Power Steering Help

[meissen]

On the way home from MIS today, my power steering appeared to lock up. Now in the past I have driven cars where the power steering would go out and it was still able to turn the wheels, it was just a little tough. When I went to turn into Angie's sub, it was almost impossible to turn the wheel. It almost felt like the steering rack was frozen. Is this possible? What would cause it to actl ike this? The power steering pump is spinning, and there's fluid in the reservoir...

Any ideas? Looks like I'll be skipping Superfest tomorrow to take it to the repair shop and have them take a look at it.

[Gregs_gsxr]

are you leaking PS fluid anywhere ? lift the front of the car off the ground, start car, see if its still hard to turn, if it is Im betting a bad pump or pump seal so its not pushing the fluid to the rack very good


The rack and pinion can become "loose" and exhibit a condition known as wander, they can become difficult to turn or cause scraping dragging noises....do you hear or feel any of this....if so replace the rack and pinion

[meissen]

Don't hear any noises. No PS leaking either, reservoir is full of fluid as it has been for a year or so.

[nascarnate326]

When you did the v8 swap did you put a different rack in?

[my1994z28]

FYI,according to Autozones web site the rack for v6s and v8s are the same..

[sman]

My guess is the pump just died. Don't know that I've ever heard of a rack locking up like that (at least on a car that want just in an accident).

[meissen]

When you did the v8 swap did you put a different rack in?

Nada, still the v6 rack.

FYI,according to Autozones web site the rack for v6s and v8s are the same..

Hrm... that doesn't make sense. I've always heard that the Z28 steering rack is better steering ratio than the v6 rack. I just never cared enough to swap the rack.

[OIF1VET]

Still no idea what is wrong B?

[Emulsifide]

Nada, still the v6 rack.

Hrm... that doesn't make sense. I've always heard that the Z28 steering rack is better steering ratio than the v6 rack. I just never cared enough to swap the rack.

You're correct on there being a difference between the two racks.

Regarding your problem, try turning the steering lock to lock roughly ten times when the car is running and then recheck the fluid. You might have an air pocket in the system that just needs to be burped out.

[meissen]

That'd be extremely difficult. Right now my steering is so hard to turn that after turning the steering wheel 90 degrees I had to check under the hood and make sure everything was OK.

[WMCCjames]

Your rack is bad. I had this happen on our Grand Prix last year. It would steer normal and then all of a sudden lock up. You could force it through the lock-up but it was darn tough. I put a new rack in it and it's been fine ever since.

[Emulsifide]

If that's the case, I agree with Spencer. Clamp off the lines and pull the pump. Put it on a bunch, put a plug on the low pressure side, and throw some fluid in it. Turn the pulley in the same direction it would on the engine. You should get a nice stream shooting out the high pressure side (be careful you don't shoot yourself). If that's good, then there's either a clog in the high pressure line or there's something seriously wrong with the rack.

[meissen]

Jacked the front end off the ground and I was able to very easily steer lock to lock 10 times. It was so easy that I thought the power steering was working. As soon as I lowered the car back on to the ground, power steering was dead.

So that means that the rack is still good, right? It's just the pump?

Either way, the new plan is that my dad is going to bring Dan's steering rack and power steering pump to Angie's parents' house in Livonia and we're going to swap the pump in. If that doesn't fix it, we'll have the steering rack that we could swap in if need be.

[Gregs_gsxr]

Sounds like the pump has gone bad, and with it not giving you the pressure the rack needs.

[sman]

Jacked the front end off the ground and I was able to very easily steer lock to lock 10 times. It was so easy that I thought the power steering was working. As soon as I lowered the car back on to the ground, power steering was dead.

So that means that the rack is still good, right? It's just the pump?

Either way, the new plan is that my dad is going to bring Dan's steering rack and power steering pump to Angie's parents' house in Livonia and we're going to swap the pump in. If that doesn't fix it, we'll have the steering rack that we could swap in if need be.

Thats exactly how mine was when my pump died. Worked fine if the front was in the air, but nearly impossible on the ground. Replaced the pump 3 or 4 years ago and been fine since.