New PS pump needed?

[UMDSmith]

At low rpm's sometimes steering takes a good deal of effort, especially at idle or when coming to a stop at a red light.

Also my steering doesn't return to center when highway cruising, being more apt to give me a slight kick left or right. I find myself doing tons of tiny manual steering corrections to track straight. This is with new tires, alignment and balancing.

Just curious as to whether this is commonly caused by the power steering pump, or is this a greater issue within the rack & pinion system.

 

[jrichker]

Do you have underdrive pulleys? that would be one reason why it takes more effort at low speeds. With underdrives, the PS pump won't be spinning as fast & have less output.

C/C plates with increased caster will fix the road wander problems if the tie rod ends are not worn. Worn tie rod ends will cause road wander, usually it is the inner rod ends that go bad.

 

[UMDSmith]

Nope regular pullies. I should also mention that this is a sporatic thing, not constant. Sometimes the steering is light and easy, sometimes hard.

 

[ALMOSTFINISHED]

sounds to me like your rack is going out, you might want to try and "bleed" the p.s. system, also, spray the u-joints on the steering shaft with some white lithium or equivalent spray. Good luck

Nick

 

[HISSIN50]

ill toss one out from left field. it seems that many pumps, even new, are barely adequate to smoothly turn the wheels at idle, while stopped (i know one should not, but it happens, and most cars can handle it).

have you pulled the serp belt off and checked the pulley? if it is binding (bearings or whatever else) intermittantly, the belt could be sliding over the pulley at times, rather than turning it. in my experience, this results in an effect where it turns smooth for a sec, then binds (manual steering), then goes power, then manual. i know that did not make sense. does not sound like that is your issue anyhow. ok, ill stop rambling.

except for, doing a flush might help. i prefer syn fluid.

BTW, the car should self bleed in daily driving, if you turn the wheel much.

ok, ill really stop rambling.

 

[blackstangt]

change the fluid, it cheap and easy, it's worth a try.

 

[UMDSmith]

Gotcha, thanks guys. I'll give bleeding and checking the wheel a try tomorrow, as well as lubing the steering system. Hopefully that will get her running smooth and easy again.