steering problems

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 7:58 pm

picked up 325i today
and its steering is seriously stiff if you move steer wheel left and let go it stays there and vice versa
car has pas

car had new steering uj kit 18,000 miles ago and also had a new pas rack in 2001 and around 40,000 miles ago

all other front suspension componants have been changed in the last 2 to 3 years including new wishbones etc etc

so what the hell is wrong with the steering??

was a night mare getting car home
its just really stiff
dnt know how else to describe it
have checked pas res and its upto level so not lost fluid

car has been in garage for last 2 months

any ideas appreciated as i need this car on the road in the next day or two

cheers
Daz

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 8:11 pm

Any idea when the problem began?
I know it's a long shot, but were the pipes taken off the reservoir at any time? It could be that they've been put on the wrong way round (feed to return & vice-versa). Try to check against another E30.
Does it look as if there is any possibility of the column binding somewhere (through the bulkhead, under the dash, etc)?
I know it will be a PITA, but if you could disconnect the column from the rack, you would be able to narrow down the possibilities.
With the column disconnected and the front wheels off the ground, you should be able to turn the front wheels from lock to lock by hand without too much effort.

HTH m8

Iain S

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 8:23 pm

as far as i know nothing at all has been touched on the steering
im sure lee will spot this and confirm
and the steering was spot on when the car was put in garage 2 months ago

bit of a mystery

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 8:28 pm

that's a wierd one daz

I can confirm i have never done anything to the steering since i've had it and no probs when it got parked up in December.

I did notice when i moved it into the garage before that the steering creaked just either side of dead ahead when moving the wheel from side to side.

Daz, have been unable to open your PM as AOL is playing up and i'm getting blocked from opening my PM's

Did you give her a quick squirt on the way home at all?

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 8:34 pm

hi lee

pm was just letting ya know i got back

didnt dare kick it on way home mate
steering really is that stiff
it took all my energy trying to get the steering in a straight line and sadly i dnt mean from the wheelspin lol

its as tho someone has tightened up the steering wheel to the point of not wanting to turn

im baffled have checked fluid etc

i really thort it had no pas and a shagged rack its that stiff

if worst comes to worst i will just have to change everything and sort it that way

could a rack seize up for no reason??
bearing in mind its only 3 tears old?

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 8:42 pm

Daz sounds like the pressure release valve in the power steering pump has stuck open to me, can happen my old silver one would give me a shock every couple of months, the PAS would just stop working for 30 secs and I'd thing the engine has stopped. What happens is all the pressure just bypasses the rack so it's like havin no power steering. If you have a spare pump swap it over, then top up the fluid and go lock to lock 4 or 5 times to bleed any air out, and see if that solves the problem.
Just sounds like that to me as you say the rack and column has been done, and I know all of the 5 E30's I've driven have had squeaky PAS pumps, I don't think they were designed to last 10 years. I have 2 spares if you want to swap one mate to see if it solves the problem. If not you could be looking at the struts

or the rack

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 8:51 pm

can try that easily
dnt worry fella i have a couple of racks and pumps here etc

hope it is something that simple

what do you mean if not could be struts??

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 8:59 pm

Rack is a bitch to change isn't it??

The strust are what the front wheels pivot on so if they have siezed with it having stood or the bearings they run in are fucke it could be down to that, I'm just trying to think what it could be other than the steering stuff which seems to have been changed. Having said that struts is unlikley, more likley that some of the PAS if faulty and has worn out sooner than it should have.

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 10:35 pm

rack dosent look hard
ive took a couple off breakers but not for a while

cant remember tbh
damn hope its easy
cos gonna be hard to get a dry day to sort it

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 11:51 pm

Split the track rod ends from the steering arms so that you can try both struts and the rack independantly of each other.
Last time I had an E30 that wouldn't self centre, it turned out to be one of the control arm outer ball joints was seized.

Post Sun Apr 02, 2006 11:55 pm

Good call brian, cos that's the sort of thing that is likley to sieze with it being sat for months. I think it's unlikley to be the struts.

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:34 pm

not had chance to test stuff yet but drove it again today and the steering feels almost normal again

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:37 pm

Daz - you emptied it and given it a boot full yet?

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:39 pm

not emptied it out yet
trying to find somewhere to put everything lol

had a little squirt up and down the road tho
couldnt resist when i revved it up and heard exhaust

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:43 pm

You may not believe this, but I cured these exact symptons on a Volvo the other day with the help of a bottle of PAS 'stop leak'!

Worth a go before you start swapping bits off it.

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:45 pm

daz did ya get pm re spring seat???

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:47 pm

dazleeds wrote:not emptied it out yet
trying to find somewhere to put everything lol

had a little squirt up and down the road tho
couldnt resist when i revved it up and heard exhaust

when you get it emptied out give it a good squirt, you can feel it surge in the upper revs due to the cam, just keeps pulling

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:47 pm

no mate where?

burned out my grinder when i was getting them bloody spacers off
but have a new one now
will deffo get it off tomoro

wanted to ask how much of it you want?
you want me to overcut it a lot so you can trim it down to perfect fit??

