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Power Steering Problem Solving

Grungle

By Grungle,
in Four Door Family & Wagoneers

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Grungle Enthusiast

Grungle

Posted
Posted

After taking my car to a track day last week, the power steering hasn't been the same, so I'm looking for some problem solvers/diagnosis experts to think this through with...

I know the power steering overheated on the track. I let it cool down, then drove it home. No loss of fluid, but it was really heavy at very slow speeds. Fine at higher (+10km/h) speeds.

The next morning I sucked the fluid out of the reservoir (which looked clean, and didn't smell burnt), and refilled it. Started the car (cold) and turned the steering from lock to lock 5 times. No dramas - steering was light, no loud noises and the fluid level remained the same.

Took it for a drive, and after 10 minutes when the car was warm I pulled into a car park. The steering was HEAVY turning in. no assistance at all. I stopped, reversed (so revs went up) and had another go and the steering went light again. I then went forward, put it in neutral and with the engine now warm (idling at ~500rpm) the steering was really heavy when stationary.

I reversed out, took off up the road and went through some roundabouts - all good. Steering was light and felt like it always did.

Made it back home and once again, when the revs dropped to idle it lost the power assistance completely.

So I don't know much about power steering pumps...but this seems like a pump problem to me. I'm confused because is it's not completely stuffed - it works as long as the revs are over 1000rpm. Can a power steering pump "partially" fail? Is there anything else that could cause this issue? Leaking valves?

And finally, what's the best place to get a replacement pump? Has anyone got an old one sitting around? The missus will refuse to drive it soon...

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AAARGH 33 Community Regular

AAARGH 33

Posted
Posted

I had a similar problem but instead of the steering being heavy some of the time,mine was always heavy.

The fix was a genuine Nissan power steering pump overhaul/seal kit,I put in the new seals and she's all perfect.So maybe the seals are about to go in your pump,I'd go and by a pump seal kit if I were you.

bigkevracer Grand Master

bigkevracer

Posted
Posted

Ask Jetwreck. He cooked his power steering on the track, and warned me I'd need a cooler. He might be able to tell you what he did to fix it.

Seals might make sense though?

When I looked into the cooler, I found that everything else with a similar steering rack (350z, v35, pm35, etc) had a cooler, but we didn't.

Daleo Grand Master

Daleo

Posted
Posted

I have a small cooler to hook up to mine when I get a chance, any ideas which hose it needs to go into?

Hey Scotty,

It should go on the low pressure side of the system; so in the return line to the reservoir.thumbsup.gif

Grungle Enthusiast

Grungle

Posted
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Posted

I had a similar problem but instead of the steering being heavy some of the time,mine was always heavy.

The fix was a genuine Nissan power steering pump overhaul/seal kit,I put in the new seals and she's all perfect.So maybe the seals are about to go in your pump,I'd go and by a pump seal kit if I were you.

Yeah, that's what I don't get - if it was always heavy or leaking it would be easy. I guess early seal failure could show up like this.

i MAY have a 2nd hand pump in the garage from an M35

Can you PM me a price if you've got one? That sounds better than potentially waiting a couple of weeks for one from Japan. Nissan said they can probably get one, but they want the VIN before they order it.

funnily enough, after driving the car for just a short time you can feel the reservoir heat up quite quickly.

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