Put extractors in, now to fix the fallout

[yogi_b]

So I fitted extractors over the weekend, everything went fine, no major dramas. Today I drove my car and noticed two major issues that maybe you guys can help me with.

Firstly, my car is dropping power steering fluid. It certainly want before hand but now it is and the pump is cavatating like a mofo. Ironically, the steering it much lighter than it was before hand.

Secondly, I have a really bad rattle, like the exhaust is vibrating against the body, but it only happens when it's warmed up. It sounds horrid, almost like something scrapping along the ground. As far as I can tell, there is nothing rubbing on the body, any ideas where I could look? It feels like it's on the passengers side so I suspect it's around the cat, but I can't see anything suss.

[vamplestat]

dropped powersteering fluid... from where? can you find a score of the leak?
and what brand of extractors did you use?

[yogi_b]

Genie wildcats. I can't find the source yet. But I will keep hunting. I suspect it's from the rack though, as that's all I touched to get the extractors in :-(

[vamplestat]

yea thats a good start. check all your lines and then go through the rack, now as for the extractors, i had the same problem when i fitted genies to my car, they where just touching the rack causeing a mad amount of vibration. you might wanna start there. how did i fix it, i ripped the ####ers off and put paceys on.... best thing i ever did lol

[yogi_b]

Ah sod it. Can't afford to go and buy ANOTHER set of extractors, I got the genies cos I was assured that they were virtually the same as pacemakers and I would have no issues with them. Might just have to break out the wrecking bar if that's the case. Hopefully it's something I can pull around maybe shift the bolts a little. I'll have a look tonight once i'm home and it's cooled down!

[mr calais 5.0]

I would put the car on ramps and crawl under it and see if there is anything touching the body..

[yogi_b]

had a quick look whilst everything was hot but nothing stood out. the extractors seem to clear the steering rack and theres nothing obviously touching. I might have a look tomorrow on the ramps.

to be a bit more descriptive cos i wrote the original post on my phone:

It sounds like something is stuck and dragging along the ground under the car, a kind of popping scraping sound. it doesn't simply sound like something is vibrating against the body. Also it only happens once the system is warm, say after 5-10 minutes of driving. Its really disconcerting. Its worst under acceleration and coasting but goes away mostly when braking and stopped but idiling. its doing my head in!

[hi_ryder]

whats the ground clearance like... also degrease and power wash the undercarriage, do some driving then check for fresh leaks...

[vamplestat]

as far as this founds, when was the last time you replaced your engine mounts? when you put the car under-load the torque moves the engine to such a point where the extractors can hit against the body causing said vibrations. and i would be careful if you start bending things, DnT in sals SA did that to mine and they just cracked like no tomorrow.

[yogi_b]

ground clearance is fine, its definately not something actually scraping. Not planning on bending anything. until i get super pissed off anyway =P the thing that gets me is that it doesn't start happening until after 5-10 minutes of driving. i would have thought that if it was the engine mounts/rubbing against the body i would have thought it wouldn't wait until it was hot. I'll degrease it on the weekend to see where its leaking. I put some stop leak and topped it up and it's not as bad. there was so much oil leaking from everywhere. pretty sure i had some trans fluid leaking from somewhere too. =\ the joys of getting under your 20 year old car. =[

[yogi_b]

also, haven't replaced the mounts since i've had the car. approx 110,000ks

[GTP 85]

the exhaust will be rubbing somewhere for sure 100%. you fitted extractors, and the noise wasnt there prior to them being fitted so something IS rubbing.

Most common places are on the rack or chassis on driver side. or on the starter motor on the passenger side. or the cats or a flange plate touching the floor.

Just get underneath, grab on the exhaust and shake it! thats how i found that my extractors were rubbing on the bellhousing

[yogi_b]

Yeah I just went fit an extended drive to get a better idea, it's definitely rubbing on something. It's worst in reverse which makes me lean towards the torque twisting it idea. I'll put it back up on the ramps tomorrow arvo, but it definitely feels like it's on the passengers side and hitting the floor pan or chassis as you can feel it through the floor. I'll loosen the bolts around the y piece and try pull it down some to give it more clearance our maybe give the floorpan a bit if a bash. Any other ideas for increasing clearance? It's definitely clearing the rack at least.

Thanks for all your ideas guys :-)

[GTP 85]

its a tough one. if the system is sitting too close to the body then it needs to be heated up and manipulated slightly. i doubt that loostening bolts and shifting things will help much

[yogi_b]

Might take it to an exhaust shop if all else fails!

[yogi_b]

I found the culprit. It's a small tab that sticks out from the gear box mount that just rubs ever so slightly. I can see where the paint has rubbed off on both surfaces. It isn't a structural component it looks like it's just a tab to orient the direction of the plate when fitting so I should be right to just nip a tad off with the grinder.

Power steering has speed leading after I put some stop leak in it, I'll Degrease and have a better look when I have the time/money, ATM I just want my car working do I can focus on uni :-)

Thanks for all your help guys!

[yogi_b]

Update: Chipped away at the tab that sticks out and no more vibrations! Problem 2 solved! The power steering is still leaking a little bit, nothing major, I think it might be the high pressure hose, as from what I can see, its dripping from the K-Frame and not the rack. I'll give it a good degrease when I have more time/money/energy and sort it out properly. I don't like patching things instead of fixing them!

Needless to say, I appreciate the suggestions and help! Another win for JC! Thanks Guys!

[GTP 85]

leaks from the high pressure line is a kent. May as well replace it and the low pressure line.... of course after degreasing and checking the existing ones.

if it is high pressure one, eventually it will piss out mine just happened to do it when a cop pulled me over. Smoke screen-> and a defect sticker for good measure

[yogi_b]

So I replaced the high pressure line, cost $66 for a brand new one from East Coast Auto Spares. Next problem to fix is the power steering fluid resi, the low pressure nozzle snapped off :-(

I've glued it back together with some super strength isocyanate glue, but that is only a temporary until the wreckers opens on Monday and I can hopefully get my hands on a new one, unless anyone had any ideas? It is on the low pressure side of the pump, but I don't need to say what would happen if it where to fail.

[mr calais 5.0]

East coast auto spares is in ringwood? I have got a few bits from that place and the dude is cool..

[yogi_b]

Nah this one is in the Bentleigh area. On the corner of North Rd and East Boundry Rd. But same deal, really nice and really helpful!