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:50 pm

E30BeemerLad wrote:
dazleeds wrote:not emptied it out yet
trying to find somewhere to put everything lol

had a little squirt up and down the road tho
couldnt resist when i revved it up and heard exhaust
when you get it emptied out give it a good squirt, you can feel it surge in the upper revs due to the cam, just keeps pulling

felt quick just goin up n down hill
feels better than a standard car for sure

hopefully my insurance will be here tmoro
so can empty her out try bodge hole and refit carpet
sort wipers and get playing

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:07 pm

I'd be intrigued to know what is the fault with the back end when you get a look at it daz

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:09 pm

E30BeemerLad wrote:I'd be intrigued to know what is the fault with the back end when you get a look at it daz

youll be the first to know mate

hoping it aint anything serious as dnt wanna have to pull axle off if at all poss

Post Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:32 pm

yup daz just trim around slightly over-ruff will do as it eill be dressed up prior to fit....cheers...

mail me m8 when done

Post Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:19 pm

its gone stiff again

gonna do widges checks
and brians tomoro if poss

anyone else got any other ideas i can check at same time??

Post Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:25 pm

I'm like 99% convinced this is the pump. Mate get the pump off the 323 (I assume it works) and swap them over. Refill the bottle 5x lock to lock then go for a drive - it's not raining is it go on get out there and do it!!

Tomorrows lesson - I'll teach you how to weld

Post Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:28 pm

Widge wrote:I'm like 99% convinced this is the pump. Mate get the pump off the 323 (I assume it works) and swap them over. Refill the bottle 5x lock to lock then go for a drive - it's not raining is it go on get out there and do it!!

Tomorrows lesson - I'll teach you how to weld

323 is man steering lol
but the red breaker has pas and i think i still have the rack and pump from the old 25
so no worries there

was bloody snowing here 5mins ago
weather has gone crazy

mm tmoro,s lesson welding eh wooohooo

Post Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:34 pm

Tell you what mate, I can try teaching you to weld on Betty then you can weld up the sport! Kill two birds with one stone! Arches are a hassle cos they are so fiddly, but the bulk head should be straight forward enough to teach you how to do it Can always practice on one of your scrap shells. Then if you want to do betty or the sport I'll lend you my welder mate.

Post Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:02 pm

dazleeds wrote: its gone stiff again

gonna do widges checks
and brians tomoro if poss

anyone else got any other ideas i can check at same time??

If it comes and goes suddenly, then it is likely to be hydraulics related.
Take the steering pump belt off, and see if that gives the same symptoms.

Post Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:24 pm

dazleeds wrote: its gone stiff again

A lot of men would be happy about that.........................

Post Wed Apr 05, 2006 4:25 pm

well i have now discovered that an f reg 325 has a different pas pump and it dnt fit

also now ive put the original pump back on the poxy thing is squealing like a lunatic have done the left n right etc to bleed it but dosent seem to be going away

steering is now stiffer than it was and sounds like a wailing banshee

car very nearly got a lump hammer thrown at it but mrs stopped me

so whats next??

car is now undriveable

gonna try find another slim pump as the f reg one has a fatter body than the one on the E reg

its times like this i wish i could be happy with a new car but nahhhhh

Post Wed Apr 05, 2006 4:37 pm

I had a similar problem on my 318is. It would be fine then all of a sudden it would start squelling and pull to one side. It turned out to be the lower strut bearing on the wishbone. Took me ages to find it though, as I had rulled it out due to the fact that I had only replaced this wishbone within six months of fault occuring. Replaced it with a proper dealer part and it cured it straight away. Hope this helps.

Post Wed Apr 05, 2006 4:44 pm

daz - was there a PAS pump in the boxes of goodies in the boot?

Post Wed Apr 05, 2006 4:50 pm

E30BeemerLad wrote:daz - was there a PAS pump in the boxes of goodies in the boot?

?? hmmm dnt know mate
still havent looked through it all
just moved it all to the sports boot

have given up for the day now
so will have a look in the morning mate

im gonna be gutted if there is as its all put back together now lol

also had a look at the hole in bulkhead
its huggggggggggggggggge

after seeing that i think she willbe a breaker mate
but have decided if i do break her i will rebuild my grey with the best bits
engine/box/kit etc etc

got the wiper motor changed so at least theyre parking right now lol
and have bodged drivers window bigtime but it opens again now lol

Post Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:57 am

ok getting really pished off with this now

have just bled it all again with the original pas pump back on
and the pump is making a sort of buzzing sound have also noticed the boot is wrecked on the tie bar passenger side

what ya reckon change the rack and everything else??

need a pump thats slim bodied like the one in the pics
http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... ic&t=32268