What Jim says - if anyone knows P/S, it's Jim...
Steering ram problems?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Glasgow, Scotland
Steering ram problems?
Fitted new steering ram today, followed and valve centering thing, but the problem is if I steer to the left its fine, but if I steer to the right it feels as if there's no power steering, and tryed valve centering a few times , but no good, ive tryed adjusting the valve to point where its creeping to the right, which does make it easy both ways, but as soon as u rev the engine the steering flys toward the right, so no good, so im thinking there's something wrong with the valve??
cheers
dave
cheers
dave
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
Did you first try to deaireate the system before starting the engine? Air mixed with oil in the system makes the steering very erratic until the air eventually works its way out.
With the engine running once air passes through the pump it gets whipped with the oil to a froth. Now instead of a couple large bubbles, you now have millions of small ones. It will now take a day or two for the very small bubbles to combine and work their way out. Worse yet with all the small air bubbles you now have a compressible fluid!
Let the car sit overnight. Tomorrow morning, jack up the front end and rotate the steering wheel full lock to full lock a couple dozen times BEFORE starting the engine. A few large bubbles should make their way into the pump reservoir. You will probably have to add a small amount of fluid to get the fluid level back up to the Cold mark on the cap stick.
Jim
With the engine running once air passes through the pump it gets whipped with the oil to a froth. Now instead of a couple large bubbles, you now have millions of small ones. It will now take a day or two for the very small bubbles to combine and work their way out. Worse yet with all the small air bubbles you now have a compressible fluid!
Let the car sit overnight. Tomorrow morning, jack up the front end and rotate the steering wheel full lock to full lock a couple dozen times BEFORE starting the engine. A few large bubbles should make their way into the pump reservoir. You will probably have to add a small amount of fluid to get the fluid level back up to the Cold mark on the cap stick.
Jim
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Glasgow, Scotland
Did you first try to deaireate the system before starting the engine? Air mixed with oil in the system makes the steering very erratic until the air eventually works its way out.
With the engine running once air passes through the pump it gets whipped with the oil to a froth. Now instead of a couple large bubbles, you now have millions of small ones. It will now take a day or two for the very small bubbles to combine and work their way out. Worse yet with all the small air bubbles you now have a compressible fluid!
Let the car sit overnight. Tomorrow morning, jack up the front end and rotate the steering wheel full lock to full lock a couple dozen times BEFORE starting the engine. A few large bubbles should make their way into the pump reservoir. You will probably have to add a small amount of fluid to get the fluid level back up to the Cold mark on the cap stick.
Jim
With the engine running once air passes through the pump it gets whipped with the oil to a froth. Now instead of a couple large bubbles, you now have millions of small ones. It will now take a day or two for the very small bubbles to combine and work their way out. Worse yet with all the small air bubbles you now have a compressible fluid!
Let the car sit overnight. Tomorrow morning, jack up the front end and rotate the steering wheel full lock to full lock a couple dozen times BEFORE starting the engine. A few large bubbles should make their way into the pump reservoir. You will probably have to add a small amount of fluid to get the fluid level back up to the Cold mark on the cap stick.
Jim
dave
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Glasgow, Scotland
I thought my problem must be caused by the control valve(its leaking anyway), I'm waiting for my valve to arrive in the UK, its on the way, but you have got me worried now!, such a weird problem, I will let you know what happens once I got my valve on
cheers
dave
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
When you replace something like the assist cylinder there is a lot of air volume inside the cylinder that must be replaced by oil. I am still thinking that the assist problem was air on one side of the cylinder.
Now leaking is another issue. If the valve is leaking first make sure that it isn't leaking at one of the connections of the power steering lines to the valve. Otherwise, send it back for a new one. Those 45 degree flare fittings need to be tightened securely.
Lastly, Saginaw stopped making the valve in the mid 1980s. The design and tooling were sold by Saginaw at that time. I have no idea who is making the valves today. There was an awful lot of engineering background on making the valve that has been lost through the years.
Jim
Now leaking is another issue. If the valve is leaking first make sure that it isn't leaking at one of the connections of the power steering lines to the valve. Otherwise, send it back for a new one. Those 45 degree flare fittings need to be tightened securely.
Lastly, Saginaw stopped making the valve in the mid 1980s. The design and tooling were sold by Saginaw at that time. I have no idea who is making the valves today. There was an awful lot of engineering background on making the valve that has been lost through the years.
Jim
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Glasgow, Scotland
When you replace something like the assist cylinder there is a lot of air volume inside the cylinder that must be replaced by oil. I am still thinking that the assist problem was air on one side of the cylinder.
Now leaking is another issue. If the valve is leaking first make sure that it isn't leaking at one of the connections of the power steering lines to the valve. Otherwise, send it back for a new one. Those 45 degree flare fittings need to be tightened securely.
Lastly, Saginaw stopped making the valve in the mid 1980s. The design and tooling were sold by Saginaw at that time. I have no idea who is making the valves today. There was an awful lot of engineering background on making the valve that has been lost through the years.
Jim
Now leaking is another issue. If the valve is leaking first make sure that it isn't leaking at one of the connections of the power steering lines to the valve. Otherwise, send it back for a new one. Those 45 degree flare fittings need to be tightened securely.
Lastly, Saginaw stopped making the valve in the mid 1980s. The design and tooling were sold by Saginaw at that time. I have no idea who is making the valves today. There was an awful lot of engineering background on making the valve that has been lost through the years.
Jim
its the old unit thats leaking at present, waiting for delivery of new valve from the US.
let u know how it goes
cheers
dave
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