Weird Steering Issue

Tue Mar 31, 2009 10:46 pm

Fitted an E36 rack at the weekend, everything seemed fine on Sunday when I last drove the car for it's test drive, slighlty harder to turn left than right but this corrected itself after five minutes. Got in car tonight and as soon as engine fired up steering turns itself to the left, after I turn it back to left, it turns itself to left. On the road, there's no load at all, it's like the cars up on axle stands and no resistance on the tyres. Drove it for ten minutes but it's still the same. It's as though there's no return from the rack.

Anyone got any ideas ? The rack was from a breakers, so maybe it's suspect ?

Thanks

Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:14 pm

Sounds like you've got air trapped in the system mate

Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:35 pm

Sounds like you should move this to the Technical Help section mate

Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:41 am

Think I may have sorted it. Had a quick look this morning and there's a kink in the return hose to the reservoir. Will fix it later.

Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:29 pm

beemerbird wrote:Sounds like you should move this to the Technical Help section mate

Can I do this or does a moderator have to move it ??

Still got the problem, straightened the return pipe out but there's still no resistance in the steering. Been told there's a pressure relief valve in the pump that may have got stuck, similar to the one in the engine oil pressure system, so next thing is to locate it and give it a clean out.

Open to other ideas aswell though

Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:44 pm

I think it needs some help from a Moderator, to be honest. You'll get loads more advice from Tech Help if you can get this done, though

Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:48 pm

Helpful mod to the rescue.

Moving in 3...2.....1......

Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:53 pm

Thanks people, just need some replies now.

Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:52 pm

PAS feed and return pipes back to front?

Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:02 pm

badassyas wrote:PAS feed and return pipes back to front?

Don't think so, the pipes were the ones from the E36 rack that I had modified. The banjo ends are different sizes, so it shouldn't possible to mix them up. I'll check though, just need to know which end on the rack is in and which is out.

Fri Apr 03, 2009 7:55 pm

Latest update, checked pipes are on correctly, which they are, removed pump and split it, checked relief valve and it was fine, no jamming or dirt in the cylinder. Spoke to mate, who suggested a few things one of which was the pipe bore size. The return pipe I had made was too small to fit the reservoir, as it was made up from the E36 return pipe, so I had to make up an adapter piece from the original E30 pipe, so I could get a return onto the reservoir. The two pipe internal diameter are 8mm for the E36 and 12mm for the E30. This is now the main suspect, as the symptoms would probably be excessive pressure build up, due to the E36 return pipe not coping with the pressure from the E30 pump. Will get pipe corrected in the morning and update this post, as it may help others in the future.

Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:17 pm

If its the return pipe the diameter shouldn't make a difference as it will just cause the oil to flow faster through the narrow part.

Have you checked the tracking ? When the wheels are straight is the rack centred ?
(equal amounts of thread showing on each tie rod)

Does the steering turn freely with both wheels off the floor ?(pull and push the road wheels, not the steering wheel.)

It could be a dodgy ball joint or even the rack not sitting square. I don't see how the pressure being too high would always make it turn one way and not the other.

Sat Apr 04, 2009 9:28 am

Martinaston wrote:If its the return pipe the diameter shouldn't make a difference as it will just cause the oil to flow faster through the narrow part.

Have you checked the tracking ? When the wheels are straight is the rack centred ?
(equal amounts of thread showing on each tie rod)

Does the steering turn freely with both wheels off the floor ?(pull and push the road wheels, not the steering wheel.)

It could be a dodgy ball joint or even the rack not sitting square. I don't see how the pressure being too high would always make it turn one way and not the other.

I see what you're saying about the pipe diameter but my mate's had issues on cars with wrong size pipes on fuel lines and they haven't been upto flowing enough fuel. Pipe's off now so I'll get it changed anyway.

Tracking is out as I couldn't undo the fickin ends. It's 9mm shorter distance from the rack I took off. Have considered this as a possibility but I've had cars where the trackings been out and it just scrubbed the tyres rather than made any difference to the resistance.

I think you've mis-read the full post, initially the resistance was only in one direction, now it's no resistance in both directions.

Thanks for some suggestions though.

Sat Apr 04, 2009 4:35 pm

Changed pipe for correct diameter, still got the problem. Can only conclude that it must be a buggered rack but can't get my head around how a rack can go wrong and give these symptoms !! Rack now on the garage floor ready to be replaced.