Difficulty steering. Please help.
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11 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 955
Likes: 4
From: Silver Spring, Md.
Difficulty steering. Please help. I purchased my SS around 5 months ago and considering the extremely high mileage (114k), it was pretty sound. However, there are a couple problems that just continue to annoy me. First, when the car warms up, it is damn near impossible to turn the wheel without giving it gas. In this condition, the car has to be driven with both hands firmly on the wheel especially on grooved surfaces. I've replaced the pump and the high pressure line from the pump to the rack. I've also replaced the power steering fluid with a synthetic blend. Nothing works. I don't know much about power steering racks but don't think there would be anything in that that would be temperature sensative. What other choices do I have?
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 554
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From: NY
Originally Posted by big dave
I purchased my SS around 5 months ago and considering the extremely high mileage (114k), it was pretty sound. However, there are a couple problems that just continue to annoy me. First, when the car warms up, it is damn near impossible to turn the wheel without giving it gas. In this condition, the car has to be driven with both hands firmly on the wheel especially on grooved surfaces. I've replaced the pump and the high pressure line from the pump to the rack. I've also replaced the power steering fluid with a synthetic blend. Nothing works. I don't know much about power steering racks but don't think there would be anything in that that would be temperature sensative. What other choices do I have?
For example, your trying to turn right when the fluid is warm, the pressurized side leaks thru the seal to the opposite side which causes each side to be fighting each other, like the steering input forces an an right rotation and the system is forcing some left turn rotation.
I'd replace the steering rack, it'd be expensive too, about a few hundrend.
Or have an good mechanic check it out and see before you spend $$$ on it
Last edited by Midnight F-117A; Jan 8, 2004 at 08:38 AM.
It used to be a real common ailment on early rack equipt cars it's called morning sickness.
The control head/valve assembly inside the rack wear the bores & seals.
In the morning the fluid pressure is bled thru the seals instead of providing power assist.
The only fix is to replace the rack,it sounds like you have flushed the fluid a few times, the rack is slowly coming apart & putting debris in the system.
Make sure you flush it B-4 you run the new rack.
The control head/valve assembly inside the rack wear the bores & seals.
In the morning the fluid pressure is bled thru the seals instead of providing power assist.
The only fix is to replace the rack,it sounds like you have flushed the fluid a few times, the rack is slowly coming apart & putting debris in the system.
Make sure you flush it B-4 you run the new rack.
