E30 Zone

Ive fitted my M60B40 and everythings good apart from having super light power steering. It's so light that when sitting in it you can give the wheel a flick with one finger and it will spin all the way to lock.

I've piped the hydro output of the pump back to the reservoir and I'm running a Z3 rack.

I haven't heard of anyone who's had to change or modify the pump so I'm a little puzzled.

Any ideas??!!??

Are you sure you've the hoses in correct places? I mean, that the output from the pump goes to the input of the rack?

If I remember correctly there are 3 connector sizes - pump output / rack input is the same, then you've pump intake and rack output.

You can check them out on e.g. www.bmwfans.info

Yeah I've got the high pressure hose on the pump (the small one) and the high pressure inlet on the rack (the small one), the same size. Then the return from the rack (the bigger one) going through a cooler then back to the reservoir. Then I've got a feed coming from the resevoir to the pump on the big one.

I've already swapped the pump so if it's piped correctly then I guess I'll have to try a new rack. It just worries me that I can't find any evidence of cars having a fault with the power steering system that results in very light power steering.

If anybody's got any ideas I'd be very gratefull, it's driving me mad!!!

Just had a thought. I assumed the E30 PAS pump wouldn't fit and I'm using the E34 one. Is this right or should I have fitted the E30 PAS pump?

I'm using an e34 PAS pump and it operates fine.

All sorted now. Just in case anyone's curious as to the cause of the fault, it's because I'm a fooking idiot. I'd modified the splined shaft on the rack to be 10mm shorter to allow better clearance to the manifold, and cut it below the pin that holds the center shaft in place. So it was sending high pressure fluid all around the rack and making the steering very light, and completely buggering up the rack internals.

Ive had the rack reconditioned by Driveshafts UK, who have done a nice job in quick time, and now it's all good. There probably aren't that many people dumb enough to do this to their rack but I thought I'd better update the threD in case it might help someone.

Thanks for the responses and help.