Power steering & juddering

[Joes_meat]

I have a Series II VS V6. I've known for a while that I have a leaky power steering pump.

(I found out when my steering started to judder really badly while turning - filling the resovoir tank back up solved the problem.)

However, the judding has come back. The resovoir is filled to the correct level.

The car judders when turning at low speeds and far from full lock. It's a sort of sporadic problem, sometimes it's fine and sometimes its really bad, I think it's worse when the car is warmer.

Does it sound like a power steering pump problem, or a steering rack problem?

Cheers, Jake.

 

[hako]

Did you bleed the system for air after it ran dry?.....could still be air in the system however if it was using oil then something is buggered. Are the rubber gaiter boots on the rack full of oil? - if so then the rack seals are gone.

 

[haloeight]

that or the flexible hoses have hardened

 

[Joes_meat]

It's not using oil I don't think. The top of the engine oil filter is always red, so I know it's leaking from underneath the power steering pump.


How do I bleed the system?

 

[hako]

You jack up both front wheels and with the motor STOPPED, move the steering wheel from lock to lock several times....then start the motor and do the same again. Unless your oil reservoir was almost or completely empty there shouldn't be air in the system but it's worth a try. Good Luck.