power steering shudder

[Berlinarator]

hey guys, since i bought my car about 6 months ago, it occasionally shudders when you turn the wheel more than a quarter, whilst going less than 5 km/h. it normally happens when say for example you're pulling out of a park. when you pull out and the wheel is still left and you're still going backwards, you put it in drive and turn the wheel right. just before it engages in drive, i'm still turning the wheel right, and it shudders then. like the revs go real low sorta thing.

i flushed the power steering fluid (just from the resovior) and it was a really dark grey, almost black. cleaned it out and filled it up with new dexron III fluid (red) and started it up. after i went out of the drive way, it was worse than ever, and after about 5 minutes of driving it was back to being dark grey. i'm prolly just gonna have to flush the entire rack (which i don't really know how to do on an ecotec)... any one had this before/any suggestions????

 

[94VRCOMMO]

dude i would probably say that the rack(power steering) is stuffed you should take the car into a power steering place or a mechanics and get them to have a look.

 

[Berlinarator]

oh true, well that kinda sucks. the thought was in the back of my head, but i didn't want it to be. can anyone confirm that the pump is stuffed, like any other similar cases??

and also, how much would a new pump be?

 

[hako]

As a cheapskate, I'd change that oil again as it only costs a few dollars. Then I'd check the rubber gaiters at each end of the steering rack - if they're full of oil, which I can hear by squeezing the bellows, then the rack is stuffed. If they are OK then that tells me the rack seals are OK. Not much more that can be done at the rack so onto the pump - no leaks then I'd presume it is OK.

So, after the above and I am still having problems then I'd check that my base idle is OK - if its low then the stress of the PS will make it shudder. It should be about 700 in D (check the handbook).

The other thing to be wary of is that if you go to a steering specialist then they may simply say the rack is stuffed and the only way out is a reco/new rack for $550 plus. Just be careful.....do searches on this forum or ask around. Remember there are always wreckers who will sell you a rack for about $150 and add a 6 month warranty so you don't have to go for reco/new. Good Luck.

 

[digisol]

Try this before going anywhere.

Buy some silicone spray (not CRC/WD) follow up from the top of the rack where the column bolts on, follow up the steering colunn to where it dissapears into a rubber boot, push the boot up a tad and spray a small amount on the shaft.

Noisy rack fixed.

That will be $200 sir.

 

[tsalad]

hmmmm not wd - what is the brand to get?

 

[VR_Project]

i had the same kind of problem with my car and it was the power steering pump. maybe just get it checked out and decide what to do from there

 

[digisol]

No particular brand, Silicone spray of any brand, INOX is the best of the others like WD etc, it can be sprayed on an outboard leg and after 3 days at sea it's still there, good stuff.

On the web somewhere.

 

[hako]

Another good spray is Lanotec which uses lanolin. My daughter runs a barra boat out of Booroloola and they swear by it. Smells a bit like a sheep but the Kiwi deckies don't mind it.

 

[Berlinarator]

alright thanks guys. i'll give it a spray, then try what you said hako. if it makes a difference, the steering is really heavy/lumpy too. it's like the worst power steering system in a car i've ever driven. a mate of mine drove it the other day, and we went into the maccas drive in (there's a real tight bend there), and he's like 'that's not power steering lol'. i'd still prefer to take the inexpensive way out and give those options a go, but thanks for your help guys.