Power steering pump problem
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 765
Likes: 49
From: West Palm Beach,Florida
Power steering pump problem
I have a 07 Z 51 C6. I’ve recently been having problems intermittently where the power steering would harden up as I am trying to make a turn in the parking lot. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does, it’s very difficult to turn the steering wheel. There are no unusual noises coming from the pump and the steering fluid is full. if the power steering pump is failing, are there any additives that could be added to the fluid to relieve this problem. Most of the time I would say 90% there is no issue with the steering.Thank you in advance.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
Likes: 3,629
Let me guess, when power steering fluid/pump is cold,
and/or idle RPM's dropping down below 600.
Start by checking power steering fluids (low or burnt, or someone used the wrong type), double check the steering rank connector for corrosion problems, and .if still a problem with system warmed up, then bump idle RPM's up about 50 rpms if it has a tune on it with either HP tuner or EFI live. If no tune, and car is idling less than 550, the could be time for a tune, or just cleaning the maf sensor, new air filter may solve the problem instead.
Simply, watch your RPMs, and if lower than say 550 when steering is going hard, that's your problem with pump just not spinning fast enough to create the needed pressure to the rack. If above that for rpms, then pump should be putting out enough pressure (if nothing wrong with it and fluid), and maybe rack connector problems isntead.
and/or idle RPM's dropping down below 600.
Start by checking power steering fluids (low or burnt, or someone used the wrong type), double check the steering rank connector for corrosion problems, and .if still a problem with system warmed up, then bump idle RPM's up about 50 rpms if it has a tune on it with either HP tuner or EFI live. If no tune, and car is idling less than 550, the could be time for a tune, or just cleaning the maf sensor, new air filter may solve the problem instead.
Simply, watch your RPMs, and if lower than say 550 when steering is going hard, that's your problem with pump just not spinning fast enough to create the needed pressure to the rack. If above that for rpms, then pump should be putting out enough pressure (if nothing wrong with it and fluid), and maybe rack connector problems isntead.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
Likes: 3,629
ACDelco 10-5073
Other brands of synthetic power steering fluid are acceptable, but confirm they are suitable for GM vehicles, like Red Line Synthetic Oil, Lucas power steering fluid, and Valvoline MaxLife. Do not use conventional power steering fluids.
Other brands of synthetic power steering fluid are acceptable, but confirm they are suitable for GM vehicles, like Red Line Synthetic Oil, Lucas power steering fluid, and Valvoline MaxLife. Do not use conventional power steering fluids.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 4,425
Likes: 1,377
From: SC
ACDelco 10-5073
Other brands of synthetic power steering fluid are acceptable, but confirm they are suitable for GM vehicles, like Red Line Synthetic Oil, Lucas power steering fluid, and Valvoline MaxLife. Do not use conventional power steering fluids.
Other brands of synthetic power steering fluid are acceptable, but confirm they are suitable for GM vehicles, like Red Line Synthetic Oil, Lucas power steering fluid, and Valvoline MaxLife. Do not use conventional power steering fluids.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Racer
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 498
Likes: 211
From: Wisconsin
2023 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Another thing to consider is a problem with the variable effort steering. There is a pindle valve in the steering rack that control steering effort by speed , easy steering at low speeds, more effort at higher speeds. This system gets input from the EBCM. In my case the problem was a broken wire in the EBCM plug caused by to much tention on the wire.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 765
Likes: 49
From: West Palm Beach,Florida
WAIT A MINUTE ! Does the C6 use Synthetic Power Steering Fluid? Or conventional. I bought ACDelco 10-5073 . Amazon describes this as "MINERAL OIL".
So I didn't put synthetic in? Could that cause hard steering. If I was supposed to use synthetic,how do I get the conventional stuff out of the rez?
So I didn't put synthetic in? Could that cause hard steering. If I was supposed to use synthetic,how do I get the conventional stuff out of the rez?
Racer
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 482
Likes: 308
From: SoFlo
2024 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
if you had non synthetic fluid in the system you should not add synthetic fluid and mix both. OEM is conventional oil. They aren't really compatible and if synthetic is what you want you need to do a fluid swap. You should do a fluid swap anyway as I had a similar issue and once the fluid was changed my problem was gone. I used the Prestone PS fluid and no issues.
I did a "ranger" method where I used a brake bleeder vacuum pump to pump out the rez, refill with fluid, start car, turn wheel to full lock both directions a few times and repeat. Do this until the fluid is clear. I went through 2 quarts. The fluid I removed the 1st time was muddy water brown and had a pungent burnt smell to it.
I did a "ranger" method where I used a brake bleeder vacuum pump to pump out the rez, refill with fluid, start car, turn wheel to full lock both directions a few times and repeat. Do this until the fluid is clear. I went through 2 quarts. The fluid I removed the 1st time was muddy water brown and had a pungent burnt smell to it.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 4,425
Likes: 1,377
From: SC
WAIT A MINUTE ! Does the C6 use Synthetic Power Steering Fluid? Or conventional. I bought ACDelco 10-5073 . Amazon describes this as "MINERAL OIL".
So I didn't put synthetic in? Could that cause hard steering. If I was supposed to use synthetic,how do I get the conventional stuff out of the rez?
So I didn't put synthetic in? Could that cause hard steering. If I was supposed to use synthetic,how do I get the conventional stuff out of the rez?
