Vairable Power Steering Assistance?

[lachlanw]

anyone know what the hose running from the intake pipe closest to the jay pipe to the back of the power steering pump is for ? some days i seem to have vairing degrees of feel to the steering . appears to get heavier when driving spiritedly and quite light when just cruising . any thoughts ?

99 RS four S

Edited July 18, 2008 by lachlanw

[chook]

consider a power steer fluid cooler, sounds like the fluid is heating up, changing its viscosity, creating the heavy steering feel. Most of the Skylines are fitted with a small tube one, our cars were not designed be thrown around as much. Not sure what the hose is, also consider changing the fluid, i use transmax Z in my PS, found it gives a lighter feel and handles the higher temps better. Ive been planning a PS cooler for a while now, ill get round to it soon.

[lachlanw]

yeah good piont but nah . havent even taken it for a drive that would anywhere near warm the ps fliud up . yet . only had the car two weeks. been away for work and sheit

[chook]

ok, just see how you go after a fluid change, as its most probably 9 year old fluid, you would be surprised how easily it heats up. Then turn your attention to your pump if no result.

[kidafa]

and the easiest way to do a fluid change on the PS fluid is.....? Chook?

[chook]

there may be easier and less messy ways, but the way I do it is, 2 hoses on bottom of resovoir, one is fluid return, other is fluid out. Place towel under resovoir, unhook return hose, (dont ask me which one is which ?) need to plug up hose connector on bottom resovoir immediately to stop it draining, use same diameter piece of hose with tight bolt in other end. I then extend this return hose with another piece of hose and a hose connector so you can feed it into a waste container. get new fluid ready, have mate turn on engine and make sure resovoir starts draining, if not then you prob have wrong hose, once nearly empty start filling resovoir, keeping a good fluid level, have mate turn wheel side to side a few times. Once drained fluid colour changes to new fluid, stop, reconnect, check level. Go for drive, check level again.

[lachlanw]

had my cover off today and there is a line running from the afore mentioned intake pipe to what looks like something similar to an oil pressure sender unit its on the line coming out of the power steer pump. has another line coming off it that is dissapears down by the block . and by heavier steering i mean it has more feel and need to hold on tighter . by no means is it heavy heavy

Edited July 19, 2008 by lachlanw

[jippa]

i know what u mean.. i think. the steering feels heavy when your going around a long sweeping bend at speed, above 80 ks and it seems to fluctuate between light and heavy

[Stinky Rooster]

can someone with FAST put up the power steering circuit? It sounds to me like the pressure relief bypass may be sticking....

[darrinspencer]

On series 2 neo (not sure about s1) there is 2 pipes connected to the power steer pump.

One line connects the the intercooler pipe which runs between the intercooler and the throtle body.

There is a second line which runs behind the timing belt cover and connects to the inlet plenum near the fuel reg

I had mine disconnected for a while when I fitted the fmic as the kits do not come with the extra nipple in the intercooler line

To be honest I did not fell much difference, but I did only drive it for a few hundred k's like this. I then fitted a new nipple to the intercooler pipe and hooked it up again.

It most be reading boost pressure, so when pushing the car, ie on boost, there must be a change to the power steer feel by operating a pressure relief solinoid on the back of the pump. That is my guess.

[floody]

The one I've been driving is noticeably heavier on the highway/at higher speeds than it is around town, in fact its very light at low speed. This is consistent too. Surely it must have some sort of variable assist?

[lachlanw]

yerah i agree with you guys aye . sometimes if you are taking off during a 3 piont turn ie taking off while on full lock and give it a bit of boost it has real heavy steering but goes away straight meh . i like it how it is tho . seems to be set up at a farily good ratio for how i like my steering . two hands when you boostin it and light as when cruising on thw high way