Power steering cuts out?

[mryzza]

Last week my power steering stoped work. Basically I am driving and all of the sudden it is extremely hard to move the steering wheel. Then after a minute everything works fine. Then the same thing happened a week later and then everything went back to normal a minute later.

I checked the power steering fluid reservoir and it is still full, however, the fluid is brown so I will probably get it replaced at the same time I get my transmission flushed.
Modified by mryzza at 1:24 PM 11/11/2006

[Q45tech]

PS pressure solenoid connection or the electronic pressure control unit.

[ScottJackson]

I thought my issue was the solenoid when mine started doing that. It gradually got worse and worse. It got to the point that it would almost always do it once the car warmed up. After checking through about everything, the fix ended up being the spring loaded plunger inside the steering pump. If you look in the FSM it shows what I'm talking about. You take off the high pressure feed line coming out of the pump and inside is plunger with a spring behind it. It won't fly out when you take the hose off, but you can start the car and it'll come out with the fluid. Don't let the car run very long like that as it takes all the fluid from the pump and could damage it. I just used some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper to lightly dress the edges of the plunger. I then pulled the spring out and stretched it so it was extended just a little more than before at rest. Once I buttoned it all back up it worked fine. It hasn't done the thing where all power assist is gone since then. I'm a very cheap sort but I think buying a new plunger for the pump would be the way to go, if you can buy it seperately.

[maxnix]

Nice post for an Article, Scott.

Back to the brown PS fluid, be sure if they use the Sun machine they hook up to the (I believe) low pressure hose. The normal retrieve and replace from the top is not sufficient for burnt or excessively worn fluid.
Modified by maxnix at 2:09 PM 11/13/2006

[squeefoo]

Check the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) output.It can be off and still show a correct speed at the the speedo.

[breaksr]

If you want a temporary fix for less then $10 do this. Jack up the front of the car so that the wheels are off the ground. Disconnect the lower hose on the P/S pump (the black rubber one that goes to the reservoir) and let it drain into a container. Turn the steering wheel lock to lock several times to drain all the fluid. Put the hose back on and fill the reservoir back up with mobil ATF. Turn the steering wheel again and top the fluid. Turn the car on and turn the steering wheel again and top the fluid. You can have the P/S reservoir open while the car is running and it won't spit fluid. Drive the car and possible repeat the process as needed. I have the same failing power steering problems and the above process has worked well for several years.

[elwesso]

I thought my issue was the solenoid when mine started doing that. It gradually got worse and worse. It got to the point that it would almost always do it once the car warmed up. After checking through about everything, the fix ended up being the spring loaded plunger inside the steering pump. If you look in the FSM it shows what I'm talking about. You take off the high pressure feed line coming out of the pump and inside is plunger with a spring behind it. It won't fly out when you take the hose off, but you can start the car and it'll come out with the fluid. Don't let the car run very long like that as it takes all the fluid from the pump and could damage it. I just used some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper to lightly dress the edges of the plunger. I then pulled the spring out and stretched it so it was extended just a little more than before at rest. Once I buttoned it all back up it worked fine. It hasn't done the thing where all power assist is gone since then. I'm a very cheap sort but I think buying a new plunger for the pump would be the way to go, if you can buy it seperately.

Id realy appreciate it if you went inot a bit more step by step detail. If you have pictures thatd be great, but i can insert diagrams!!

[PachoC]

Another option is the following:

Disconnect the return line going into the reservoir.Plug the tube going to the reservoir - any rubber plug or even tape may work. Doesn't need to hold any pressure; you just need to be able to fill the reservoirConnect a piece of plastic hose to the return line so that you can put it in and reach a container on the floor on the side or underneath the car. Make sure that the connection between the two hoses is tight; use a hose clamp. And make sure the container is sturdy and won't tip over and make a mess (like it happened to me....)Add new fluid to the reservoirFrom here on is better to have an assistant help you....Turn the car on for approx 5 seconds, so that the reservoir doesn't dry up and the pump catches air. The pump will quickly suck the new fluid from the reservoir and spit the old stuff through the return line into the container on the floor. You need to watch the fluid level on the reservoir and signal your assistant on when to shut the car off.Refill the reservoir and do it againRepeat this process until the fluid comming out on the return line is cleanNote; You can have the assistant turn the wheel while the car in running too.

Hope this helps.

[maxnix]

Note; You can have the assistant turn the wheel while the car in running too.

The wheel must be turned lock to lock and held for about 10 seconds at each lock to evacuate all fluid. Do it at least twice.

Don't run out of fluid in the resevoir!

[ScottJackson]

What breaksr is describing is a temporary fix of the same thing I was. I don't have any pics (and didn't realize why Jesda wanted to take so many pics of his chain guide swap until I saw it posted up here as a 'how to' thing) so I can't show exactly what I mean. I also don't have the FSM up here at school but if I remember right from nearly a year ago, it's #6 in the diagram that shows the exploded view of the power steering pump. It's the pressure regulating valve/plunger. It's at the bottom of the pump as installed in the car and that's why flushing the grime out of there will often somewhat fix the problem of the plunger sticking and therefore bypassing all power steering pressure. I did the same thing of just simply flushing the system at first and it worked for almost a month. Then it came back and I took out the sandpaper and dressed the sharp edges of the plunger while also slightly stretching the spring behind it to give it a bit more pressure. It's worked flawlessly since. I'm quite convinced that the plunger gradually wears and when the sharp square edges grab a ridge inside its bore, it hangs up and the spring can't return it back to its extended position.