Power steering pump/pulley question

My 4runner has recently developed a squeal. Sprayed some water on it and it went away so i figured it wasn't a pulley, but the belt. Sprayed some 303 on it and squeal went away for a couple weeks and came back. I know sometimes it can be hard to tell where it's coming from or you need to take off the serpentine belt and check each pulley individually, but it is very clearly coming from the power steering pulley. I don't believe I've experienced any other symptoms of a failing pump as far as a whine or hard to turn. Could it just be the pulley and if so can i just replace the pulley? Or do I need to take off the whole pump to replace the pulley and in that case just replace the whole pump?

 

For preventative maintenance, I replaced my original belt with a Gates belt that would chirp and squeal when cold. I then went to the dealer and bought new genuine Toyota belt and it's been quiet since. I threw the Gates belt in the garbage and kept the original factory belt as a back-up.

 

So even if just one pulley making noise it might just be the serpentine belt still? Or would you do that first before moving on to the pulley/pump?

 

A power steering pump pulley going bad is rare but anything's possible. However, the pulley is seven times the price of the belt. Do you know what brand and how old your belt is?

 

The belt is so damn cheap just change it first.

 

That makes sense and I’ll try that first. Not sure on the brand. I’ll have to look at the service records to see if it’s been changed out ever. 180k on the runner and just got the second timing belt done. If it would’ve been squeaking even last week or so I would’ve just changed it then.

 

I had a PS pump on my Pilot that squealed because it was sucking air thru a defective O-ring on intake of pump. It started intermittent and increased.

 

Perhaps time to do the old mechanics stethoscope- Of a piece of hose (garden hose or smaller will work). Cut a length you can easily control. Hold one end close to ear and put other end on a suspect source of noise. I use this technique and found it very helpful isolating or eliminating noises.

Needless to say but - Be very careful with moving parts!