VT Heavy Power Steering

[jasonzzz_petey]

Hi All,

I just replaced the Power steering pump in my VT Calais as the old one was leaking.

Now my powersteering is really heavy at low speeds and when the car is stationary.

I have tried beeding the system as I think there is air in it per the direction in the below thread and still the steering is heavy.

http://forums.justcommodores.com.au...23532-vt-power-steering-heavy-low-speeds.html

If jack the front end up and turn the wheels with the car Off, i get a lot of air bubbles coming out of the reservoir.

If I do the same thing with the car running I get a lot less air coming out of the reservoir when i go from lock to lock. Basically no air.

Just wondering if any of you guys might be able to shed some light of this? I have tried bleeding the system about 5 times now and still the power steering is heavy.

How long should it take to get all air out of the system?

Cheers.

 

[devilly]

Hi All,

I just replaced the Power steering pump in my VT Calais as the old one was leaking.

Now my powersteering is really heavy at low speeds and when the car is stationary.

I have tried beeding the system as I think there is air in it per the direction in the below thread and still the steering is heavy.

http://forums.justcommodores.com.au...23532-vt-power-steering-heavy-low-speeds.html

If jack the front end up and turn the wheels with the car Off, i get a lot of air bubbles coming out of the reservoir.

If I do the same thing with the car running I get a lot less air coming out of the reservoir when i go from lock to lock. Basically no air.

Just wondering if any of you guys might be able to shed some light of this? I have tried bleeding the system about 5 times now and still the power steering is heavy.

How long should it take to get all air out of the system?

Cheers.

check the lines are done up tight might be pulling air in through them.
does the fluid go around and around in the fill up bottle if it's not going around the filter inside of it may be blocking the cycle.

i found that taking it out and reverse flushing the filler bottle with dex 3 gets alot of the blockage out.

with cap off and car running you will see the fluid move like a clothes dryer.

 

[Immortality]

Sounds like it possibly hasn't been bled properly.

It can take a couple of times, going lock to lock with the engine idling and the front of the car jacked up. You need to ensure as you bleed the system that the level in the reservoir doesn't drop to much otherwise it will ingest more air into the system again.

Was the new pump a reconditioned unit or a used unit?

 

[jasonzzz_petey]

Thanks for the quick reply. I have checked all the lines are done up tight.

The fluid does go around in the fluid reservoir, and it was a reconditioned pump.

Might have another crack at it now.

Is it normal also for the fluid level to drop once the car is started? It drops about 2-3cm in the bottle once I start the car, and it will then return to its original height once i turn the car off.

 

[Immortality]

No, level shouldn't change drastically with the engine on/off, you should only see an increase in fluid as it heats up.

 

[Nut Kracker]

Try this........

 

[jasonzzz_petey]

Try this........

Hey Nut Kracker

Thanks for the reply, yeah I have just tried that procedure. The steering is a little better but nowhere as near as light as it was before I changed the pump.

When I turn the wheel with the engine off and the car on the stands the level of the fluid in the powersteering bottle surges and bubbles. But when the car is running and i do the same thing the level remains very steady and does not bubble very much at all. Is this normal?

Also is there any difference with the pump for vehicles that have Variatronic steering? I have the calais which has the Variatronic steering but I thought that was all controlled through the rack? Both pumps look identical.

 

[edals]

Keep an eye on the reserve tank, it will take a few days for the air to get out of the system. I just changed my rack on Saturday and still have small air bubbles in the system even following the above bleed procedure. Just make sure it's on the max lines and top up if required, don't let it run dry, and listen to the pump, if it's groaning it's sucking more air in.

 

[devilly]

good old mate taught me this, once its bleed on stands.then when it's back on the ground then u take cap off and drive it putting it nearly full lock left and right.he told me this as it helps will weight on the system to get the last bit of air out.

do it slowly and careful and after 1 left and right check fluid level.if it has no bubbles and feels good put cap on, if still has bubbles and don't feel right do it again.

 

[Immortality]

lack of power assist can also happen if part of the pump is assembled wrong. The threaded fitting in the back of the pump where the high pressure hose screws into has a spring and a few bits behind it, if these aren't put back in the correct order lack of pressure you will have.