mgarfias

Anyone ever have a problem with their power steering being intermittent ? My cousin called me yesterday, saying his '98 vert has PS issues. Nothing obvious is wrong, but he says he gets up in the mountains playing with the car and suddenly in the middle of a corner, now power steering. So he has to grab the wheel like a gorilla to get it through the corner, and then the steering comes back.

Anyone have any ideas?

Bill Dearborn

It has happened to me on several occasions. The last time it happened I was going around the carousel turn at Watkins Glen and the PS kept cutting in and out which made me jerk the wheel back and forth as I kept trying to compensate for the change in steering effort. Shortly thereafter a new PS pump solved the problem temporarily. I have noticed the problem starting to show itself again.

Bill

mgarfias

That sucks, do you think you need a new rack? Any chance you're overheating the fluid, and just need a cooler?

John Shiels

You may need a new power steering pump. It started happening to me intermittanly and it just got worse and more frequent. I was running Pocono and on the course I was running it only did it on one particulat corner every lap. Dropped in new pump problems all gone.

John Shiels

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mgarfias

Hes going to start with a fluid flush, then change out the pump for one of the turn-one deals. And I told him to add a cooler.

JohnD60

Been there as well. The pump will fix it.

Z11409

Same story-pumps have become a quick change part for me.Change fluid,then pump if that does not help,in some cases the complete sterring rack needs to be replaced.
Turn One pumps are the way to go if you track a car.
Being a 98 model thats now 11 years old its tired like the rest of the car.

SIK02SS

ya, experienced this at a race weekend the other week on the Ca Spdwy Roval (that was uhh, interesting to say the least)...after I unloaded the trailer this last weekend I notice a large oil like spill coming from the front, after digging around i found its coming from my PS pump...new one is on order now

redtopz

Glad I found this thread. I was having the same problem last weekend at the track. My steering mid-corner was rocking back and forth almost like my front tire was flat or flat-spotted. I checked my PS reservoir and it was bone dry. After filling it I found I have a bad leak that seems to be coming from the pump. I just ordered a stock pump for $139 from my local dealer. Anything else I can do to prevent this from happening again? I read something about Gibbs PS fluid? What about a bigger cooler? Thanks.

Bill.

SIK02SS

don't know about the cooler, but I am running the Joe Gibbs fluid. I found out it does expand when hot too, so when you refill, put it a little under the cold temp line so it doesn't spray all over your engine bay. And I bought a new pump from Autozone, lifetime warranty + core refund doesn't hurt

sperkins

Yep...Same here.

redtopz

Thanks for the info. After reading more about this it looks like I should have gone with a turn-one pump. Oh well, maybe with gibbs or redline ps fluid and making sure the fluid level stays full this one will last a while. Hopefully I will get the pulley off/on again without damaging it. I got tired of trying to get the hose clamp off the bigger hose from the reservoir so I just cut it. It will be worth the extra $1 or so for a new 4" piece of hose compared to me cussing over my pliers for another half hour LOL.

GettReal

Alot of us have been there... as you have read pump and cooler and you'll be good to go. I havent had issues since.

trackboss

If you are not in a rush you could install the turn one pulley and make things easy on yourself anytime you have to unbolt the pump.

Z06_BluByU

+1 for turn 1.. worked like a charm on my C4!