Can I drive my car with no power steering belt????

Post Sun Feb 06, 2005 5:54 pm

can anyone help?? My power steering pump lower mounting bolt has snapped this afternoon. suddenly lost the power steering, and when I looked under the bonnet it had thrown the belt off.

The lower rear bolt appears to have gone, allowing the pump to twist round. I need to know if i can drive to work and back tomorrow without knackering the system? (the steering is just heavy at low speeds)

Am planning to buy a new bolt tomorrow, and get under the car to change it tomorrow after work, but i don't want to drive the car to work (about 20 miles round trip) if it will kill the steering rack...!

Any advice much appreciated, and hopefully one of these days I will be able to help someone else instead of asking other people!!!

Post Sun Feb 06, 2005 5:57 pm

Hi Martin,

Welcome to the Zone

You should be fine driving with the belt off. It won't do any harm apart from making your arms ache a bit.

Ian.

Post Sun Feb 06, 2005 6:04 pm

Hello Ian,
Thanks for the welcome

I have to say that the zone has ben a great find!

I will hopefully sort out another bolt tomorrow, but I don't know if I will have to dig out the snapped piece from the captive nut..

cheers

Martin

Post Sun Feb 06, 2005 6:05 pm

it shouldn't even do that, i haven't bothered putting PS on my 3.5 because it doesn't need it, it's such a low geared rack on the standard e30! heavy when parking but fine for my taste on the move!

Post Sun Feb 06, 2005 6:07 pm

will give that some thought on the drive to work!! only drove it about 1/2 mile home from the petrol station, so haven't got up any real speed yet since it went..

Post Sun Feb 06, 2005 7:18 pm

I think Toby_Unna means that he has a manual rack fitted, not just an unpowered power rack. The power rack with the belt off will be a lot heavier than a proper manual rack.
I don't think I'd rip out the power system though, just for the sake of a bolt.
Make sure your steering fluid is nice and red. If not, change it.

Post Sun Feb 06, 2005 7:19 pm

I think Toby_Unna means that he has a manual rack fitted, not just an unpowered power rack. The power rack with the belt off will be a lot heavier than a proper manual rack.
I don't think I'd rip out the power system though, just for the sake of a bolt.
Make sure your steering fluid is nice and red. If not, change it.

Post Sun Feb 06, 2005 10:06 pm

Oooops! A fair point now that I read it again...

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 1:13 am

I've (and the missus) have been driving the Tourer around with the power steering pump belt removed for about 4 months,except for being chronicly heavy to park it drives pretty nice TBH,i've done upto 120 (on my driveway you understand) without it and I reckon it makes the car feel stabler

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:33 pm

I drive a 318 with manual steering and a 325 with power steering. When on the move the 318 steering has the best feel and I don't miss the power steering at all at speed . Low speed manouvering is a different thing alltogether, and I think the 325 on it's fatter rubber would be seriously heavy.
Immediately after driving the 318, the 325 feels ridiculously light for a few miles, but conversly, after being on holiday or similar with the 325 for a week or two, the 318 feels like it has flat tyres.

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:37 pm

i wouldnt recommend driving it too far with the belt off as i've heard stories bout it damagin the p/s rack/seals

a new belt aint much n doesnt take long to fit...

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:01 pm

what damage does it do then?

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:03 pm

well you force the fluid against rather than having the pump do it or summat..

Its just what i was told when my belt snapped on my GSi..

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:04 pm

Jesus325iTouring Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 11:13 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've (and the missus) have been driving the Tourer around with the power steering pump belt removed for about 4 months,except for being chronicly heavy to park it drives pretty nice TBH,i've done upto 120 (on my driveway you understand) without it and I reckon it makes the car feel stabler
[quote][/quote]

yeah i agree.

i didn't suggest anyone else do it, just saying i like it myself. mine is a power rack without power assistance and it's never all that heavy.

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:08 pm

hey i wasnt having a pop at you or nowt, just answering the original question!

I prefer a manual rack also, less weight and more feel!!

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:13 pm

no worries jhonno!

see what you mean about the seals, i wasn't thinking. mine has the pipes disconnected which hopefully will prolong its life! i'm certainly not having it connected up again anytime soon...

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 8:14 pm

Actually, jhonno, I think you might have a point... I tried to fit the new mounting bolt tonight and whilst doing so I noticed that the car appears to be leaking some fliud around the rack..

Unfortunately, as I thought, the bolt end is stuck in the mounting bracket in true 'pain in the a**e' fashion, so I will have to buy a new arm from the dealers or euro car parts tomorrow if I can.

Don't really ahve much choice apart from to drive to work either, but will avoid tight turns if possible I think.!