Power Steering Pump

I've got a 2000 5.3L V8 2WD Silverado. I am hearing a squeaking/squealing sound from the front of the engine from time to time. It sounds to me like it is coming from one of the accessories. I think it is the power steering pump because I can hear something in the pump when I turn it by hand. I can also move the pulley in and out a few thousands of an inch by hand. My questions are:

1) Has anyone else had an issue with squealing noises coming from the front of the engine, and if so is there one particular part that tends to cause it more than the others (in other words, what is the first thing I should check)? I bought a new idler pulley w/ bearing because I didn't like the way the old one sounded (made a faint grinding sound) but I don't know that this is the source of the problem.

2) Is there an easier way to track down an issue like this? I'm having trouble pinpointing the exact point of the noise.

3) Should the power steering pump have any in-and-out play when I push and pull on the pulley? I checked a new one at Auto Zone and it had some play as well, but it was a remanufactured one and sometimes they aren't exactly to brand-new specifications.

4) What type of power steering pump would a 2000 Silverado w/ the 5.3L V8 have? There are two options - a vaccum boost and a hydro boost. Was a change made somewhere in the model years or were there two different options?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Have you noticed does it only squeel when you use either the air conditioning, or the defrosters, there is a tensioner for the ac unit, and mine was shot about 2 months ago and everytime the ac or defrosters would kick on for a couple seconds the belt would squeal. i changed the tensioner and belt and bam no more squeal. Just a thought, check it out, i could take the tension off my tensioner and it wouldnt come back to where it needed to be.

It doesn't seem to be tied to when the AC is running or when I turn the steering wheel. It just randomly makes a noise every now and again. It isn't continuous - kind of off and on.

I know this is extremely stupid but did you check the fluid?

your belt tensioner could be going bad. Also do you notice it more when it rained or cold outside?

Yes - the fluid level is fine (probably a little high actually)

It does seem to be worse when it is rainy/wet.

I would change out the belt tensioner and the belt (since you would have to take off the belt anyways) then.

While you have the belt off, spin all the pulleys as fast as you can by hand. If one is making a noise, you should hear it then. The P/S and water pump usually wont turn fast enough to make noise when turning them by hand.

I spun the pulleys by hand and the A/C tensioner pulley did not sound all that good so I went ahead and replaced it even though I wasn't sure it was the problem. Still getting the intermediate squeak/squeal. It's not bad but I'm concerned that it will lead to something worse down the road. Nothing else was really bad (replaced idler pulley earlier) but the P/S pump is still my primary suspect. I was going to replace the Tensioner pulley but the one I got at Auto Zone was a hair too big and rubbed on the tensioner a little bit. If I replace that one looks like I will need to replace the entire tensioner. Is there a replacement timeline for belt tensioners?

I had the same problem with the replacement tensioner pulley i got from Advanced Auto, it was too big.

Noticed something else - this morning (very cool/cold out) I could actually hear the pump working as I steered the truck. If I turned the wheel the pump make noise. Is that bad?

I'm 90% sure that the pump is the source of the problem but I'd feel better about my diagnosis if the thing would do something else - like start leaking or fly apart or something.

Noticed something else - this morning (very cool/cold out) I could actually hear the pump working as I steered the truck. If I turned the wheel the pump make noise. Is that bad?

I'm 90% sure that the pump is the source of the problem but I'd feel better about my diagnosis if the thing would do something else - like start leaking or fly apart or something.
about 2 months ago i sucked out the power steering fluid 2x and with new fluid i got easier steering and less noise.

A tensioner has no replacement interval. I've seen them last anywhere from 60K to 250K miles. There's not always an obvious cause for failure.

A soft whine from a P/S pump when it's extreemely cold is common. I replaced the pump on my truck, and flushed the fluid, and it will whine under high load at below zero, like when the tires are frozen to the ground or I'm trying to back around my other cars without having to move them. Oddly enough, I don't recall it whining at all before replacing the fluid and pump. If the fluid is burnt smelling at all, I would try flushing it.