Hi guys!

Well it looks like I've found my first mechanical problem.

Yesterday right fitting new tires I went for a little drive and then all of a sudden when I wanted to turn left from standing still in an intersection the power steering went hard. I just couldn't turn the wheel without using a lot of force. But then I started up and it went normal again.

At first I didn't even notice that the steering goes back to normal so I tested it and sure enough. In N under ~500 RPM the steering is hard and you can't turn the wheel normally but if I up the RPMs to about 700 to 800 (or just under 1000) the power steering cuts back in.

A side effect was after driving for an hour at highway speeds some smoke coming out from under the central dash area of the engine. I'm guessing some steering fluid must have been leaking onto the exhaust manifolds (when the engine cooled down no more smoke)?

I've found a thread saying that it could be the servo pump or it might be just a leak or just old or bad fluid (haven't changed it yet).

What would be the best course of action to diagnose where the problem is located because I'd like to hold of on buying a new power steering pump until I'm sure that it's the culprit.

Buy the way if it is the pump does any other GM pump fit or let me ask another way. Does any other GM car have the same pump or is it tailor made for the vette?

Thanks for your help and best regards.

Bye

 

Is the reservoir full ?

Is the drive belt loose ?

 

Check the water pump for leakage. If it's leaking, it can cause the belt to slip and you lose powersteering for a bit, then it comes right back. Just ask how I know....

 

The engine should idle at 700 rpm. You suggest that the power system is working at and above this. Power steering fluid should be ok, I have a 1961 Oldsmobile with original fluid and no problems. As for the smoke, check for leaks.

 

The reservoir is topped off at just about full.

As for the belt I haven't checked it yet since I'm not sure what the power steering is or rather where the pump is located?

I'm guessing that the white smoke and smell coming form the dash area were from steering fluid dripping onto the engine exoust manifold. Is this possible?

Thanks for the replays.

Good night

 

As for the smoke, I wouldn't think a power steering leak would drip that far back to get on the exhaust manifold. Maybe if there is a pinhole size leak shooting back there it could reach it. If it leaked bad enough to blow back to the manifold I'd think the reservoir would be pretty low or empty and the pump would be making a lot of noise. I had the same problem with the hard steering at low speed and changed the fluid. The old stuff had a burnt smell. I replaced it with new Lucas brand fluid and it helped greatly.

 

Well I can tell you on a 92 if the pump causes the fluid to puke out you can get smoke in all kinds of wierd places.

I had an 88 with the same problem you are having even after swapping all the fluid. It needed a new steering rack, but the ex-wife sold it before I could fix it.

 

So you think it could be squirting fluid around the steering rack? On the steering rack or on the hose connecting to it (I had something like this happen on my Cirrus once and the fix was a quarter worth of aluminum tubing that fixed it).
That would make sense since the steering assembly is somewhere right under the engine the rack would be a little further back and if it squirted fluid it would go near the exhaust manifold.

As for the fluid I did check it is a bit darker than I'd expect but it doesn't smell burnt or anything.
I think I'll lift the car when I have the time and check if it's the rack there'll probably be some fluid around there and we'll try flushing the system and putting in new fluid.

Thanks for the input guys.

Bye

 

Check here https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=226&TopicID=2

 

Thank you. I'll take it under advisement if it is the pump.

But I checked again and at 1500 RPM the power steering kicks. I checked the fluid again and it looked strange and it smelled burned to me. The fluid was brownish-yellow transparent. I'm not sure it's supposed to be that way.

So my question is could it just be bad fluid and if I change it out it'll work fine? I'm asking just because I've got to put the car on the lift and I'd like to minimize the cost.
So if you guys think it might be the fluid I'll get some and change it out when we have a look if something is wrong. So that at least I've changed the fluid and that might be that even if we don't find anything out.

Thanks for the help.

Best regards

Bye

 

I would flush the pump and system with new fluid ,then add Lucas power stearing additive.If it works fine . If it don't you have a system that is flushed for a new pump. It sounds like you have a presure valve sticking. andflushing might take care of it.

 

Hi guys!

Well we got the power steering fluid changed and now the power steering works fine again at low rpm and at high.
I guess it had just gone bad.

I can now park the car again..

Thanks for the help and info.

Bye guys