Power Steering Locked

[RBceffy25]

I have a 25neo motor in my A31 with the Neo non hicas power steering pump. I have completely deleted the hicas and grub screwed the steering rack. Where there was a feed to the hicas pump, I installed a return line feeding back to the reservoir. I filled the reservoir with fluid, turned the wheels several times, topped up the fluid then started the engine. While the engine is running the rack completely locks up an I can't turn the wheel at all. Also the fluid is heating up rather quickly. When I shut it down I can turn the wheel normally.

Any ideas what the issue is??

[GTSBoy]

When I put a Neo in my R32 and fully deleted the HICAS, I did not change ANYTHING to do with the plumbing between the PS pump and the front steering rack. Plugged no holes. The front and rear are independent circuits.

[RBceffy25]

Then I must have removed something you did not.

After completely removing the hicas and the associated lines I was left with open threads in the steering rack and a hardline t-section going to nowhere.

Might be time to go back through the box full of stuff I removed.

What did you do with the second high pressure line from the pump?

Edited June 11, 2016 by RBceffy25

[GTSBoy]

I think I just remembered that the R32 and Cefiro do differ in their power steer / HICAS plumbing. So maybe your HICAS lines do go via the rack. On the R32 the rear lines go from the rear outlet of the pump to the HICAS solenoids down low on the driver's side of the bay, then direct to rear of the car.

2nd high pressure line on car went in the scrap metal bin because the R32/RB20 PS pump was sold with the motor and the Neo's PS pump was used. Voila. Single stage pump.

[RBceffy25]

Yeah figured it out. There are two distribution/damper blocks on the rack around the pinion, one for the hicas circuit and one for the main steering circuit. I had to swap a line from the hicas block into the main block. Sorted.

However, now it's shuddering like buggery through the wheel when I lock left but smooth when I lock right....???

[Duncan]

probably just needs to bleed any residual air out of the rack. It will either sort itself after a few days, or you could jack up the front and turn lock to lock a few times until it starts running smoothly