power steering doesnt assist
 

hey everyone, having a problem with the pearlie, sometimes the power steering works perfect, and sometimes it doesnt assist at all, like its manual steering. I saw the steering light, I should check the codes, but today it had no light, just stiff. Can I transfer over my fwd LS pump and sensor or it wont fit? I have a 92 lsl, and i know those are speed sensitive if im correct and the other ones are engine speed sensitive? is it the sensor or pump? :confused:

Do you have enough fluid in the PS pump? Do you have any leak? How do the belt and pully look?

it has fluid, its sorta brownish, i never changed it, also no leaks. belts are in good shape and tight. I checked for codes, because i saw a steering light, and nothing comes up, it is the same connector as the engine one correct?

First, take a new turkey baster and siphon out all the TRANSMISSION FLUID in the P/S reservoir, and refill with fresh stuff, then have a beer.;)
Drive it for a day and repeat!
(including the beer!)
Do it again.
(including the beer!)
Do it again.
(This time have two beers!)





What were we talking about?:confused: :)

lol Tom ur crazy, man if I were to drink, I think I would of passed out at Toms house, ur a trooper when it comes to drinking lol.

on another note, Is there a way to flush it once? like leave a hose open and let the car run while i keep filling? did the dirty fluid clog something? to make the steering work sometimes?

You do not want to let the system run dry....
Dirty fluid can make the steering hard and inconsistant.

I'll second the turkey baster fluid change. The power steering on the SVX I recently bought seemed to have low-speed dead spots, and the fluid looked rather like beef roast au jus with chopped onion bits. One change of the contents of the reservoir (with a dollop of Lucas additive) and I've noticed nothing unusual since.

I don't know if grungy fluid might explain the PS warning light, but hey, it obviously needs changing anyway, so that's a good place to start.

dcb

Originally Posted by Bxsvx
if I were to drink, I think I would of passed out at Toms house



You would not be the first!
(Jason?)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

:eek: I didn't pass out, I just puked on your basement floor.:D:p:rolleyes:

ok i flushed the power steering system, what a HUGE MESS!!! anyway it feels more responsive, like before it was tooooo easy to turn, now it has more of a response. im guessing that since the fluid has more thickness to it and its not worn, it has more friction(does that make sense?:confused: ). but I still feel it is a intermittent electrical problem, because the steering light comes on and off. Is there a relay that controls the electorinc part of the power steering? anyone have a wiring diagram that I can trace out the steering wiring?>

What error code are you getting?

thats the thing, it lights up steering, i insert the blue wire to the port and no codes, its like it magically erased itself. am I using th correct connector, is it the same one as the cel self diagnostic connector. Theres a small black one, a long black one and a yellow connector. prong 2 on the small black one was for the cel, so i tried plug 7 for self diagnostic and nothing came up, i tried prong 6 and then prong 5, nothing :confused:

Yes, it's the smaller of the 2 black ones.

ok it broke down again, what is up with this intermittent problem? im gonna trace the wiring friday and see if theres a loose connection. Will I find a relay connected with the steering harness? damn this problem :mad:

bumpeeeeeeed

ok I put in a new pump and released all the air in the system, still nothing. grrrrrrrrrrr, im pulling my hair out!

Some people have mentioned that the u-joints on the steering shaft get stiff and make steering difficult.

sounds like a thought, but I think its still related in the electrical circuit, because my steering indicator came on and just vanished, and erased itself

whats the voltage at the valve wires? im reading 0 volts on both

Solved!!!!
 

ok, well i was getting frustrated so i swapped the ecu, that didnt work, then i thought let me run the valve wiring directly with the battery, it first didnt work then i switched the connections and BAMMM it worked. I didnt leave it on to long because i thought maybe the valve only needs 5 volts not more than 12 so i dont want to blow it, then i tried to put it in line with the steering pressure sensor, no good. so then i didnt want to keep it running direct so i insisted on finding the problem, so thanks to Randy with his wonderful power steering diagram, i found the brown red wire, which gets power from the fuse box, so i read it with a voltmeter at the fuse box, its around 13 volts, i read it again at the power steering computer 2 volts, im like is this the only brown red wire, because at this point with the thousands of wires near the ecu im thinking maybe theres 2 different brown red wires, so i jump it, a wire from the fuse box to the power steering computer, and BAMM it works!!!!! so I cut out that wire and run another wire, and now it works. Thanks to Randy, Both Toms, earthworm and dcb and my new friend Keith from PA who works on svx's, now its time for the bearings,ebrake, ignition bolts, mount and oil leak. Not bad for a 14 year old car