Steering Woes
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 715
From: San Antonio Texas
Steering Woes
My son's '84 C4 was really hard to steer when he bought it. He replaced the PS pump, but it did not help. Has anyone else encountered this? Could this be air in the lines? Does the Steering Rack go bad? It really takes a monster effort to turn the wheels. Thanks in advance, Lee
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 908
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
When you put the pump in, did you make sure to remove the plug that is installed in the low pressure line??? The pumps that come from AC Delco have a plug installed that can't be seen unless you look inside the line, it's real easy to miss it.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 715
From: San Antonio Texas
Thanks Scranage, He said he pulled a red plastic plug out before installing it. Does that sound correct, or should we go ahead and pull the low pressure line and check?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,564
Likes: 6
From: Woodstock Georgia
That sounds like the steering rack. Usually the first sign of failure is bad steering when cold, getting better as it warms up from use. Since there is a pump and a rack if one is eliminated the other is therefore likely.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 908
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
Originally Posted by petdoc
Thanks Scranage, He said he pulled a red plastic plug out before installing it. Does that sound correct, or should we go ahead and pull the low pressure line and check?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,564
Likes: 6
From: Woodstock Georgia
Originally Posted by scranage
Did he pull one, or two? There is one in each fitting. The one on the high pressure side is obvious, the other is not unless you look inside the line.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 908
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
Yeah, or DIY with lotsa bad words, and then $100 alignment at the shop. If you left a plug in the low side, you will be able to loosten the high side fitting (at the top) a bit and run it without it spewing PS fluid. If it does spew, it must be the rack, but I've not seen one fail this way.
BTW I hate to tell you this, but if you left the plug in, the pump is toast.
BTW I hate to tell you this, but if you left the plug in, the pump is toast.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 715
From: San Antonio Texas
Hmmmmm, My son says he thinks he got the plugs. I guess since it is either a plastic plug in the line or the steering rack, we're gonna have to pull the pump (and or pump lines) either way. I guess we'll check it and if no plug, we'll proceed to remove the steering rack. There goes the weekend, eh? If this sounds like the correct approach or if there are any more pearls of wisdom from the forum, I am all ears. Thanks again in advance.... Lee PS any vendor preferences?????
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 908
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
I'd only go with AC Delco on the pump. My rebuild rack came from NAPA, so far so good. BTW, if you do get into the rack, follow the FSM, and make sure the steering is center locked. You'll need new tie rod ends as aminnich stated. You can count threads, but you'll still need an alignment. The job doesn't require a PHD, but it is a PITA. I still would bet on a plugged low side line, check by letting that high line loose first, if it doesn't leak all over, you must have a plug in there or a really bad new pump.
Last edited by scranage; Nov 3, 2006 at 07:50 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 715
From: San Antonio Texas
Why do these things happen on the same weekend the largest Bass Pro Shop in Texas has a grand opening 10 miles from my house???????
Guess what I wanted to do tomorrow????? I suppose I'll be grease monkey'n it instead.
Napa it is..... That's my pref too. Thanks for everything guys!!!!!! You have greatly helped me again. I just wish I had something to offer the forum besides the problems you guys always seem to solve!!!!! THANKS A MILLION !!!!! Lee
Guess what I wanted to do tomorrow????? I suppose I'll be grease monkey'n it instead.
Napa it is..... That's my pref too. Thanks for everything guys!!!!!! You have greatly helped me again. I just wish I had something to offer the forum besides the problems you guys always seem to solve!!!!! THANKS A MILLION !!!!! Lee
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 715
From: San Antonio Texas
Originally Posted by scranage
The job doesn't require a PHD, but it is a PITA. I still would bet on a plugged low side line, check by letting that high line loose first, if it doesn't leak all over, you must have a plug in there or a really bad new pump.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,564
Likes: 6
From: Woodstock Georgia
I would bet you get to go to Brass Pro tomorrow. It would be rare for them to have the rack in stock, maybe Mon or Tuesday. Maybe this will help:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=125&TopicID=2
https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=125&TopicID=2
.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 14,150
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From: Fremont Ca
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Its the steering rack.LT1 owners have OptiSpark,the rest of us have garbage racks that fail,they all fail from 84 to early 88 maybe.Ya got to love those G.M. engineers.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 715
From: San Antonio Texas
Originally Posted by Z51JEFF
Its the steering rack.LT1 owners have OptiSpark,the rest of us have garbage racks that fail,they all fail from 84 to early 88 maybe.Ya got to love those G.M. engineers.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: Saginaw Michigan
Racks
I believe the valve towers on the racks are one piece aluminum. They had numerous problems over cast iron. The biggest reason was premature wear. The valve o rings would cut into the side of the valve tower over time and you'd get blow by internal to the gear. Hence the fluid would be pumped around the valve instead of being directed to the side of the rack calling for power. The problem should go away when the fluid warms up. The seals will expand and fill in the wear grooves. Becuase of that, and the porosity inherent to aluminum die castings and stripped threads, GM got away from aluminum valve housing for 20 years. Only now have they gone back to an aluminum housing on the new GMT900 trucks.
You can buy sleaved rack housings where some aftermarket guy put a steel sleeve in the valve tower, this prevents the wear. However the failure mode for a improperly installed sleeve is quite severe. If the sleeve moves, it will block the hydraulic ports... leaving the gear in hydraulic lock... ie you lose steering.
I think GM's interim fix was different O ring compounds.
You can buy sleaved rack housings where some aftermarket guy put a steel sleeve in the valve tower, this prevents the wear. However the failure mode for a improperly installed sleeve is quite severe. If the sleeve moves, it will block the hydraulic ports... leaving the gear in hydraulic lock... ie you lose steering.
I think GM's interim fix was different O ring compounds.