Power Steering Problem

[Romer]

EDIT: As stated near the end of the thread, my problem was caused by a loose crank pully bolt from the supercharger install. I'll leave the text unchanged where I was thinking it was the pump. Just wanted to clarify this up front.



I am posting this because I could not find anything that helped in my search.

My power steering is having issues at slow speeds when turning. It's a feeling that's a combination of feeling a dead spot and pumping.

At higher speeds there is no issue.

The problem is within the Power Steering Pump. Not sure what, but something has frozen likely restricting fluid flow.

Since this is ~$250, I ordered a new pump rather than a rebuild. Now if it was the gearbox, I would have had it rebuilt.

I am going to have IRBIS offroad replace it for me next week.

This should solve my problem and it is only a nuisance now. Hopefully, this will help someone else in a search later on.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Was it leaking at all? We've had a couple pumps in our club leaking, both replaced with new.

I wasn't so fortunate (I guess), my gearbox is leaking out the top seal.

 

[Romer]

Was it leaking at all? We've had a couple pumps in our club leaking, both replaced with new.

I wasn't so fortunate (I guess), my gearbox is leaking out the top seal.

No leaks whatsoever.

 

[FJBen]

I've heard a supercharger puts much strain on the PS pump...so you should take it off and sell if for $28.37 to me...;p

 

[landtank]

Your front crank pulley isn't tight enough and it's slipping. The gear that drives the oil pump and PS pump is not keyed.

 

[Tapage]

Mr. Romer something to ckeck ( based on my experience in PS issues )

Your reservoir have some " net " acting as filter ..sometimes is stuck with dirt and old dry oil .. be sure that your PS fluid are are flow fine.

Sometimes if you have no PS spots when are turning your tires are stopet ( hard ) surface .. is from your PS box .. thei nternal teflon seals .. maybe are starting to worn out ..

Did you have better PS to turn left than right . ? you your simpoms are the same for both sides . ?

 

[Romer]

My symptums are the same for both sides.

It was recently (June) Flushed with synthetic fluid.

I'll check the crank pully Rick

 

[sleeoffroad]

304 ftlbs on the crank pulley. The bolt but not the pulley would have been removed for the sc install. However the pump is driven by the gear from the oil pump that is driven by the gear on the crank. How is your oil pressure?

 

[Cattledog]

Hey Romer,

I was having noise issues with my pump after going synthetic with a flush. I swaped/flushed to napa hydralic oil and works like new, noise is gone and steering is easier. I think the M1 ATF was a bit thin for the pump, maybe a cavitation issues with the M1 in this application?

 

[Romer]

304 ftlbs on the crank pulley. The bolt but not the pulley would have been removed for the sc install. However the pump is driven by the gear from the oil pump that is driven by the gear on the crank. How is your oil pressure?

Oil pressure seems fine

Guess I'll go look

 

[Romer]

Went for a drive and the oil pressure looks normal.

Thanks for the comment on your problems with synthetic. Mine doesn't make any noises.

Looking at the crank pully, I don't think my sockets will fit on it. I'll drive by Oleg's tomorrow and have them check it.

Already ordered the pump, so it might be sitting on a shelf.

 

[cruiserdan]

The blower crank pully bolt is 32mm.

 

[landtank]

I was having Internet issues with the hotel so I couldn't get anything more into my first response.

My thought was after the SC install the crank bolt wasn't tightened properly. I don't know who did this but I had to fab up a tool that bolted to the pulley so I could torque that bolt down correctly. I was thinking that under load it would momemtarily slip. If this is the case I doubt you would see it in the oil pressure gauge. Constant slipping however probably would show up.

 

[sleeoffroad]

I don't believe the crank bolt can be the cause. The oilpump is driven from the gear on the crankshaft. In front of that is the sprocket that drives the triming chain. If the gear was slipping then the timing chain should be slipping as well.

 

[Rich]

I understand that the oil pump drive gear is not keyed to the crankshaft. Is that also true of the timing chain gear?

There have been several instances reported of slipping oil pump drive gears, and loss of power steering, due to loose crank bolt. If, in those circumstances the timing gear was also slipping, then I would think the engine would lose power, run rough, if not self destruct with valves crashing pistons (presuming that this is an interference engine, is it?).

 

[KliersLC]

Is the timing chain keyed? I would think that it would be, whereas the oil pump gear not being keyed might make it slip.....

I really have no idea, I have never torn down one of these, and I have no plans to do so any time in the near future.



Stay back voodoo Dan, I already paid my tribute this month

Edit, maybe Rich isn't having the slow server problems.......

 

[cruiserdan]

The timing gear is keyed. the oil pump drive gear is not.

 

[sleeoffroad]

The timing gear is keyed. the oil pump drive gear is not.

Could have gone to the shed and check this. I looked at the manual but it did not show the detail.

Rich, where did you see the reports on the loose crank bolts?

It does make sense in that Romer recently got the SC installed and now the PS problems show up.

 

[Romer]

Took a good look at it and it doesn't seem loose. If your rev the engine up to 2000 RPM and stay parked I still have the problem, if you drive and are going faster than 5MPH, the problem goes away. Don't hear any belts slipping, don't see any slipping or movement on the crankpulley or belts when having the problem.

Guess is it's the pump, but will double check the torque before replacing the pump, can't get to it without a little dis-assembly. The torque was set to 304 ft lbs.

 

[Rich]

...Rich, where did you see the reports on the loose crank bolts?...

All were posted here in this forum over the last few years. Same scenario, crank bolt removed for either engine work or supercharger install, followed by later loss of power steering and oil pressure. Corrected by tightening of crank bolt.