Noise when it first starts and goes away in a spit second

Thanks, it does take a overnight soak to get the noise, it's loud and goes away right away and haven't been able to find someone to start it for me while I check it. The fluids are all up and clean. In 30+ years of wrenching I never heard this B4. At first I figured when it started to last longer I'd find it and fix it, it's getting louder but wont last any longer. ??? It sounds like a Ford PS pump with foamed fluid but it's not.

Ok you'll have to excuse me I had no idea you were a seasoned tech. We have had bad power steering pumps give similar issues, I made sure with our front end techs so your gut feeling might be right on.

Will, do. I may also get a car-fax, I just bought it not to long ago. May be a ongoing problem and the reason it was dumped. :D

How cold does it have to get to do it? How long does it have to sit to repeat the noise? I'd consider putting it in the shop on the hoist overnight if necessary and have my wife get in the car, run it up into the air and we can then have her start it and try and tell where the sound is coming from.

I parked it. I have it in a storage garage now and it's 60deg. min. It has to set for hours, not sure exactly how may. It does have a sense of presence like it's external to the engine and transmission. I'm in PA and it came from Florida. Car fax says it was serviced by Pep Boys just B4 it was traded in. All the fluids are clean and there are no signs of leaks anywhere that could have caused something to be run low on fluid and be damaged. The similarity between PS pump with aerated fluid and a noisy alternator is close enough that it could be either one. Thanks guys.