Heavy Steering R32 Gtst

[DFAULT]

i'm in need of some help with my r32 gtst

the steering has been heavy since i've purchased the car

firstly i put in a lock bar and removed the whole hi-cas system

then i changed the p/s pump and the steering rack

still has heavy steering

can anyone help me?

would really appreciate it if you know what the problem is

Cheers

Edited June 27, 2009 by DFAULT

[heller44]

Did you remove all the electrics for the hicas as well? The hicas module controls the power steering assist, so if there is a problem with that, or if it isn't even there anymore, the steering will always be heavy.

If the hicas electrics are still in there and working, did you reconnect the solenoid on the steering rack when you changed it out? Does the steering start off light and then go heavy after a few minutes? Why did you change the rack and pump anyway?

[321 GO]

Same prob happened with mine last week. HICAS has been removed for years with no problems but now steering starts off very light for approx 1 minute then goes heavy. Have not checked it out yet but if someone has experience with diagnosis then I'm all ears!

Possible stuffed solenoid on rack??

Edited July 6, 2009 by 321 GO

[DFAULT]

I left all the electrics for the hi cas

i disconnected it but it still has heavy steering

i plugged and unplugged the solenoid on the steering rack but did that nothing

i also plugged and unplugged the hicas unit in the boot but that did nothing

the steering is constantly heavy

i changed the rack and pump thinking that it would fix the problem, but i guess not

could there be a blockage in the lines?

i also get a weird noise when i move the steering wheel to a certain point, sounds like air coming out

any ideas?

[321 GO]

I left all the electrics for the hi cas

i disconnected it but it still has heavy steering

i plugged and unplugged the solenoid on the steering rack but did that nothing

i also plugged and unplugged the hicas unit in the boot but that did nothing

the steering is constantly heavy

i changed the rack and pump thinking that it would fix the problem, but i guess not

could there be a blockage in the lines?

i also get a weird noise when i move the steering wheel to a certain point, sounds like air coming out

any ideas?

Ha ha. I get the same noise. Thought it was just extra noise being allowed to travel up the steering column after installing an alloy steering block in place of the rubber one.

Where is heller44? Looks like he had some answers!

[heller44]

I've been playing in the red dust up north, no net access for monkeys up there.. only flew back in tonight.

I reckon you both have very different faults to each other, andrew yours looks to be a fault condition with the hicas unit, so you need to do a diagnostic on the hicas, look in the tutorial section for the procedure on how to do it, it is a pain to get it right but you should be ok.. count the flashes and work out what part of the system is faulting.

Dfault, yours isn't even starting out and then faulting, probably throw a multimeter on the pins for the solenoid on the rack and see if you are getting any voltage there at all. Possibly where I would start.. nice easy check anyway. Once that is done you can go from there and see wether it is mechanical or electrical.

[bbe]

i have this same problem in my cefiro

non hicas model

on the drivers side i still have this solenoid looking thing with 4 hoses ( i unplugged that )

then i have this senson down near the drivers wheel ( i thought could be a speed sensor that adjusts steering tension at high speeds )

and lastly i wound the nut out on the rack ( adjusting one )

done all that at same time and my steering is slightly better lol

just dont know what one made difference, its still heavy as thou !

[321 GO]

I've been playing in the red dust up north, no net access for monkeys up there.. only flew back in tonight.

I reckon you both have very different faults to each other, andrew yours looks to be a fault condition with the hicas unit, so you need to do a diagnostic on the hicas, look in the tutorial section for the procedure on how to do it, it is a pain to get it right but you should be ok.. count the flashes and work out what part of the system is faulting.

Dfault, yours isn't even starting out and then faulting, probably throw a multimeter on the pins for the solenoid on the rack and see if you are getting any voltage there at all. Possibly where I would start.. nice easy check anyway. Once that is done you can go from there and see wether it is mechanical or electrical.

Thanks heller44!

No HICAS globe in the dash as it was taken out when I removed the HICAS system many years ago (rack, oil lines to front etc).

Now that I think about it I'm sure my speedo stopped working at the same time. Would it be fair to say this could be my problem seeing as the steering appears to be speed sensitive? Honestly was not aware of speed sensitive steering in R32 and thought that as the R32 uses a speedo cable it would not be able to have a speed input to anything else on the car. Would be awsome if I'm wrong and my inoperative speedo could be causing my dramas!?!

[321 GO]

Actually think that theory might be a wishful easy fix pipe dream......

[heller44]

*facepalm...

no speedo, no speed sensitive steering.. sheesh. mechanical cable drive from the gearbox sender to the cluster, built into the back of the speedo itself is something like a tacho generator that transmits a speed pulse to both the hicas unit and the ecu.

[321 GO]

Nice! Time to sort out speedo cable then. Cheers.