Probably my own fault.

[6a13]

I found myself on an empty, wet carpark earlier tonight. It seemed the thing to do at the time, so i put full left lock on and switched off the traction control. I then booted the bu**er.
When i stopped and the engine went to idle i had no power steering. I found that if i held the revs up to around 3k, there was enough effort to turn the wheel but it was still hard work. I drove 20miles or so home down the motor way and it felt a little heavy but when i pulled off the sliproad and the revs dropped still no power steering.The belt is on, not obviously slipping and all the pulleys are turning. There are no noises and the fluid is up to the max mark. When i try to turn the wheel at tickover and the pump seems to be trying.
Any advise gladly accepted.

[Roberto]

Sorry to hear your troubles.

But to be honest with the way alot of people are going with these motors.

Not doing dumb things is probably the best advice for all.

Now onto someone who will hopefully give you a cheap simple solution.

[TAR]

I seem to remember some other members who had similar issues after stressing the steering. Try doing a search on power steering, you may find something useful.

[Kenneth]

Blowing up the power steering pump is a known result of donuts/hellis.

If you are going to do them, probably best you take off the power steering belt first, do your donuts and then put it back on.

[6a13]

Oh dear. Not a simple fix then?
I only did about 3 revolutions, is this enough to muller a pump? That seems a tad delicate to me.
I'll take it to a tame mechanic in the morning, maybe he can shed some light.
Thanks for the replies

[Kenneth]

Oh dear. Not a simple fix then?
I only did about 3 revolutions, is this enough to muller a pump? That seems a tad delicate to me.
I'll take it to a tame mechanic in the morning, maybe he can shed some light.
Thanks for the replies

It may be enough, depends on a few factors though. What offset are your wheels? Don't forget that the car is driving the front wheels, so scrub radius and torque steer may play a part in how much pressure the power steering has to hold.

[6a13]

Wheels are standard facelift 16s.

[Kenneth]

Wheels are standard facelift 16s.

Hmm, one of these days ill actually measure the ideal offset and we can see what sort of scrub-radius the standard alloys have.

btw, check out this thread for previous power steering pump destruction http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthr...ighlight=helis

[zedy1]

it the pump as this happened to me four years ago

[bradc]

As Kenneth said doing Heli's is a good way of killing power steering pumps

[6a13]

Zedy1 has a pump for me. I'm going for it in the morning.
Thanks for the help.

[Roberto]

Mo to the rescue AGAIN...........

[stuartturbo]

Hmm, one of these days ill actually measure the ideal offset and we can see what sort of scrub-radius the standard alloys have.

Nowt to do with wheels etc it's the fact you are holding full lock with high revs

the oil in the pump does not flow through the system it just recirculates in the pump so gets very hot 200deg C sometimes.
So the pump then promptly seizes I use to test pumps at 2500 for 30sec and the cast iron would smoke and these where pucker pumps the ones fitted to the vr4s are vane pumping elements that are not as robust as roller vane technology

[Kieran]

Oh right - so when you're on full lock, that's why power steering pumps whine is it? Because the flow to the rack is cut off and so they're pressuring up?

[bradc]

yep, which is why you should never run a car at full lock, just wait until you get to full lock, then wind it back 15 degrees or so

[Turbo_Steve]

Okay, so what would be an uprated pump? Evo pumps seem to take some serious abuse?

[6a13]

The pump is replaced and working(some kind of miracle as i did it myself)
It took me about 6 hours and i had to take the aircon pump off its mountings to move the solid pipes and give me a bit of room and the drivers side electric fan came off too. The 2x12mm bolts that you have to get at through the pulley were a fiddle and took a little knuckle skin with them.
I think the old pump had been failing for a while cos various whines and whirs have gone.
Thanks for the pump and advice Mo.
No more donuts!

[Roberto]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm donuts!

Only the eating type from now on.

Fair play to you, on a job well done.

Hopefully I will have a sucessfull outcome aswell this week.

[Paul Beazer]

Its not a proper job unless you lose some knuckle skin as an appeasement to the god of car repairs.

[stuartturbo]

yep, which is why you should never run a car at full lock, just wait until you get to full lock, then wind it back 15 degrees or so

K you are correct

It just has to be just off full lock
If you turn to full lock and let go of the wheel it will spring back and that is enough
to prevent failure