Calais variotronic steering modifications

Sounds fascinating I have no idea how the variable-rate steering in early commodores works... I'm going to stick around and find out ^_^

 

Sounds interesting, would love to stiffen up the VQ's steering.

Cheers
MaT

 

You and me both

 

I'll have a look through my tech. stuff tonight but I think that in the Holden system the solenoid is normally closed and bleeds pressure off (to the reservoir) reducing assistance when desired, rather than applies a balancing pressure feed with a normally open solenoid as in the Lexus system. If that is the case, reducing the current to the control solenoid should lighten the steering weight (up to the point where the solenoid remains closed continuously) rather than increase it.

It's more expensive than a (few) resistors but I think a Silicon Chip Digital Pulse Adjuster will work instead - it's designed for just this type of application.

 

tried a reco pump? i fitted one and it made my steering twice as hard. personally i like it easy, so i'm watching this thread too!

 

It should stay open i.e. my earlier post is wrong in that respect :embarrass so the resistor method may work. The solenoid does bleed pressure off to the reservoir but will be closed with power applied and open without.

I found a representative plot of the solenoid supply current which starts at ~630mA and maintains that until 20 km/h then ramps down linearly to zero at 80km/h. Not sure of the voltage but if you measure that with the car idling/at low speed and the solenoid coil resistance that will allow a first guess at the resistor needed.

The solenoid current (PWM) is applied from the BCM (power is switched to it as distinct from an earth from it if that makes a difference). The power wire is BCM terminal C12 (brown/white trace) and the earth is terminal C15 (brown/grey trace). The connector is the lowest and rightmost one on the BCM (which is above the fuse cover inside the car). The two wires are opposite and either side of the connector retaining pin.

Maybe it was a standard type pump? The pump for the variable steering has a different valve on the pressure side that allows greater flow than the standard pump. (The pumps are actually the same and the valves can be swapped).

 

Mate get yourself a copy of the genuine Holden service manual for the vp calais power steering system etc. It explains how it all works etc etc

 

How much more info. do you need?

If you have one, perhaps you could post up any relevant extra information?

Could be kind of an open source Variotronic weight tweaking thread.

 

I've got the VQ suppliment - it may have something in that - will have a squizz tonight.

 

In the Statesman book it just has the exploded pic of all the bits and how the pump is bolted to the bracket.

I'll go dig up the VN book........:thumbsup:

Nothng in that either - just says that it is a variable ratio rack. It maybe in the VP update.

 

Mate I would but there is an entire chapter of info on the variotronic setup, it would take me a month of sundays to scan or type, plus another entire chapter devoted to the power steering itself :wax:

Yeah all commodore racks are variable ratio, Variotronic started at VQ series II, were standard on VP Calais and I assume VR Calais and VS Calais also got them. Pretty sure they got ditched after that.

Variotronics have a solenoid on the top of the rack, easiest way to identify them, they are also different to normal racks and cannot be interchanged. I believe the power steer pumps are different also and cannot be interchanged.