Power Steering problem

[CSMRX7]

Hi All,

After an offroad run on Sunday I noticed my power steering was extremely stiff. I checked the fluid and the lines and all seems ok. No squeel either. I let the car sit overnight and when I started it the steering worked fine for about 10 minutes, and then got stiff again.

Any clue on what may be causing the problem?

Thanks,

Jason

[Tools R Us]

Originally Posted by CSMRX7

Hi All,

After an offroad run on Sunday I noticed my power steering was extremely stiff. I checked the fluid and the lines and all seems ok. No squeel either. I let the car sit overnight and when I started it the steering worked fine for about 10 minutes, and then got stiff again.

Any clue on what may be causing the problem?

Thanks,

Jason

What year is your rig? Does the oil pressure gauge reading drop at the same time as the steering changes?

[CSMRX7]

I have a 1993 FDJ81

I am starting to think it is oil pressure related as the power steering seems to work when the engine is under load.

[CSMRX7]

New update. Drove the truck a bit today. Once warmed up @ idle the oil pressure is just below the 1/3 mark on the gauge. At this point the power steering does not work. Then under load the oil pressure climbs to just above the 1/3 mark, and the power steering again works.

[Tools R Us]

How is the PS pump driven, does it have a belt? On the gasser the PS and oil pumps are gear driven, if the crankshaft front pulley bolt comes loose they can loose drive.

[CSMRX7]

Its gear driven like the gas truck.

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by CSMRX7

Its gear driven like the gas truck.

Get a big torque wrench and crank that thing to 305 ft/lbs.
Has the crank bolt been off at any time in the past?
-B-

[CSMRX7]

Originally Posted by Beowulf

Get a big torque wrench and crank that thing to 305 ft/lbs.
Has the crank bolt been off at any time in the past?
-B-

To my knowledge no, but I have only owned the truck for a few months so I could have been before I got it.

[Tools R Us]

I don't know how the pumps are driven on the stinky motors? You can try tightening the crank pulley, may solve the problem, don't know what the torque is? Try posting over on the stinky motors tech forum someone there may know?

[Tapage]

Originally Posted by Tools R Us

I don't know how the pumps are driven on the stinky motors? You can try tightening the crank pulley, may solve the problem, don't know what the torque is? Try posting over on the stinky motors tech forum someone there may know?

What's the meaning of stinky . ?

I should so my first step replacing the old PS fluid and running new one ( ATF sure ) and check the PS lines ..

The PS are gear driven as same as in 1FZ-FE ..

BTW you have a HDJ81

[Tools R Us]

Originally Posted by Tapage

What's the meaning of stinky . ?

A slang from when I was a VW tech. When the diesel rabbits came out they were referred to as the rattly/stinky motors, the stinky part stuck as a nick name that they were commonly refer to as.

Originally Posted by Tapage

I should so my first step replacing the old PS fluid and running new one ( ATF sure ) and check the PS lines ..

The PS are gear driven as same as in 1FZ-FE ..

BTW you have a HDJ81

If it's simply a slipping drive gear, there is probably no need to replace anything.

[Tapage]

Originally Posted by Tools R Us

A slang from when I was a VW tech. When the diesel rabbits came out they were referred to as the rattly/stinky motors, the stinky part stuck as a nick name that they were commonly refer to as.

Thanks ..

Originally Posted by Tools R Us

If it's simply a slipping drive gear, there is probably no need to replace anything.

why not as a maintenance procedure swap in a new ATF fluid .. thought it don't gonna hurt anything