ask
And to me when it was cold it sounds like pass front over drive front
So I have a cheap ac delete pulley I got 3 years ago
And there is a newer real gm belt tensioner
I took the belt off this am and the noise went away
Then I spun the tensioner pulley felt a bit weird and the top a.c. delete pulley has major play in it
Side to side
So I took a chance the store here had a tensioner bearing in stock so I just bought it and took a chance
And it didn't fix it
So I spo a new dorman pulley thing from rock auto 20 bucks 4 days
But if that doesn't do it cab it be my water pump
It's not original it was changed 20 years ago
And it's slow leak out of the weeping hole
I have to change it soon
Do they go and make a bearing chirping
Because it seems to go away when it's warm

 

Also last summer i got a brand new Napa belt
And 1 month ago it has a brand new Napa lifetime new alternator
I'll do the water thing tomm
Ty
I'll let you know

 

It's just a hydraulic system. The seals and gaskets are nothing special. Just plain old Buna-N rubber. Personally I use ATF because it's always handy. It does have a lot more detergents in it so may expose leaky seals sooner.

GD

 

Last NAPA alternator I used lasted about 4 months. Bearing failure.