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Myth Or Fact?...all R33's Lose Power Steering After Removing Hicas?

nsta
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nsta Mentor

nsta

Posted
Posted

I just installed a hicas lock bar on my r33 gtst series 1 using geoffgtr's hicas lock, and pulled the whole unit out, and everything plugging into it, though i havent pulled out the hicas computer in the rear parcel shelf. Now i have no power steering at all. I dont know what the problem is, but it seems alot of other r33 gtst owners have the same problem too?.or have i removed it incorrectly?also, im changing my speedo this week, which bulb is for hicas?

Trust33 Grand Master

Trust33

Posted
Posted

good question i would also like to hear the answer of this.

does your hicas light light up?

i have the electroinc hicas lock which cancells the electroinc and lock shims handle mechanical lock side of things.though there is a process that has to be undertaken to turn the light off.when i was at a reputable un-named workshop they couldnt seem to turn the dash light off.so i just roll arround with the hicas light on 24/7.

id think that if the power steering was not working straight after you have done this mod then it more than likely has a connection with hicas.though id still check the level of the power steering fluid and turn the car on and see if it turns any better.

follow the hose from the reservoir and see where it goes to and if it splits to the hicas.

all you would need to do anyway is throw a bung and a ring clamp on the offending hose.and the problem should be fixed.

RBwhatever Veteran

RBwhatever

Posted
Posted

Mine didn't do that. I still have power steering. And the HICAS on R33's has nothing to do with power steering fluid. It does on R32's though.

I left my HICAS ECU in. Just unplugged everything that goes to the HICAS unit and popped the unit out, popped the lock bar in and wallah. The HICAS light stays on but thats all. It didn't disengage my power steering.

I'm not sure what happened to yours. Weird.

mesmerized Mentor

mesmerized

Posted
Posted
Mine didn't do that. I still have power steering. And the HICAS on R33's has nothing to do with power steering fluid. It does on R32's though.

I left my HICAS ECU in. Just unplugged everything that goes to the HICAS unit and popped the unit out, popped the lock bar in and wallah. The HICAS light stays on but thats all. It didn't disengage my power steering.

I'm not sure what happened to yours. Weird.

x2, my power steering still works

adam-__- Grand Master

adam-__-

Posted
Posted
Mine didn't do that. I still have power steering. And the HICAS on R33's has nothing to do with power steering fluid. It does on R32's though.

I left my HICAS ECU in. Just unplugged everything that goes to the HICAS unit and popped the unit out, popped the lock bar in and wallah. The HICAS light stays on but thats all. It didn't disengage my power steering.

I'm not sure what happened to yours. Weird.

Oh is that right. Didn't realise.

Trust33 Grand Master

Trust33

Posted
Posted

a good way to loose some pounds.

so 32's are only affected.

nsta:good news on one front.but bad news on another.does your power steering belt squeek.and hard to turn the wheel.at first start up mine will squeel for 10 sec's then i give it a rev and it finds grip.i have tightened that little bugger up hard and it still does it.i think it's because the belts are a generic brand.seriously.genuine nissan belts are shorter in legnth. wonder if the pump has had it?

Race__24 Experienced

Race__24

Posted
Posted

HICAS in R32s is hydraulic, you have to plug up the lines to instal the lock bar. The pickup for speed is off the back of the speedo which is driven by a speedo cable. I know that if this cable comes out the speedo stops working and you loose power steering.

The R33 HICAS is purely run by electrics and the speed is picked up by the electronic speed sensor on the gearbox so there is no cable.

So, the problems caused by removing the HICAS on the R32 are non existant on the R33, along with one of the reasons for the power steering to fail.

Does your power steering pump spin?

nsta Mentor

nsta

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks mate, well hicas ecu is still there, i havent checked the power steering pump yet, i will do so though. We done a manual conversion the same time we did the hicas lock, and my speedo is off by half, so maybe the speed sender is at fault causing this as you said that on the r33's the power steering is controlled electronically via the speed sensor?

what you guys think???

GTshortie Proficient

GTshortie

Posted
Posted

I've got a GTRgeoff Hicas lock bar in my r33 gts25t, removed the HICAS unit plugged back in what i could.

-Power Steering works FINE 100%

-Hicas Light, lights up on dash -> just removed the bulb (easy)

nsta Mentor

nsta

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

hey guys, just an update, i replaced the speedo instrument cluster on my r33 with a manual gtst one, and the speedo is reading perfect now, maybe a bit off cause of the auto diff but nothing much, would this mean my speedo sender itself is fine????

ive taken my car to a mechanic whos advised that my whole wiring harness will need to be redone as when we done the conversion we screwed it up!, he also said theres a loom that goes back to the powersteering, which is prolly the root cause of my problem, and that the series 1 speedo senders, and the series 2 speedo senders are different(i have a series 2 box in a series 1 car - so hes going to replace with a series 1 speed sender and try that as well)

PS my rear reverse light and oil pressure gauge aint working aswell.

any help?

Edited by nsta
  • 4 weeks later...
Habler Rising Star

Habler

Posted
Posted

I dont think my car felt "different" as much as just slightly less twitchy when hicas is meant to working. Saying that i also chucked in a diff at the same time so it was hard to tell what made the car feel less twitchy.

bubba Grand Master

bubba

Posted
Posted

I noticed a huge difference in the predictibility of the car. Any input (throttle, brake, steering) also feels a lot more direct. Nowhere near as sketchy when sideways at speed :)

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