This is my first winter with my cummins and it was about 15*-20* yesterday while at work. When i went out to warm it up to go home i noticed a chugging/wine from any pressure applied to brake or steering wheel. After warming up for 20 mins i drove off and this continued at lower rpms until about 15miles down the road. This is my first diesel so forgive me for my ignorance on the power steering system on the cummins. Is the pump driven off of the engine oil? In all my other gas trucks this noise would make sense that the pump/fluid was cold and all that jazz. So i guess my question is, is this common when cold and is it just due to the fluid/oil being cold. Also, is the braking pressure supplied by the engine also? I have only had my truck for a few months and have not had the chance to dig into steering/brakes to figure everything out.

 

Mine did this and the powersteering fluid was low. Check your level and see what its at. The brakes and powersteering and somewhat tied together

 

The power steering pump also supplies hydraulic flow to the brake booster, therefore the noise from the power steering pump when the brakes are depressed. Double check the fluid level would be the first step.

 

My 02 does the same thing when fluid level is low. Brakes feel spongy and hard to turn. I carry a quart of power steering fluid for when it does this. Just my .02 from what my truck does

 

go with synthetic ps fluid too

 

exactly it helps in cold weather too. my 01 would still whine even though the fluid was full I swapped over to amsoil synthetic ps fluid and the whine is gone even at 6*

 

Just cold power steering fluid. Mine does it too

 

Thats what i was thinking, it isnt low on fluid and isnt quite the typical PS pump whine. Just freaked me out. As a Ford guy at heart, and 2 F-150s in my garage, i know very well the whine of a PS Pump.