Power steering woes. Can anyone help?

[iamsilverfox 10]

Right first off i've got a 1990 1.8 valver.

 

When i first jump in the car from cold, the power steering doesnt work, and the pump whines a bunch at low rpm. So today i flushed the fluid (which was grey and ****ty when it cam eout) and tightened the belt. That solved the starting from cold problem, but now the pump seems to whine louder, and more consistantly. Also cornering at low speeds there's a knock/bump felt through the wheel. This happens at random places throughout turning. Could this be the rack on it's way out?

 

thanks

steven

[carrots 1]

sounds like its got air in it

[iamsilverfox 10]

how to i get this out? leave the reservoir cap off and go lock to lock a few times?

[VWVW 1]

With the car running you may want to turn the car full lock left to right a few times and keep an eye on the power steering fluid and top up as necessary. It should quiten down after several turns.

 

Turn the steering wheel from outside with the driver window down so you can dont have to get in and out of the car all the time and you can hear the whine and top up fluid easier.

Edited November 16, 2011 by VWVW

[iamsilverfox 10]

thanks guys. i did that a little when i first started adding fluid to get the level but i must not have done it enough. Rep both of you :)

[n3p 3]

Belt could be too tight as well, hopefully that and a bleed will cure your problems although when mine started whining loads it became apparent that the pump was knackered!

[Supercharged 2]

As above it's probably just air in the system...

 

Did you prime the pump?

[iamsilverfox 10]

today i bled the system and topped the fluid up an it seemed to sort it out. However as i was leaving to come home it starting doing it again. But by the time i got home it had stopped. So it's not very consistent. How do you go about priming the pump? thanks for the help guys.

[davidwort 0]

today i bled the system and topped the fluid up an it seemed to sort it out. However as i was leaving to come home it starting doing it again. But by the time i got home it had stopped. So it's not very consistent. How do you go about priming the pump? thanks for the help guys.

You simply turn it by hand with the belt off but tbh you don't really need to do it as the fluid drains through it under gravity once topped up.

It could possibly be the pressure valve inside the pump. Look at the reservoir when the engine is running and the noise starts, if fluid is wooshing through the rectangular tank when the steering is not being turned then the valve is sticking, remove the pump to rack pressure hose then unscew the hex beneath that to release the pressure valve, It's in various parts with a spring and small gauze filter, check that is clean and the recess in the pump is smooth and not scored.

[elliott 10]

Hello, just a quick question. I have very light over assisited steering and i just put it down to the rack needing replaced, or is it this pressure valve sticking?

 

Thanks

[iamsilverfox 10]

thanks for the responses guys. after doing a couple of miles on it, the steering has improved immensely and doesn't whine nearly as much. As for the knock i think i have narrowed it down to the suspension, but thanks for the help.

[elliott 10]

The knock your getting could be the wishbone bushes, might be a good idea to check them out before the unthinkable happens?

[iamsilverfox 10]

dont mean to sound stupid, but the unthinkable being?

[davidwort 0]

I guess he means one wheel goes one way and the other the other, highly unlikely as the rubber bushes break down over time and there's still a bolt and sleeve from the middle of the bush to keep the wishbone in place, you'd get mad vibration and steering all over the place well before anything actually gave way totally, I'd imagine it would be like driving with two flat front tyres well before the wishbone bolt snapped.

Usually the rubber of the bush splits and stays split until the next MOT if you don't notice, it will still be bonded to it's outer sleeve it's just the inner sleeve will move about a bit.

[elliott 10]

The wheels would never fall off, the wishbone is designed to stay in the subframe even if a bolt fails. However I'd have a look under the car and check ball joints, track rod ends and even the frame itself. I've had a track rod come off and it wasn't a great experience.