Dear unusualname,

Good p.m. and may this find you well. I'd first check the harmonic balancer, also known as the crankshaft pully. This pully consists of a steel core, a rubber insert, and an outer ring, on which the belts are fitted.

Over time, the rubber insert deteriorates, allowing the outer ring to to rotate independently of the steel core. As a result, energy from the crankshaft is not transferred to the drive belts. That means:
(a) the power steering has to labor to move the wheels
(b) the alternator does not charge as efficiently as it should
(c) the water pump does not circulate coolant, as quickly as it should.

If you haven't replaced/had replaced the balancer, it likely is at the end of its working life. To assess the balancer's condition, take some white-out (correction fluid), and draw a line from the inside of the steel core (start next to the crank bolt), straight towards the radiator. When you come to the edge of the steel core, continue the line straight down, over the edge of the rubber insert, towards the ground. The line will pass over the rubber core, and across the face of the pully.

Take the car for a drive. If, when you come back, the straight line consists of two, separate segments, the balancer has failed, and the outer ring is moving around the core. If the line is still straight - both the mark on the steel core and the mark on the face of the pulley line up perfectly - then the balancer is in good order.

If so, I'd next look at the power steering pump pulley. The face of the pulley should be parallel with the front of the engine. If the pulley's face is angled, its mounting bracket may have been bent. Replacing it may solve the problem. If the noise persists, then I'd check the pump itself.

Hope some of this is useful.

Yours faithfully,

spook