Power Steering Pump or Rack?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,253
Likes: 2
From: Castro Valley CA
Power Steering Pump or Rack?
After a good trashing yesterday at Laguna Seca, a whining groaning noise as well as hard steering. The car has had some mild symptoms of "morning sickness" for the last few years but I started to experience transient heavy steering during some of the 1.2 G corners of this beautiful circuit. It is getting progressively worse. How do you diagnose what is broken?
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,638
Likes: 3
Sydney,
PS pump issues on C-4's running track days are pretty common. Your lucky it didn't start blowing fluid out the breathing hole and oil down your tires.
The problem deals with low pressure high flow vrs high pressure/low flow, and I can never keep it straight what pumps are which.
Some guys go with a bigger pulley to slow down RPM, I sent my pump out to turn one in Michigan - they revalve and rework the pump to solve the problem. It cost me about 100 bucks. I now have slightly harder steering at low speeds - but great steering on the track - good feel and stability.
If you are gunna keep tracking the car - and I'm guessing you will - you really need to address the PS pump issue. If you do a search over in the roadracing section of the forum, you will get lots of info there!
Carl Johansson
PS pump issues on C-4's running track days are pretty common. Your lucky it didn't start blowing fluid out the breathing hole and oil down your tires.
The problem deals with low pressure high flow vrs high pressure/low flow, and I can never keep it straight what pumps are which.
Some guys go with a bigger pulley to slow down RPM, I sent my pump out to turn one in Michigan - they revalve and rework the pump to solve the problem. It cost me about 100 bucks. I now have slightly harder steering at low speeds - but great steering on the track - good feel and stability.
If you are gunna keep tracking the car - and I'm guessing you will - you really need to address the PS pump issue. If you do a search over in the roadracing section of the forum, you will get lots of info there!
Carl Johansson
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
I had this problem too. And it gets worse if the pump is pulling the fluid through a cooler. Most people solve this problem by never tracking their C4s. 
I think that foaming and groaning noise occurs from the fluid cavitating (boiling) at the low pressure into the pump. The frothy fluid then gets through the breather in the cap.
Now if you have morning sickness, you're steering rack could be leaking internally. It could also suck air into the fluid if it's not 100% tight and cause more foaming.
A good fluid will go a long way to help this, I'm having good luck with Valvoline Synpower.
Some have suggested putting Lucas in there to cure a sick rack, but this is a TERRIBLE idea. It is too thick and will cause your pump to eat itself up at high rpms. After Lucas my steering was worse than ever and the fluid started turning black from metal contamination.
Carl, do you know a source for a larger pulley? I'll take a look when I'm at the junkyard this weekend.
I think that foaming and groaning noise occurs from the fluid cavitating (boiling) at the low pressure into the pump. The frothy fluid then gets through the breather in the cap.
Now if you have morning sickness, you're steering rack could be leaking internally. It could also suck air into the fluid if it's not 100% tight and cause more foaming.
A good fluid will go a long way to help this, I'm having good luck with Valvoline Synpower.
Some have suggested putting Lucas in there to cure a sick rack, but this is a TERRIBLE idea. It is too thick and will cause your pump to eat itself up at high rpms. After Lucas my steering was worse than ever and the fluid started turning black from metal contamination.
Carl, do you know a source for a larger pulley? I'll take a look when I'm at the junkyard this weekend.
Last edited by CentralCoaster; Dec 7, 2007 at 11:51 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
The simple answer, your rack is going bad. I would avoid the cheapo rebuilds. I bought one then returned it.
Then I went here: www.meridianautoparts.com
They are domestic and specialize in steering racks, (plus I know a guy who works there and got a discount.)
Consider doing a new pump and adding a filter so your new rack doesn't fail prematurely.
Then I went here: www.meridianautoparts.com
They are domestic and specialize in steering racks, (plus I know a guy who works there and got a discount.)
Consider doing a new pump and adding a filter so your new rack doesn't fail prematurely.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,253
Likes: 2
From: Castro Valley CA
I wonder if the fluid leaked past the seals in the rack.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,010
Likes: 26
From: Somewhere nowhere
No matter what happens, you need a turn 1 pump.
Then if you still have problems, you need a rack.
I have some extra inner tie rod ends in perfect condition if you need them. I thought I had inner tie rod problems for whatever reason, then I brought a turn 1 pump, (which I should have done in the 1st place)
Call Jeff at T1, he'll tell you all about his pump, and what to expect.
Then if you still have problems, you need a rack.
I have some extra inner tie rod ends in perfect condition if you need them. I thought I had inner tie rod problems for whatever reason, then I brought a turn 1 pump, (which I should have done in the 1st place)
Call Jeff at T1, he'll tell you all about his pump, and what to expect.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,253
Likes: 2
From: Castro Valley CA
Thanks everyone for the valuable input. I presume that this is the pump everyone is talking about:http://www.turnone-steering.com/lt1.html
By the way, there must be an internal leak on mine. It took half a bottle of fluid and is still not full.
By the way, there must be an internal leak on mine. It took half a bottle of fluid and is still not full.
